Hello,

Could you please tell me the best binoculars you use/would recommend? In terms of quality/value?

This is a pretty wide open question. If money is no object get Swarovski. I have two pairs of their Binos and they are incredible. But the price is disturbingly high.

Oh Camera Land NY will cut you a good deal on them if you call and tell them you are a member of the THF.

Leica 10x42s. Because I believe they are the best. But you will pay fr them. For walking around I carry on old pair of Nikon 10x25 compact. They are good but nowhere near as good as Leica.

Vortex is probably the best for their value. I have a pair of Swarovski’s & the rangefinder Vortex binos. The Swarovski’s are definitely the better, clearer glass, but for the difference in price, I am plenty pleased with the Vortex binos. I’d recommend getting the HD glass in vortex if you aren’t looking for the rangefinder combo

Swaro EL was king in the 12x and under, new king will probably be the Swaro NL

I've got an old pair of Bausch and Lombs that I've had for about 20+yrs. But, if money isn't an issue, I'd buy Leica. They are OUTSTANDING.

I think a lot depends on how often you use them and how you treat them on how much you want to spend on them. Mine are like a tool to use. They lay in the seat of either the mule or the kubota. Get dusty and tossed around and sometimes fall out of which ever seat they are in. So I don't spend a lot on them because they usually only last a few years before they either get broke or lost.

Leica 10x42 Ultravids are my preference.

Is this the La Coma Ranch in Red Gate?

Swarovski is the best period... of you don’t want to spend the money then look at budget options like Vortex and Leupold

Was on an Elk hunt a few years back and guys had several different brands. I was able to look at long distances and short with Leica, Swaro and Zeiss. The Zeiss didn't come close to the other two. The Swaro's were a little bit better than the Leica's, but you can't go wrong with those two.

I bought a pair of Steiner 12x40 back in ‘97. Treated them like Don does. The rubber armor degraded, but glass was still good. Loved the auto focus, after setting to my vision. Just sent back to Steiner to be refurbished. The moral of the story is spend more on optics than the firearm. The high end binos do have sticker shock.

It’s all about model, Zeiss victory and conquest are very very different

While there are some quality that is indisputable Glass can be subjective between different folks eyes. I have a friend who can and does buy whatever he wants and his Swaros ride around as spares for other passengers to use as he prefers Leupold as he can see detail better.

Swarovski for sure. Buy once, cry once.

My advice is to spend everything you can afford. I hunted with Leupold 10x42 for 12 years and they were wonderful. I had used some Swarvos that belong to a friend and they are amazing but they cost a lot. Last year I was able to step way up and buy the Leica Geovid and I love them. Regardless of you budget, I would absolutely recommend Cameraland of New York. Ask for Doug. If you are studying antlers and trying to age deer on the hoof then I can't stress enough the benefit of good great glass.

Swaro EL10X42. Just hard to go wrong with them.

Just opened circular from Cabelas. Still expensive at $2,169, but that's $500 off the every day price there.

Swarovski EL, Lieca Ultravid, and Zeiss Victory are the best I have used. For my eyes the Zeiss Victory HT are what I prefer and use. My hunting buddies use all three and I was able to give them all a lengthy comparison while hunting. Price for all 3 is comparable and steep. After using them all, the Zeiss Victory HT are what I bought and like best. Any of those three are very good.

For 35 years my buddy hunted with a pair of Zeiss 8x30 B/GA I.F. Safari binoculars. They're zero focus, just need to focus each eye piece. They're light weight, heavy rubber armor and have incredible glass. I know they're manufactured discontinued however if you can find a pair you won't be sorry. I got mine 20 years ago when Zeiss has made special runs on them. They had another special run around 2010 and they sold out quickly. Everyone who comes out to the ranch and uses them wants a pair. It might be worth checking online.

I've got a pair of the old armor coated Zeiss 10x42's and they've been through hell and back over the decades. They look like hell but the glass looks like new, they still keep on ticking.

A long time ago I bought 2 sets of Steiners. I've never regretted it and they've been all over the Western half of the USA and 2 other continents.

Got the bill for my Steiner 12x40 I sent in for refurb. $50 to replace the rubber armor, interior cleaning covered under warranty. I’d call that some great customer service, bought the binos in ‘97.

Swarvoski is what I bought when I started hunting out of state and other countries. I've looked through Zeiss and Leicia and think that they are also very good. I doubt anybody can really tell the difference between any of the top European brands, their glass and coatings are amazing. If I was buying again, I would buy Swarvoski, they gather more light then your eye does in low light!!!! I can see deer out in the food plot long before legal shooting time.

When my wife started hunting, I wasn't sure how serious she would be about it, and I didn't want to spend the money on binoculars for just sitting in our deer blind behind our house. I have several Nikon scopes and think that they are the best bang for your dollar. Excellent glass for a fair price. I bought her a pair of 10x Nikon binoculars that she really likes, and I'm very impressed with them too. Not as good as Swarvoski, but very close. I'm not sure I would buy them if I was going to Alaska, but definitely for hunting close to home.

For less 1/10th the price listed above, I ended up with a pair of Hawke 10x42s from CameraLand. They have ED glass. I took them to NM last year on my pronghorn hunt. I was very surprised at the detail you can pick up even out to 800-1000 yards. While I have no idea how these will hold up over time, bouncing around in a truck, on a horse, etc., I feel they are worth much more than what I paid for them. I took them out the other night and looked at the comet, the moon, Saturn, and Jupiter with them.