New binocs? Under $200

For my ATV. I’ll give away the Minox, if I get them fixed. I hunt with Leica, but the new ones will be knockaround and expendable. For $200 or less, what’s my best option for 10x42s? Redfield, Nikon, Bushnell, Leupold, Vortex?

How about an Athlon?

Why not. Never had anything Athlon in my hand. What can I get for under $200? I’m off to Ireland tomorrow, so it’ll be a while before I need new binocs.

Leupold binos on sale for $99 from $179 at Cabelas for father's day. Not sure how they compare, hard to get hands on the Athlon stuff.

For under $200 I'd take a hard look at the Nikon Prostaff 7s. I have a pair that were meant to be my "throw around" binos, and they've held up well enough that I never picked up another nicer pair. They've been rode hard and put up wet multiple times (literally) and they just keep taking a beating. When not at the lease, they ride on the dash of my truck 100% of deer season. When at the lease, they are on the dash of my UTV or with me in the blind.

Pretty decent glass for under $200 and I can personally see better out of them than my dad's a little bit higher end Leupolds.

I have both Leupold BX3 10x42 and Athlon Midas 8x42. It is hard to compare binos of different magnification, but I do believe the UHD glass on the Athlon might be a bit better then the BX3.

The BX3 leupolds are a mixed bag. 10x42 are not great. 8x32 are absolutely fantastic. I have a pair, and they're hands-down the best sub-$200 bino I've seen. They run over $300 new, but you can find them for $175-$200 used. Lightweight, good FOV, and great image quality. And made in Japan to boot.

I do think Doug sells some good moderately priced Athlon binos if you want to buy new. But if I was looking for the absolute best glass quality for the money, the Leupold 8x32 BX3 Mojave's are really hard to beat.

If you want 10x, I'd consider the Vortex Crossfire as well. They do have good image for the money, but I've not compared them to the Athlon.

Just curious. I always hesitate to get even a little off topic but I gotta ask. I think its great but how do so many of yall know so much about different binos? I understand experimenting/playing with different rifles and scopes. I know that there are big differences in price and quality on binos but once you make a choice within a certain price range do yall just keep experimenting and jumping around? In 1991 in a buck contest I won a pair on 10x40 Leupolds and they are alI I still use today. I do a LOT of hunting and a LOT of glassing and they have been rode hard and put up wet a bunch. I have toyed with my friends higher end binos and I know theyre better but ive never had reason to buy another pair. To me binos are a once or twice in a lifetime purchase so I don't have any reason to even know whats out there unless I want to upgrade in price/quality.
Of course ive used the same M70 3006 rifle for 47 years and never even heard the word creedmore till last hunting season or the word Tikka till I started paying attention to this forum a few months ago. Doesn't add much validity to my 2 cents but it is what it is.

I knew almost nothing about binos a year ago. Since our family has started to take more vacations and most of them include locations where wildlife is a major attraction, I started looking at high-end binos. Bought and sold a ton overthe past year or so. My recommendations:

Best 8x or 6x under $100 - Kowa YF
Best 10x under $150 - Vortex Crossfire 10x42
Best 8x under $250 - Leupold BX3 Mojave 8x32
Best 8x or 10x under $1k - Meopta Meostar
Best no budget - Leica or Swaro

I've tried a handful of other Bushnell, Vortex, and Leupold options. Looked at some Meopta Meopros. Maybe some others I can't remember. Lots of testing on my back porch where I can see out to about 700 yards.

Bushnell legend ultra HD

I have a pair of vortex crossfire II 8x42 that aren't to bad in that price range. At least for me, they may not be the crispest glass of the bunch, but they do really well in low light conditions for me

You missed out on this deal from optics planet the other night. Leupold BX-5 Santiam HD 10x50mm for only $49.99. 97% off

It was mis-marked so they canceled my order though

Wish they honored their mistake.

If you're a veteran, check out GovX before you buy. They have really good prices on optics!

i have the 8 and 10x42 vortex. Very happy with them

Steiner M750r LPF Gen I Binoculars $350

https://texashuntingforum.com/forum...ed-from-1-199-99-to-only-349#Post7544205




Offers exceptionally bright images in all light conditions, especially useful for nighttime ops. Crisp resolution and a wide field of view help you locate and identify targets faster and more accurately.

Floating Prism System
uses flexible silicon lens mount to absorb severe shock, impact and abuse without damage

Multicoated Optics
are state-of-art for brighter picture, higher contrast and sharply contoured images with natural color definition.

N2 Injection™ system
seals 14-psi pressurized dry nitrogen into the optic, for fogproof clarity in any condition - from arctic cold to desert heat.

Sports-Auto Focus™ System
lets you focus each eyepiece to your vision once, then keeps images razor sharp from 20 yards to infinity. No more chasing focus on moving objects.

Cylindrical Eyecups
shield the eyes from sun, grit and wind, and can be folded down for viewing with sunglasses or gas masks.

NBR Rubber Armoring
is durable, slip-proof and noiseless to ensure secure, chassis protecting grip in all conditions.

Makrolon® housing
is durable polycarbonate with NBR Long Life rubber armoring, creating a lightweight, rugged chassis that withstands 11 Gs of impact. Impervious to harsh conditions for generations of trusted use.

Ranging Reticle
a versatile ranging reticle found on all "r" models that can be used to judge both the height and distance to a target.

Waterproof
up to 5 meters. Pressurized nitrogen-filled tubes resist water intrusion even when submerged.

Compact Design
shifts the center of gravity into the palms for confortable long-term observation, and teh round shoulders won't hang up on the hatches of armored vehicles and tanks.

Focus System Individual Eyepiece Focussing
Optics Systems Fully multi-coated
Close Focus 20 m (66 ft)
Exit Pupil 7.1 mm (0.28 in.)
Luminosity 51
Twilight Factor 18.7
Compass No
Eyecups Cylindrical
Rubber Armoring NBR Long Life
Waterproof Submersion to 5m (16 ft.)
Weight 1.04 kg (37 oz)
Dimensions (HxWxL) 14 x 20.5 x 7.5 cm (5.5 x 8.1 x 3.0 in.)
Neck Strap Yes
Neck Strap Attachment Standard
Objective Cover Yes
Rain Protection Cap Yes
Special Features Level I Laser Protection, Mil Ranging Reticle, Restricted