Binocular Reviews With Over 50 Years of Experience Viewing Wildlife and Anything Else
Key Takeaways
SHIT THAT WORKS
2. Optics choices depend on use circumstances
Leica
Sig Sauer
Swarovski
Leupold
Zeiss
Vortex
Transcript
Hi friends, we're back in our Idaho office as usual. We just did a video on the difference between hunting rifles and stopping rifles, covering the attributes and best ways to use them. We had a few pairs of binoculars sitting around, so my wife suggested we do a video about them.
We only talk about gear that works, which is our tagline here at Buffalo Bore Outdoors. Some of our binoculars are in Africa, so we don’t have to carry them back and forth since they’re heavy. But I’ll show you the ones we have here that work well.
First up are my Swarovski 10x42 range-finding binoculars. They’re beaten up, as you can see. I've lost the cover for the battery, and animals like squirrels or mice have chewed on the eyepieces. Despite the wear and tear, these binoculars have excellent optics and a reliable rangefinder. I tried sending them back for repair, but the online process was frustrating.
The most used pair of binoculars I have here are these Leica Geovids. For me, Leica has the best optics, but their rangefinder isn’t as strong as Swarovski's. These Geovids are over 15 years old, but I still use them because the optics are excellent. However, the rangefinder is weak, especially in bad weather.
Here’s the latest model of Leica binoculars with a rangefinder, also 10x42. They maintain the same high-quality optics but feature a much better rangefinder that works regardless of the weather.
I’ve also got an old pair of Zeiss 10x40 binoculars that I bought 40 years ago. Back then, they were the go-to choice for professional hunters. They’re still decent, but mid-range binoculars today, like some from Leupold, have better optics.
My wife prefers lighter binoculars, so she uses a smaller pair of Leica 8x36s without a rangefinder. We have two pairs of these in Africa, with one equipped with a rangefinder. They’re expensive, but they’re great if you want something lighter with good optics.
In Africa, we also have a pair of Zeiss binoculars with a rangefinder, but I don’t care for them as much. The optics aren’t as good as Swarovski or Leica. We also use Sig Sauer binoculars there. They cost about a third of what the Leicas do but still have decent optics and rangefinders.
These are the kinds of binoculars we use because they work. When you're outdoors, especially in remote places like Alaska or Africa, good equipment is essential. It costs money, but you usually get what you pay for.
