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Binos for under $100?

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redman2006 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redman2006 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Binos for under $100?
    Posted: October/25/2014 at 09:00

I am new to the forum and looking for a little advice in a few areas. 

I need a new set of binos for hunting, backpacking and hiking.  The budget caps out at $100.  My wife keeps asking about what I want for my birthday, and this is it.

So, for fairly compact binos, what is the best I can do and stay under $100?  I live and hunt in a wooded area, so light is an issue, but I don't want massive objectives.  The last I had were either 6 or 8x 20 as I recall, but that was years ago, and they were ruined when my horse and I swam a river and forgot to pull them out of the saddle bags.

Things they will be used for:  target ID for hunting, glassing at closer ranges in heavy cover, wildlife watching, etc.  I don't expect perfect, just the best bang for the buck.


Thanks


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coyote95 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote coyote95 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2014 at 12:09
"Life is like riding a bicycle . To keep balance you must keep moving" Albert Einstein
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redman2006 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redman2006 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2014 at 13:09
Thanks. Something like that looks like the ticket.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bird Watcher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2014 at 16:32
This one has a W I D E FOV & a little more light gathering.

I prefer Porro prism binoculars especially those made in Japan. (i.e. Minox BD 10x44 BP) 8>)
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redman2006 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redman2006 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2014 at 21:03
That looks nice as well.
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Klamath View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/26/2014 at 12:29
In my opinion, the Nikon Aculon is the best binocular for the least money on the market. It does not seem particularly durable, and is not waterproof.  I would recommend a Leupold Yosemite.  Their newe price is a bit above the $100 limit, but not too much.  I have both the Aculon in 7x35 and the Yosemite in 6x30.  The Yosemite is much smaller, more durable, but the Aculon is brighter and has a lot more field of view.
Steve
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PhilR. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PhilR. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/26/2014 at 22:50

For "fairly compact", you can't do better under $100 than the Leupold Yosemite suggested by Coyote.  Light in weight (under 20 oz), bright and sharp in view, and comes with a pretty decent neck strap (or at least they used to).  You won't mind the weight of these during your hikes.

There's a lot of places that sell them, and often you can find them on sale for quite a bit under $100.  Also, I would not get the 10x version.

If you need a bit more objective, then you can get the Redfield 8x36 porro for under $60 if you shop around.  These weigh more than the Yosemite, as their larger objective lens would suggest, but they are also bright and sharp in view -- *much* more so than their low price would suggest.  These are what a Yosemite would be, if they made one in 36mm.  Still though, the Yosemite makes a better "general-purpose" bino because of it's nice compact size.

Lastly, if you need even more objective, then look for the Olympus EXPS1 8x40.  This porro rates very high on the allbinos.com website.  It's normal retail is above your price level, but you can often find it within your budget if you shop around.  It has a better build quality and a sharper view than does the Nikon Aculon line.  Be aware that these are over 20 oz., so they would not be my first choice for a hiking binocular.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bird Watcher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/27/2014 at 09:03
I prefer Porro prism binoculars especially those made in Japan. (i.e. Minox BD 10x44 BP) 8>)
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redman2006 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redman2006 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/27/2014 at 09:39

Thanks all.

I need to get my hands on a few.  I found the acculons at a local Wally World and was less than impressed with the "feel"


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/27/2014 at 10:23
Originally posted by redman2006 redman2006 wrote:

Thanks all.

I need to get my hands on a few.  I found the acculons at a local Wally World and was less than impressed with the "feel"




The Aculon I have is a 7x35.  It is a lot smaller and has a different feel than a larger model.  Places like Wally World, and even a lot of local sporting goods stores often simply don't stock anything less than 10x or smaller than 42 mm objectives.  At any rate I had to order mine.

However the Yosemite is probably your best bet.  Another binocular quite similar to the Yosemite is the Vortex Raptor.  The Raptor is a small bit longer and comes in 6.5 and 8.5 magnifications in an 32 mm objective.  All things considered the Yosemite is very likely the definition standard of "bang for the buck".

The Yosemite and Raptor work great for kids too, if that might be a future consideration in your case.
Steve
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted". William Bruce Cameron

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Acenturian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/23/2014 at 18:36

If your not needing more than 8X magnification I have a set of Vortex Raptors (mine are 6.5x)but they make an 8x.  I bought them for work, and they have been great for the $$ they also double as my archery bino's.

I like them a bit better than my friends kids Leupold Yosemite's in that the Vortex are a tiny bit bigger and easier to hold on to.

http://swfa.com/Raptor-C1419.aspx

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