Binoculars for hunting

[robhw97k]

Anyone recomend light pair binoculars idea for hunting.price range £100-120.thanks

[Hurricane]

For that sort of price you can get some quite nice compact Hawkes, Nature Trek 10x25 at around £90 full price, or for a bit more quality Endurance ED 10x25 at around £130 full price.

[NigelG]

I’d go for the Bushnell H2O (fully waterproof) they come 8x42 and 10x42 not sure how good they are at dusk though

[bighit]

My laser range finder is a 6x25 and its fine for using to spot bunnies at rim fire ranges I shoot . So it cover 2 items for me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Visionking-...g+range+finder

[Geezer]

There are basically three price ranges for binos.

Up to £200: they range from totally rubbish to OK.

£300-500: from OK to really good.

£1000+: awesome (Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica...). Some of the £300-500 stuff gets very close to these (Nikon, for example).

Binos are worth investing in, if you can. Buy once, use forever.

The best value in binos is often a porro-prism design (the old-fashioned dog-leg WW2 U-Boat commander style, not the newer roof prism with two tubes on a hinge style). Roof prisms are better, but at the £100 level, good porros are a great buy.

Do not go below 30mm lenses. Or over 40-42. 7 or 8-8.5 power mag is what you need. 6 would do, but is rare. Never buy variable-power, you don't need it and it usually is rubbish (mail order catalogues push things like cheap 8-21x25mm; they are all awful).

Best place to research is a birdwatcher forum. Those guys really care about their glass.

Check out the Bresser 8x40 or Avalon 8x32. Or used Steiners.

[Lon'gun]

I had this dilemma a couple of months ago when my very old glasses were beyond economical repair. My budget was 150 quid.
I looked through a lot, but settled on a pair of Vortex Diamondback 8x32.
In a back to back with the Hawke ED and Minox offerings, the diamondbacks just came to the eye better.
A bit over my budget, but I'm very pleased with them.
Look through as many as you can in various light settings if possible, to compare contrast, brightness and light gathering.
Atb

Chris

[rhyslightnin]

I had this dilemma a couple of months ago when my very old glasses were beyond economical repair. My budget was 150 quid.
I looked through a lot, but settled on a pair of Vortex Diamondback 8x32.
In a back to back with the Hawke ED and Minox offerings, the diamondbacks just came to the eye better.
A bit over my budget, but I'm very pleased with them.
Look through as many as you can in various light settings if possible, to compare contrast, brightness and light gathering.
Atb

Chris

+1 for Diamondback 8x32.. great bins for the cash, excellent size. I compared them with £300 Nikon, hawk, Zeiss, kowa, and the only thing that really rivaled them was the kowa. They were just as bright but the kowa was easier on the eye. I just didn't feel that twice the money was worth it, especially with the vortex guarantee.
They whipped the floor with lots of £50-£150 bins so I thought they were great value.
Rhys

Ps.. try the different sizes in one range.. I found the 8x32 much nicer than the 8x42's in a few different brands so make sure as said above, that you spend some time in a decent shop really trying them all. Even stuff more expensive so you can get a feel for where the value is

Happy bins hunting

[robs5230]

I’d go for the Bushnell H2O (fully waterproof) they come 8x42 and 10x42 not sure how good they are at dusk though

ANother vote here for the H20. Really good glass
I have the 8x42 and these compare very well to more expensive brands in the field.
I don't take them out hunting though.

[robhw97k]

ok lads thanks for ya input,ill check all bins out ya recomended.ive also joined a bird watching forum ill ask there and see which bins get mentioned the most.thanks again folks

[Blackrider]

All good advice and I'll add one more point !
Not always practical but the best time to check out a pair of binoculars is dawn or dusk or in poorer light levels.
Years back when choosing mine I spent one and a half hours peering through four different pairs of quality bins before I eventually chose one.

[GoodWILLHunting]

There are basically three price ranges for binos.

Up to £200: they range from totally rubbish to OK.

£300-500: from OK to really good.

£1000+: awesome (Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica...). Some of the £300-500 stuff gets very close to these (Nikon, for example).

Binos are worth investing in, if you can. Buy once, use forever.

The best value in binos is often a porro-prism design (the old-fashioned dog-leg WW2 U-Boat commander style, not the newer roof prism with two tubes on a hinge style). Roof prisms are better, but at the £100 level, good porros are a great buy.

Do not go below 30mm lenses. Or over 40-42. 7 or 8-8.5 power mag is what you need. 6 would do, but is rare. Never buy variable-power, you don't need it and it usually is rubbish (mail order catalogues push things like cheap 8-21x25mm; they are all awful).

Best place to research is a birdwatcher forum. Those guys really care about their glass.

Check out the Bresser 8x40 or Avalon 8x32. Or used Steiners.

^ All good info that. Especially the advice on earwiging in on twitchers preferences.

[Simonsays]

I’m made up with my Barr and Stroud 8 x 42 Saharas for around £70. Nice bright and sharp image only downside is the weight for they are a little heavy. There are smaller options in the range.

I wouldn’t go big on the magnification as you get wobble. 8 x ideal in my view.

[robhw97k]

I’m made up with my Barr and Stroud 8 x 42 Saharas for around £70. Nice bright and sharp image only downside is the weight for they are a little heavy. There are smaller options in the range.

I wouldn’t go big on the magnification as you get wobble. 8 x ideal in my view.

i asked about these sahara on birdwatching forum,yea supposed be decent but 1 guy says sierra model is slightly better than saharas,only only 7 quid more so i bought them.cheers simon and everyone else input.rob

[Simonsays]

i asked about these sahara on birdwatching forum,yea supposed be decent but 1 guy says sierra model is slightly better than saharas,only only 7 quid more so i bought them.cheers simon and everyone else input.rob

Ok good. I’d be interested to know what you think of them.

[robhw97k]

Ok good. I’d be interested to know what you think of them.

No probs mate ill pm ya after few days of use,tell ya what they like.