Was wondering what kind of binoculars everyone uses? What's the price range of a good mid range binocular?
If your looking for a decent pair of binos your going to be in the 150-300 dollar range. I use the Nikon monarch 5 10x42 and I really like them. Good in low light and very crisp!
Sorry I am getting loopy and missed the second part of your question. I think mid range is probably between 500-1000 mark. Pretty much everything below that there inst much difference.
What is your intended use? Reason I ask is Vortex's 8X monocular is hands down the best value. Its also light and not bulky. Great for occasional use. I typically use it once I have seen movement and want to get a better look. Also awesome in heavy cover as it has a great field of view. Monarch 5 and 7's are great. 7s if you can afford them. Alternately Vortex are great as well. Diamondbacks if you are on a budget and Viper HDs if you want some really nice glass!
Bushnell Trophy XLT 8x32. Work pretty good at the farm and no problems in the woods and brush behind the house. They were $100 bucks at gander.
I work in a sporting goods store, and have done so for a while now. I've looked thru about everything imaginable between working and shooting competitive 3D. I use Zeiss stuff on the 3D range and they're great quality. I use the Zeiss Victory HTs For the average guy wanting something pretty good, Nikon is almost impossible to beat. Not a big fan of Bushnell stuff other than rangefinders. As some other guys have mentioned, vortex is a great company with an even better warranty but Nikon is also lifetime. I would be willing to put up any pair of Nikons against a similarly priced pair of Vortex. For the money, the Prostaff 7s is an excellent binocular for $200 but if you want something nicer, it's hard to beat the Monarch series. Either the 3's, 5's or 7's. They're all really good values Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've been using Vortex Viper 10x42s for 7 or 8 years now and have been very pleased with them. They're scratched to heck and pretty beat up but still get the job done. I've had to use the warranty a few times to repair eye cups that have been lost or damaged and it's a very smooth process.
I have had the same experiences with my Nikon Monarchs... Having to use the warranty to repair eye cups. I have two different Nikon binos the 10x42 Monarch where both eye cups had to be replaced and a Team Realtree compact set where one eye cup needed to be replaced.
I have Zeiss Conquest ($500 in 2005) & a Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10X42 Monocular ($200 in 2013) . I seem to close one eye sometimes with my binocular, so I tried a good monocular. I like it. It's easy to carry, to put in a pocket/pack and to focus. Good in low light & has a belt clip too. I see them selling for less now. For $175 or so I think it's a good option. I rarely carry my binos hunting anymore. But I hunt where if you can see 200 yards it's a "big field".
Good to know. My Vipers are about due for retirement and I've been looking at a set of Monarch 5's to replace them.
I use these Leupold binos. Outstanding optics for the price. http://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/binoculars/bx-2-cascades-binoculars/bx-2-cascades-10x42mm/
