Swarovski binoculars~I'm ruined...

.22LRGUY

.22LRGUY

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
177   0   1
Location
Ontario
Just got back from a 2-1/2 day gopher shoot in AB (BIG time fun for this Ontarian :) ) but if there was a down side to it, I spent it with a buddy of mine from Calgary who has some great optics in his collection. Not sure exactly what model he has, but they were in the 8x range and absolutely spectacular things to use. I had no idea how good binoculars could actually be....but now I know. My first 2 crappy cars didn't cost as much as these things from what I understand, but they made binocular use nearly as pleasurable as the trigger work. @ 400 yards, I could spot gophers easily, tell my buddy where his .223 round landed (heavy crosswind) and he could adjust fire. Fun times indeed, impossible with the binoculars I own.

Better start checking under the couch cushions... :)
 
A number of years ago while in Freeport Maine on vacation, I was shopping at LL Bean for an inexpensive pair of binos for the car. I found a simple, sub $100 pair of Bushnells that I had settled on. Just for fun I waived my wife over to try them and then to try a pair of Swarovskis also on the display. She looked through the Swarovskis, made some oohh and aahh sounds and asked me straight faced, "Why don't you buy these? They're so much better." Then I quietly showed her the price tag which was pretty darn close to $3,000 US. Gorgeous glass but quite simply out of league.

It is nice to know there are people making quality stuff out there, even if I can't practically afford them.
 
^Indeed. They don't leave you with a feeling of "these aren't worth $3,000"...they make you wish you had the $3,000 to spend on them! :)
 
Any photographers can tell you... quality glass costs money. You pay for what you get when it comes to glass.

Try looking thru a Swarovski HD spotting scope. You'll feel like you're right there.
 
mebiuspower said:
Any photographers can tell you... quality glass costs money. You pay for what you get when it comes to glass.

Try looking thru a Swarovski HD spotting scope. You'll feel like you're right there.
Click to expand...

That's what these binoculars made you feel like. SO vivid. My buddy has a nice Leica (sp?) range finder and on Sunday night as we were wrapping-up, I spotted a coyote being chased though a grass field by a doe (lol) with these binoculars. He ranged it~over 900 yards away....8x magnification binoculars. Yikes.
 
I've got a set of Bushnell Excursions and really can't complain. Best yet.
Kristle Krisp and work with me eyes.

As a fellow Gummutters expressed not that long ago.........."Paying for quality only hurts once".

Yuppers..........
 
.22LRGUY, Outside of some hunters, only a birder who really really knows binos would say you are not crazy. You are not crazy. But just for luck, take a look at the Zeiss Victory line before you commit.
 
lol, I feel your pain. I ended up buying a pair of 8x Leupold RXBs, as close as I could afford to high end glass. Not Swaro by a long shot, but leagues ahead of the Bushnell sh!t I was accustomed too.
 
You dont need to spend $3000 to have good bino's. For about 1/3 of that you can get some really good glass. Zeiss Conquest are excellent for the $$ and an affordable option for the working man.

Cheers!!
 
Thanks for the input guys. It was great to see them out in the field first too...hate standing inside a sporting goods store, looking through a scope or binoculars as though that replicates what the experience will be outdoors. I always ask if I can take them outside, and the store clerks always act as though it's the first time they've ever heard the question. Scott~I'll look at those Zeiss ones. Not committing to any high-end glass...not unless I'm planning on re-mortgaging the house!
 
I had the Swaro rangefinder, which is 8x30 I believe and never used my binocs again. That glass really is in a league of it's own. Money well spent, just go easy when cleaning them.
 
FWIW the 10x Swarovski HD binos are $2289 here. So not quite $3k. The EL laser range finder bino's will cost you $3429 and are in a league of their own.
 
.22LRGUY said:
Just got back from a 2-1/2 day gopher shoot in AB (BIG time fun for this Ontarian :) ) but if there was a down side to it, I spent it with a buddy of mine from Calgary who has some great optics in his collection. Not sure exactly what model he has, but they were in the 8x range and absolutely spectacular things to use. I had no idea how good binoculars could actually be....but now I know. My first 2 crappy cars didn't cost as much as these things from what I understand, but they made binocular use nearly as pleasurable as the trigger work. @ 400 yards, I could spot gophers easily, tell my buddy where his .223 round landed (heavy crosswind) and he could adjust fire. Fun times indeed, impossible with the binoculars I own.

Better start checking under the couch cushions... :)
Click to expand...

I know the buddy in this story. They are 8.5x42 Swarovski EL's, and man they are nice!
 
There is somewhat cheaper options at slightly better price. The Cabelas Euro HD or the Meopta HD are extremely good choices at a fraction of the price. Google them, they have excellent reviews.
 
The horrible thing about optics is the cost of the absolute best stuff.

The nice thing is that for half the money, you can still get 95+% of the performance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom