Western Trip Guys: 8x or 10x Binos?

[younggun308]

After a lot of research for binos at my budget, I've decided on the Athlon Midas—but I am still agonizing over whether to get 8x42 or 10x42's. I know, it's a topic that's been beaten to death on forums all over…

But I need the "campfire's" take, because like me, y'all use your binos 90%+ of the time in Tennessee. But some use them out West, too.

My dad and I are going after some Western whitetails in early November, and looking to enjoy elk country in the next 5 years.

 

[tellico4x4]

10 hands down.

 

[shrimphead]

10 all the way

 

[Huntaholic]

10x50s are my choice. Get decent glass, youll be using them constantly out there. Its not like around here where you only glass to see how good the animal is youve already spotted. Out there, I pick a spot with a view and glass CONSTANTLY.

 

[Huntaholic]

Also, once I find an animal Im interested in taking, I switch over to my rifle scope to get a better look. Im running a 25x scope on my rifle I take west.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

10x

 

[Hduke86]

Definitely 10 but if you need to "compare" what a 10x50 looks like, just give me a holler. I've got a 10x50 vortex razor uhd set you can checkout.

 

[Mattt]

10x50 is the best, but these days I run 10x42. More compact package and I hunt from a pack more than a vehicle. Spend money here. I would budget at least 600.00. That would be entry level. I've done it with cheap glass and worked my way up. Mistake.would have saved money in the long run if I had spent the money up front. Bare minimum I'd say leupold bx-4. Wanna do it right Swarovski,Leica .

 

[PaintRocker]

10x50 is the best, but these days I run 10x42. More compact package and I hunt from a pack more than a vehicle. Spend money here. I would budget at least 600.00. That would be entry level. I've done it with cheap glass and worked my way up. Mistake.would have saved money in the long run if I had spent the money up front. Bare minimum I'd say leupold bx-4. Wanna do it right Swarovski,Leica .

Couldn't agree more! Absolutely spend the money here. Western hunting you will use them constantly. That country is just so BIG.

 

[TNRifleman]

10 for sure and if your going to be glassing a lot, I would really try to up your budget. Eye fatigue is a real thing. Take a hard look at the Tract Toric binos or if you can't spend that much, there are a few pairs of Meopta Meopro HD's on ebay that are more economical but are fantastic glass.

 

[younggun308]

10x50 is the best, but these days I run 10x42. More compact package and I hunt from a pack more than a vehicle. Spend money here. I would budget at least 600.00. That would be entry level. I've done it with cheap glass and worked my way up. Mistake.would have saved money in the long run if I had spent the money up front. Bare minimum I'd say leupold bx-4. Wanna do it right Swarovski,Leica .

You're absolutely right, but I am in the "have two toddlers at home" stage of life.

I wouldn't have it any other way, but the consequence for binos is that it's hard not to feel that I'll either get a $300-$400 pair or end up sticking with the Vortex Raptors I've got this year (porro lenses that are an eye fatigue machine—they were free and from several years ago when I was a broke student).

 

[younggun308]

And honestly, for this year's trip (given terrain and tactics) I may be able to get by just using my rifle scope—it's not an area where you have to pick deer out in their beds.

So that potentially leaves me in a better position next year to up my glass budget.

 

[younggun308]

Not to keep adding to my own thread, but I am intrigued by those Leupold BX-4's that were mentioned above.

 

[Mattt]

Bro if you can afford to do the trip you can afford the glass. Boots,socks,binos. In that order. Pick up aluminum cans if you must. I have a 30 yo and a 5 yo. I'm 51. Most all of us figured it out you can too. Hell I'll loan you my backup 10x50s but u break them u buy them. It'll save you 20 bucks in ibuprofen.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

10x is the way to.

Your going to be glassing alot . And by alot I mean almost all day. I cannot stress weight. 10x yes. 10x50 get really heavy by the end of a day. You will greatly appreciate a pair of 10x42 at the end of a day. Unless your in a position to glass from a tripod such as from a truck or 4 wheeler. Then if that was the case you might as well go with 12x.

Don't skimp on this very key piece of equipment. There are even rental programs out there if you dont want to buy. . Amazon let a you try it before you buy it and you can exchange it within 30 days with them. GL

 

[Redfox]

10x50. I actually run 12x50 now and like the extra power. I vortex has a pretty good bang for the buck in binos. Their binos and spotters seem very clear, unlike their scopes….

 

[Deer@Dawn]

10x50. Find a store that will let you compare outside, preferably on an overcast day. I have Vortex and Leupold, both have about the same optics. The Leupold's are heavier, thus they have become blind or vehicle binos only.

 

[gtk]

10x42's AND a good binocular harness.

i also carry a smaller spotting scope that fits on the side of my backpack.

 

[Rem7600]

10x42s

If your looking at anything more than 1/2 mile away you'll want a tripod. You will only make out what the animal is, very difficult to be steady enough to watch anything past 1/2 mile. I've been hunting out west in places I can see up to a few miles a tripod and spotting scope is well worth it instead of binoculars if your hunting. I'll get within shooting range and use my scope to make sure it's legal.

Bought these for out west and they stay in camp every year.

 

[Rem7600]

These are well worth the$40 just not what I go to anymore

 

[Specializedjon]

Bro if you can afford to do the trip you can afford the glass. Boots,socks,binos. In that order. Pick up aluminum cans if you must. I have a 30 yo and a 5 yo. I'm 51. Most all of us figured it out you can too. Hell I'll loan you my backup 10x50s but u break them u buy them. It'll save you 20 bucks in ibuprofen.

^^THIS^^

Your trip will suck if you skimp on binos.

@Mattt I'm 52 with a 21, 17 and 4 year old. I feel you brother. My wife's kitchen remodel ain't done, but I've got a good set of binos

 

[Hduke86]

@younggun308 when is your trip? If it's not when I'm out in Montana then holler at me and take mine. They have a lifetime warranty so I'm not worried about them getting broken.

 

[Specializedjon]

Just know what you're getting in to if you borrow ^^ this guys binos

 

[Jon54]

After a lot of research for binos at my budget, I've decided on the Athlon Midas—but I am still agonizing over whether to get 8x42 or 10x42's. I know, it's a topic that's been beaten to death on forums all over…

But I need the "campfire's" take, because like me, y'all use your binos 90%+ of the time in Tennessee. But some use them out West, too.

My dad and I are going after some Western whitetails in early November, and looking to enjoy elk country in the next 5 years.

If you are taking a big trip, consider renting a pair of stabilized binoculars from Lensrentals.com. It's a Memphis based company and you can rent 12x and 15x binos. I rented a pair of 12x last year for a trip to yellowstone. The stabilization was amazing.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

If you are taking a big trip, consider renting a pair of stabilized binoculars from Lensrentals.com. It's a Memphis based company and you can rent 12x and 15x binos. I rented a pair of 12x last year for a trip to yellowstone. The stabilization was amazing.

Renting just makes sense now days. With glass technology changing so dramatically every 10 years or so the glass investment you make today will be very outdated in 10 years or so. You will want to throw rocks at a set of 2k binos in 10 years. A set of $200 binos in 10 years from now will be clearer than today's binos.

 

[Jon54]

Renting just makes sense now days. With glass technology changing so dramatically every 10 years or so the glass investment you make today will be very outdated in 10 years or so. You will want to throw rocks at a set of 2k binos in 10 years. A set of $200 binos in 10 years from now will be clearer than today's binos.

The ability to rent a pair of 15 power binos that you can actually handhold would be huge. The stabilization is nothing short of amazing.

I own a pair of 10x but don't regret for a second renting the 12x for my trip.

 

[sneakybow]

How'd your trip go? I hope you didn't get your butt kicked by getting caught glassing somebody using your rifle scope. NEVER flag something with a rifle that you haven't 100% already positively identified. I'm shocked it was even recommended in this thread. How would you feel if you picked up your binos to check out movement and saw somebody pointing a rifle at you and looking at you through their scope?

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

How'd your trip go? I hope you didn't get your butt kicked by getting caught glassing somebody using your rifle scope. NEVER flag something with a rifle that you haven't 100% already positively identified. I'm shocked it was even recommended in this thread. How would you feel if you picked up your binos to check out movement and saw somebody pointing a rifle at you and looking at you through their scope?

I would have marched however many yards that was and climbed however many hills that was and stuffed that rifle up his rear. That's how I would have felt.