Best EDC Binoculars

jesse3638

Hooked
I know there are a lot of people on here who enjoy the outdoors. I am looking for a nice set of binoculars that I can EDC in my Jeep for around $100 or so. Just for those times when you see something cool or want to check something out and need a better view. I've used a good set of Nikon but also don't want to spend $800 on them. I'm familiar with Vortex, Bushnell, Nikon. Just really looking for the best bang for my buck. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.
 

TrailHunter

Hooked
I know there are a lot of people on here who enjoy the outdoors. I am looking for a nice set of binoculars that I can EDC in my Jeep for around $100 or so. Just for those times when you see something cool or want to check something out and need a better view. I've used a good set of Nikon but also don't want to spend $800 on them. I'm familiar with Vortex, Bushnell, Nikon. Just really looking for the best bang for my buck. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.
I’ve been carrying around a monocular in my Jeep for a few years... The wife bought it for me.. its some cheap brand “Polaris Optics” .. but its a 12x and works pretty good. I prefer it over a Binocular. A couple weeks ago I was trying to find a higher power monocular to use as a 100 yard rifle spotting scope... but binoculars & monoculars only go so far.. and I didn’t want to spend a lot of money or haul around a Large spotting scope at the Range... so I bought the Roxant Blackbird for $80 that is 12-36x.. its compact, light, and the 36x really reaches out... I may keep it in the Jeep... but the even more compact 12x monocular works really good too.. I can throw in the glovebox or a hiking backpack. I think the budget glass works good enough and you dont have to stress about them.

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Andy5160

Hooked
I bought well advertised, great reviewed waterproofed binoculars on Amazon for $114. First time water hit them they went to shit. Learned my lesson and bought Steiner.
I would not waist money on cheap optics.
 

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TrailHunter

Hooked
I bought well advertised, great reviewed waterproofed binoculars on Amazon for $114. First time water hit them they went to shit. Learned my lesson and bought Steiner.
I would not waist money on cheap optics.
Steiner makes Quality glass... but 7x for $500 is steep... The markup on Non China glass is crazy.
 

FFPulley77

Hooked
I just got issued a set of Leupold bino’s for my new job. They’re awesome! The focus and clarity surpass my Vortex optics.
 

CalSgt

Hooked
Ive heard great things about Vortex as far as their warranty even on their low end product line but have not had dealings with them yet, supposedly their warranty is no questions asked and transferable. Seems like their cheap 10x42 binos go for about $150 and that would be my recommendation for cheapo glass.

You get what you pay for with optics & I would recommend spending just a little more if you can afford it.

I've had dealings with several companies for repairs

I have a $300 pair of Nikons, Nikon was pretty good about repairing them when the eye pieces broke, I had no receipt and they warranted them anyway.

A classic set of $400 (in 1990ish) Wind River (Leopold's original binocular brand) in recent history. Leopold adjusted and recharged the wind rivers free charge when i sent them back because they were hard to focus, with no receipt also

At work I sent an older set of binos back to Steiner for repair and they offered me new ones at a discounted price which was still more expensive than other companies low/mid range product. Steiner could have given a shit that we had spent $7K on new binoculars that year.

Steiner did the same to my dad that bought his for some $450 back in the mid eighties. Its great glass but they don't seem to be able to repair them if anything goes wrong & just want to sell replacements.

I also sent back a bunch of real cheap bushnell binos at work, Bushnell just replaced them free of charge and told me next time I would need to purchase replacements and that they would not replace them again. Fair enough for cheapo binoculars.

I sent a few older rifle sights to Trijicon & they offered to discount new replacement sights because some were not repairable, those ones were due to operator error so I figured that was fair. But their warranty says the tritium light inside is good for 25 years, several of the sights were not lit up to the naked eye & they claimed that they were still good. they were about 18 years old at the time. I pushed to buy sights from someone else but was overwhelmingly pressured to get the Trijucon SRS sights to replace them so I ordered about $11K worth that year.
 

jesse3638

Hooked
Good looking neighbor move in next door?
Haha no!

Thanks everyone. This is some good info. I hadn't really looked into optics before and it's a wild world...haha. I'm looking at the Vortex Vanquish 10x26. They seem compact enough and would be a good entry level set to carry. The prodeal I have makes it even better at under $100.
 

Bear_JT

Hooked
I highly recommend Vortex optics. They’re super clear, built well, and you can’t beat their warranty.
 
They look really good but they are a little out of my price range...haha.
I hear you. A couple years ago I finally buckled down and picked up nice bino’s. It’s now very difficult to recommend anything else.

I have had a pair of lower end Orion’s for about 15 years. They are decent and we’re about 200 I think.
Then a game warden friend of mine had me look through his issued Swarovski’s. Ruined me. Everything was dog shit in comparison.
 

jesse3638

Hooked
I hear you. A couple years ago I finally buckled down and picked up nice bino’s. It’s now very difficult to recommend anything else.

I have had a pair of lower end Orion’s for about 15 years. They are decent and we’re about 200 I think.
Then a game warden friend of mine had me look through his issued Swarovski’s. Ruined me. Everything was dog shit in comparison.
Yeah I can imagine. I was ruined after using an $800 pair of Nikons
 

CD2

Caught the Bug
Not 100 bucks. But I did score Steiner 10x XC on closeout from Doug at Cameraland a yr ago for 200.

Prefer 8x when hunting but leave the 10x in the Jeep for scouting.
 

Macarena Man

Active Member
For the dollar value, Vortex/Diamondback 10x42 are hard to beat. Good warranty, and they are often on sale. My wife has them.
I use Leupold Pinnacles 10x42. Did contact Leupold to ask if their bino's were still American made. Not any more.
 

CD2

Caught the Bug
The old Gold Ring was US made IIRC, the Wind River stuff from Spain and the newest is either chinese, or chinese and Japanese.
Vortex is Chinese I think.
Steiner is/was German, but some of their riflescopes are US assembled ( old Burris place?).
My next binos proly Meopta or Zeiss (think they Japanese the Terra stuff- have to call Doug at CL NY to verify).
 

CD2

Caught the Bug
I bought well advertised, great reviewed waterproofed binoculars on Amazon for $114. First time water hit them they went to shit. Learned my lesson and bought Steiner.
I would not waist money on cheap optics.
Sent back a pair of those, twice.
Last time they replaced w blue marine version.
Kid took em to Alaska and they held up.

Have a cheaper pair of XC 10x. Just truck binos. So far no problems.
If the blues or these have any issues I'm done w that brand.

The XC went to Alaska too. Just remembered. LOL
No issues with em when they came back.
 

Jeeper99

Member
I've used Swaro's. They are tops. Leica are excellent as well. But the OP asked about a chevy and everyone is recommending Bugatti, Bentley, etc. No help.

I have no direct binoc experience with Vortex, but their rifle scopes are a very good bang for the buck. No idea if they can make the $100 target. I've been using a set of binocs I bought about a decade ago. They are Olympus binocs that were modestly priced. But they are excellent in their catagory. Unfortunately, the years have passed and these binoculars have increased drastically in cost. For $100 these days, you can't get much. You'd be in the China made products.

So, I can only suggest that you shop them at a great online retailer, Opticsplanet.com.
 
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