Here’s my thought process for what it’s worth......

Swarovski EL 10x42- $2700

Or......

Tikka T3X 30/06- $650
Leupold VX3i 3-10x40- $300
Sig kilo 2000 rangefinder- $300
Vortex Viper 10x42- $500
Hoyt Axius- $1000
=$2750

 

Forgot LEICA

 

Spending that kind of money of a set of binocs, they better knock your socks off! By that, I mean that stats you've researched are good to have and part of doing due diligence for an expensive purchase of this kind. But they are only numbers. Out in the field, a really good glass will make the outdoors come alive. The colors will be more vibrant, the detail will be exquisite to the point you don't like to put the set down. But the light gathering is key, and not just to see at dawn and dusk. Animals bed down in cover and cover means shade. A really good glass will allow you to effortlessly tell light from shadow - an animal ear from a leaf, an antler from a branch.

My advice would be to try the best binoculars you can lay your hands on by several of the top manufacturers, not just Swaro. Most salesmen will let you take them outside to look through them and if they won't, ask them to come with you if they don't trust you. But even in the store, you can still tell a lot. Look for dark poorly lit corners and objects that reflect light or are muddy looking to your naked eye. Then test some better more moderately priced binoculars and see what you will be giving up and for how much money. Decide if it's worth it. Then think of carrying that expensive set of binoculars or a less expensive set in a driving rainstorm with no place to keep them dry.

Then make your purchase with confidence and no regrets.

 

I just recently picked up a pair of EL 8.5s for an insane steal. I'm talking criminally low price. I would NEVER have paid full price. Everything I say only applies for me, the eastern whitetail hunter. No binocular will help you kill more game. I have never, NEVER, in all my life met or watched 1 elite whitetail hunter tribute their success to their binoculars. I've never heard Dan Infalt, John Eberhart, Jeff Stergis, Warren Womack etc etc, say their wall of racks was because of their binos. That said to answer your question, no they are not worth it AT FULL PRICE. If you can grab them for a half price if so go for it. The field flatting in the EL's does nothing to help the Hunter. However, if you're sensitive to any sort of distortion you may prefer them. And seeing in low light argument has always cracked me up. I can certainly see longer with the EL's than my old Steiners. But almost always, the difference only becomes apparent after legal shooting time. So yet again I have no clue how this benefits the hunter.
You'll frequently see the argument to buy the best glass you can afford, but I strongly disagree with this. It may have been the case in the old days, but there is so much superb glass in that 800-1500$ range. You WILL NEVER see more game or details with the big 3 alphas, than with say the Vortex UHDs or Mavens. Spending more will not benefit the hunter. That said, if you absolutely must have the best image and will enjoy the finer details, go for it. It just won't help kill more animals. Not the best example, but like a truck. I wont ever spend a dime over 10k for a vehicle. Tons of guys on here I'm sure enjoy their 70k pickups. I'm not knocking them, but at the end of the day we get to where were going. Kinda like we're seeing the same game, makes no difference if the deer is sharp looking, or crazy sharp

 

For weight and versatility, I’d go 10x42 of those two options.
I’ve used 10x32 EL for more than 10 years. Bought them as demo model for a good price. I’ve hunted dall sheep, elk, antelope, Africa, whitetails, and many things in between and I never needed more or less, plus they are light and compact
Not cheap, but a lifetime investment.

 

Look hard at the Swaro SLC's instead of the EL's....you may be quite surprised.

 

It all depends on how serious you are I live and breathe with glass on my face and will tell you there IS a difference. EL's aren't for everyone as the Swarovision can bother certain eyes, I own a set of 12x50's that I love. Didn't care for them at first as they were quite fussy with eye relief, but put a set of eye windage cups on and problem solved. I had Leica 12x50 ultravids pre HDs that were excellent as well, I may end up picking a set of new ultravid 12x50's to try in the next few years. Edge to edge..... HAHAHAHA..... they are swaro's if you have spent a bunch of time behind top tier glass then you should know not to ask this question, all top end glass has their poop in a group. Both my Leica's and Swaro's are as good or better in low light than any comparable 10x42. I live out west in wide open country and once you handle a set of 12x's vs 10x's the difference is very clear, only way I would pack a set of 10's is if I were to go hunt heavy timber/jungle type stuff. When the 12x50 EL's came out there were quite a few Coues deer guys that ditched their 10's and 15's for 12's. You can hold 12's plenty steady free hand (similar to 10's) but resting them up or on a tri pod is where they shine. Unbelievable the country you can pick apart with a good setup. The folks that tell you the Vortex Razors or other mid tier bino's stack up simply HAVEN"T spent the time, day in, day out behind a truly wonderful piece of glass. As far as worth it... NO they aren't.... but if mine were stolen or lost I would be tracking down another set in under 24 hours! I will not be with out them. My original set of Ultravids set me back 1350 and look at where we are today.... they aren't two times better, they are better however, as are the new Ultravid HD's. Good luck on your choice either the Ultravids or the EL's are the best of the best.

 

So two different questions here.

1) Sizing 12x50 vs 10x42. I think it depends on your application. I truly believe 10x42 is the best, most versatile sizing for a one-size binocular, especially if you live in the east or midwest. 12x is really too much in the timber and they are bulky. Some will say 10x is too much in the timber but I disagree and the fact is that 8x is not enough in the open (especially if you ever go out west) so 10x42 is a nice medium ground. If I lived out west like Breaksbulls and didn't hunt midwest and eastern timber I'd probably lean towards the 12x50 as well.

2) Swaro (or comparable high end) vs. cheaper brands. Listen, only you can make that decision. It's really a question of how tight you are on money vs how much you value good glass. I can tell you I use my glass more than anything else when hunting and when you are looking through top notch glass it makes a huge difference. Does great glass make me any better as a whitetail hunter out of a treestand in the midwest (to one poster's point above)? No, probably not, but I get massive enjoyment from watching nature while on stand through my glass and/or checking out deer - sometimes at a distance or sometimes picking out details through the brush/timber that can be done way more effectively with my glass than with cheap stuff. Yes, I still need to have a big deer walk within bow range to kill it and great glass isn't going to improve the odds of him doing so but it's going to greatly increase the enjoyment of the many more hours I spend looking through glass than the few seconds it takes to kill a deer when it walks into range.

And if you ever, ever go out west, it will make a huge difference. I've mule deer hunted in NV a number of times and we spend all morning, literally, glassing bucks and putting them to bed waiting for thermals to stabilize so we can put on a stalk. I use a combination of my binos and a spotting scope to zoom in on details. Spending all morning with cheap binos will give you a splitting headache and frankly ruin the experience. If you find yourself in such a situation you'd pay even more for great glass.

Listen, my Swaro 10x42 EL's were easily (and nothing is even close) the best hunting equipment investment I've ever made. And they are a lifetime purchase and I used the warranty once and Swaro did more to my binos than necessary - like new when came back. I have said this a bunch of times and will keep saying it. I laugh at guys that drop $1k+ on one or more new bows a year not to mention hundred and thousands in accessories and yet they say they can't afford to buy great glass. Nonsense! They can afford it, they aren't prioritizing it. Now, not saying they have to - everyone has to decide how they want to spend their money but the rationale is silly when you think about it. I can tell you that you'll NEVER regret buying great glass. If you don't buy great glass you'll likely wonder, on a regular basis, if you should have (just like you are doing now). Pull the trigger and resolve your dilemma once and for all or save your money and then keep asking the same question, year after year. Up to you. I know what I'd do because I already did it many years ago and I'd do it over again in a heartbeat.

 

I started with redfield. Then went to leupold. Next up was Zeiss conquest. I now have the swaro slc. There is a huge difference in glass. It is worth the cost if you are using the glass. With swaro releasing the new series I would bet there will be some great deals on used binos coming up.

 

When I was looking for top quality glass I researched the Audubon society and spoke with seious bird watchers.. I went with Leica,s... over 90% owned them...

 

I don't hunt out west or places where I can glass animals from further than 200 yards....so for hunting I could get away with a $50 set from Walmart.

I do use binos much more for 3D. 2 years ago I upgraded from my Vortex Crossfire 12x50 ($180) to Zeiss Terra ED 10x42 ($499). Even with less magnification, I can see the scoring rings much clearer!!!! Especially the black bear/turkeys that the local clubs like to put at the end of some really dark tunnels!!!!

IMHO, the better glass is worth the extra $$$. Of course there is a point of diminishing returns.... I don't think I need a $2000 set of Swarovski's but the $500 Zeiss are perfect for my intended use and again, worth every penny!

ETA - I've been hearing some great feedback on Maven Optics lately... My buddy just got a pair of 10x42, I can't wait to check them out!

 

Look through both the EL and the SLCs. I got the SLC after comparing the two for a few evenings. The ELs also made me nauseous

 

The ELs also made me nauseous

If I was just looking through them stationary I was good to go, but when scanning the image seemed to have a rolling effect. I had read of others experiencing that as well and it seemed to be attributed to the flatness of the lenses. The SLC and Zeiss Conquest HDs were much better when scanning.

 

How good are your eyes??? Mine are good enough to tell the difference between $350 glass and $1000-1200 glass. However they aren't good enough to tell the difference between $1000-1200 glass and $2000+ glass.

If you are in the market for that level of glass, Cablea's and other stores are more than likely to let you take them outside with an associate to compare them. That really helped me make my decision.

 

I've owned Swaro 10x SLC's for about 25 years....and I have had a chance to try almost every major binoc. [except the Noctovids] many times side by side with others.

My take;

You will never go wrong with Swaros,Zeiss or Leica....yeah they are more expensive. The 12x Swaro's could be the best bino they make.

Size depends on your hunting style, I use my 8x Nikon EDG's more than my 10x swaros.....better for me. I want a bino I can hold with one hand....12x and 15x are tough to do that.

If you are on a budget, Try the Meopta Meostars from Cameraland. These are so close the the Swaros....its impossible to tell. I just bought the Meoptas last year for exactly 1/2 of the Swaro 15x....after comparing these along with the Kaibabs.

Cheaper binos like the top Nikons or Leopold are pretty darn good too.

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Vortex does the trick for me, good bang for your buck. Didn't start high end though, started with old old binos from under the seat of my dad's truck HA

 

Big fan of the SLC 10X42's.....of course if you need a little more magnification you can always add a couple of "doublers".

 

Big fan of the SLC 10X42's.....of course if you need a little more magnification you can always add a couple of "doublers".

View attachment 7218791

You like those?

Everyone I know that had those doublers sold them...and I saw why. They seriously cut the light and field of view of an otherwise excellent bino.

 

i have had some 8.5 EL's for a long time, the non swarovision ones, they are fantastic. i got them in the demo section of bear basin
for about $1,100 with a nice hard case. i really prefer them more for long periods of viewing over a 10x, there is less shake and a wider field of view.
if you are interested in Leica, i recommend calling Jim at rockstad enterprises, he gets some sweet deals, i have gotten several things from him over the years.
i got my wife a pair of ultravid hd 10x42 for a great deal sometime back, and some for my father-in-law also.

 

10x42 Els' are on sale at Cabela's/Bass Pro for $2169 right now due to their new Pure bino's coming out. That being said I have 3 pair of Swarovski's and you can't go wrong with them!

 

You might try to find a good used pair. This is one of the best glasses I have ever owned or used and it sold on Ebay used for $399. This is a Leitz Trinivoid (Leica) 7 x 42 and is a phenomenal hunting glass.

 

I have 8x and 10x EL's,they are both great sets of glass,if I'm hunting one pair or the other is with me always,if you make yourself use your bino's more for outdoor use in general then I think more guys would see that better quality glass is worth the extra cash.
Its hard to really see the difference in quality between bino's by putting them up to your eye's 2-3 times in a sporting goods store,they have to be used under actual hunting conditions to understand what your actually paying for,thats what separates the ok from the good and the good from the really good.
I'm always reading about someone who says I put 3-4 different sets of glass up on the counter at the local sporting goods store and looked thru them and the 489 dollar set was just as clear as the 2700 dollar set,and then my wife looked thru them and said the same thing,let me make it simple for everyone,there not even close to the same.
When I bought my 10x El's at Cabela's I had 800 dollars in Cabela's points,they also had a deal where you could get up to 150 off any glass,and my 5% military discount,took some of the sting out of the purchase.


Greg

 

Zeiss and Swaro are the top of the heap when everything is considered. Re-sale,warranty and customer service is as good as it gets. Leica has poor re-sale and even worse customer service. Warranty does not transfer on their used glass and they don't warranty any of their"store demos". Minox APO HG is some of the best glass i have looked thru recently and much more affordable than the others. If you do some research and take your time looking for a deal Swaro and Zeiss FL,HT can be had but patience is the key. Buy once cry once is a great motto for high end glass. If you intend to keep them forever Swaro and Zeiss are the only way to go.

 

Bought my 10X42's new for around $900. Reasoning was, if I hunt with them for 20 years it averages out to $45 a year to hunt with top of the line glass. Obviously inflation and exchange rates have added to those numbers, but the principal is still valid.

Hunt quite a bit out west, when you're glassing for six hours or more eye strain from cheaper binoculars will result in headaches....can glass all day with Swarovski's and have no eye strain whatsoever. I've been able to spot blood on wounded game at over 1/2 mile away. The vivid color retention is like no other.

 

Coming from a guy who owned UHD’s and now owns EL’s, they’re worth it for sure. Big difference at first or last light


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wow Iam surprised ...but the UHD compete more with the SLC's than EL's ...but your experience will be in my mind when I finally save the money up for another pair ...I want a pair of 12X50 UHD's next ..the EL's are about double the price, are they that much better? I used a pair of a buddy's for a few days they were older though ...truly amazing for sure.. wouldn't the SLC's be better at first and last light than EL's ? very curious to your thoughts on the UHD's ....

 

I have the Swarovski 10x42 SLC's and LOVE them. I always say in life that you can talk yourself in or out of anything. Depends on what you want. I have NEVER regretted the money spent on my SLC's. I'm sure you can convince yourself either way depending upon what you decide. To me the is NO COMPARISON to other binocs that I have owned or tried.

I also own a pair of Zeiss 10x40 B T*P* and I still prefer the Swaro's. The Ziess are for sale by the way...

 

only you can justify spending the money on high end optics, I got fed up with poorly made and unreliable scopes and binos in the 90s . The way I looked at it was your only going to have to spend the money once and your got the use of premium equipment for the rest of your life. If you can look through them in low light you'll soon see the difference between top end and mid level optics

 

Sorry, but the UHDs are every bit an alpha as the big 3. Any difference is so minute it would make zero difference in any hunting possiblity or scenario https://www.audubon.org/news/category-top-line

 

There is another very detailed comparison done with like 100 pairs of binos and the UHD are right with the SLC and EL'S.