[big_countryks]

Have always used my dad's binoculars but now i want to get my own pair and was wondering what the numbers meant (ex. 10X24). Only curious because I found a cheap pair at wal-mart but I figured for the price they must not have very much distance.

 

[had]

here at walmart they sell leopold wind river binoculars those are pretty good. they are kind of expensive but good. i think the 8 power by 23 is like $85. my dad got them and they are pretty clear and light. they have some 10 by 42's that are like $200 but are nice.

the first number is the power and the second is the size of the objective lens in "mm".(how big the lens is on the end)

 

[Greg Wile]

The larger the lens size the more light is let in and thus the image is clearer. As had said the first number is the power and the second is the objective lenses diameter in millimeters.

Keep takin those shooting lessons, I think they're working cause your starting to get some tail feathers.

 

[Dogman]

I bought a pair of 10X50's from K-mart a couple years back,on sale for
29 $,made by Tasco.Best binoculars I ever had.

 

[duckdog]

I have a pair of Simmon's 10x50's and they work great, Ithink they run around forty dollar's. They were a gift from my kid's if I would change anything I would not want auto focus (IMO). A buddy of mine has a pair of Swarvoski 10x50's that cost him $1200.00 and to me they look the exact same as my $40.00 binoc's. Plus the more efficient you are on your binoculars, the more $$$$ you can spend on other hunting equipment.

 

[big_countryks]

Very true and thank you all for the responses.

 

[shrpshtr]

i hate to but i have to strongly disagree with duckdog and anyone who says optics are the same at different price ranges. this just isn't true. lens quality plays a huge factor. you're not going to get the quality in a $40 pair, or even a $200 pair, that you get in the high-end stuff. it's just not going to happen. i have used Swarovski, Zeiss, Nikon, and many others. these by far exceed the performance of my $250 sporter II nikons. and the nikons i have are great binoculars. they use tighter tolerances in the lenses and better/more coatings to allow light to pass through. the glass they use for the lenses is even different. if your eyes cannot tell a difference and high-quality and low-quality lens then you need to have them checked. it's physically impossible for the low end to perform at the same level of the high-end stuff. they are altogether different equipment. that's not to say you can't get a good set for reasonbly cheap. i am just contending the quality is nowhere near the same. go to a good sporting goods store and see for yourself. they will let you look through any of them.

 

[stogie1]

For waterfowling a cheap pair is the way to go. Mud, rain - if you spend 40 bucks and they last a couple of years you got a deal. I have the leopold wind river I use for glassing when deer hunting and they are waterproof. Too big in my opinion for waterfowling. When you spend a lot of time behind the lenses you will see why some of the others costs so much. They're worth every penny.

 

[thaner]

Got to go with Shrpshtr on this one. There is a big difference between optics of different types. You generally get exactly what you pay for. If you just want to look at something closer every now and then or if you just want to glass while hunting a little you can get some good stuff for under a 100 bucks, but if you use them as a primarily hunting tool to locate game you need to spend some $$$. Spend hours glassing the country and your eyes and your head will tell you just how much difference there is. It's hard to tell how good they are in a store looking at a wall. Go out side and try looking long distance or deep in the woods with them and you will see it! I have $50 10x50 Bushnell's that I love for dragging around and leaving in the truck for those occasional looks at something interesting. I have some $150 compacts that are great for stand hunting deer of taking out duck hunting. If you plan to do a lot of out west hunting you need to spend even more. The same is true for scopes. Spend under 100 on one and put it on you high power rifle or a slug gun and it will not last. Get a decent one like a leopold VX-II or better and you will be amazed at the optic quality in general but they shine in the rain and low light and you will have it for a lifetime and if it has problems they will replace it.

 

[had]

my recomendation of the leopolds at wallmart was not my opinion of "a great pair of optics", but they are good for a low priced pair. my dad has always had those 20 dollar tasco jobs and i finnally got him to get those leopold 8x23's.they make good binocs for starters. ohh i wish i had a pair of Swarovski.

 

[royst]

Ther are major differences in quality in Binocs. The old adage" you get what you pay for" is a diffinite. Lens quality, coatings , light gathering all come into play. As a rule always get the best you can afford and you won't go wrong.

 

[Dogman]

I've got both expensive and not so expensive and for me the old adage that"you lose what falls overboard" is true.Therefore I have learned to adapt to and appreciate lower cost optics where I cannot afford to lose my expensive optics.
Rivers,ponds,lakes and the Atlantic Ocean can be pretty harsh on any manmade device,and they don't make retrieving them a rational choice,especially in the fall and winter.

 

[shrpshtr]

I've got both expensive and not so expensive and for me the old adage that"you lose what falls overboard" is true.Therefore I have learned to adapt to and appreciate lower cost optics where I cannot afford to lose my expensive optics.
Rivers,ponds,lakes and the Atlantic Ocean can be pretty harsh on any manmade device,and they don't make retrieving them a rational choice,especially in the fall and winter.

good point, but that's what homeowners insurance is for!

 

[Kurt]

I got a Swarovski spoting scope and binocs for hunting mulies in western south dakota. Best investment i have ever made for that style of hunting.

Kurt

 

[98ramtough]

Shrp- I agree with you on this one. Here is my personal list of favorites. Steiner, Swaravski, Leica, Leupold, Bausch & Lamb, Zeiss, Nikon. I LOVE Leica bynos. You get what you pay for definately.

That said, I usually take a pair of $40 Bushnells into the blind. They get muddy and get replaced about every 3-4 years. I have an OLD pair of steiners that I use for deer hunting, they work great and are probably 15-20 years old.

Mike

i hate to but i have to strongly disagree with duckdog and anyone who says optics are the same at different price ranges. this just isn't true. lens quality plays a huge factor. you're not going to get the quality in a $40 pair, or even a $200 pair, that you get in the high-end stuff. it's just not going to happen. i have used Swarovski, Zeiss, Nikon, and many others. these by far exceed the performance of my $250 sporter II nikons. and the nikons i have are great binoculars. they use tighter tolerances in the lenses and better/more coatings to allow light to pass through. the glass they use for the lenses is even different. if your eyes cannot tell a difference and high-quality and low-quality lens then you need to have them checked. it's physically impossible for the low end to perform at the same level of the high-end stuff. they are altogether different equipment. that's not to say you can't get a good set for reasonbly cheap. i am just contending the quality is nowhere near the same. go to a good sporting goods store and see for yourself. they will let you look through any of them.

 

[KCDuckMaster]

I agree with that also. What you pay is what you get. Personally I dont think you can find a decient pair of Binocs at walmart. If you dont pay much then they probably arent worth getting especially if you use them all the time. I would say Swaravski is the best, the clarity that they have is unreal. But if you dont have a thousand dollars to spend but want a good pair but not really expensive then I woulds get a pair of Bushnell H2O fullsize they are ok

 

[TNRedneck]

I've got two pair of Bushnell Powerviews. One is a 16x50, best binoculars I've ever had, they are good for the truck, but they're kinda heavy carrying around with you all the time. The other pair is just right for hunting, they're 4x30 so light you don't even know they're there.