New Binos And Range Finder????

[Colorado Luckydog]

I'm going to be getting new binos and range finder this off season. My range finder is a 15 year old set of Nikons and my binos are a 10x42 Nikon monarch and it's time for an upgrade. I'm trying to decide if I should get range finding binos or binos and and a range finder. I hunt mostly in the Rocky Mountains but I also hunt in the Eastern plains of Colorado. Right now I'm leaning towards the Vortex Fury or the Sig 3000. Or the Vortex Razor and a new range finder to go with it. I know there are better choices but are probably out of my budget. I want to stay under 2k for both. I sure would like to hear from you gents on what your thoughts are. I don't want to make a purchase and then regret it later. Thank you very much for any input.

 

[frankdes]

The Helia S and RF-M would be a very good choice and in your budget.
Before you buy new optics check if both your eyes are optically equal. You can check this easily by using your actual bino and do the regulation one eye closed.
than look with the previously closed eye to through the other tube. If you your sight isn’t t sharp you should opt for optics with dioptry regulations on both eye pieces. … read a more expensive bino.

 

[Colorado Luckydog]

The Helia S and RF-M would be a very good choice and in your budget.
Before you buy new optics check if both your eyes are optically equal. You can check this easily by using your actual bino and do the regulation one eye closed.
than look with the previously closed eye to through the other tube. If you your sight isn’t t sharp you should opt for optics with dioptry regulations on both eye pieces. … read a more expensive bino.

My eyes aren't the same. Are you saying I need optics where each eye peice focus's individually?

 

[frankdes]

My eyes aren't the same. Are you saying I need optics where each eye peice focus's individually?

That s what I should do or recommend to have perfect vision

 

[BeeMaa]

Have you considered a set of binos that has a built in RF?

These are the Leica Geovid 10x42 R (gen 1) and go for ~$1500 on eBay.

I'm a fan of Leica and Swaro for their optics, but they do get pricey. To stay within your budget I only looked at the gen 1 version. Current production Leica Geovid 10x42 start at $2K and go up from there. Swaro is pretty close to that as well.

Optics can make or break a hunt and in the areas you are talking about in the Western US, it's critical. Whichever way you decide to go, please don't cheap out. Invest in some top quality glass and you will be set for a lot longer than 15 years. Buy once, cry once.

 

[WyoBull]

I use a pair of Leica Geovid HD-B rangefinding binoculars and would not be without them.
I mainly hunt here in the rockies where distances as you know can get up there.
As was said before, buy once, cry once. They will last you a lifetime.

 

[Paul G]

Leica Geovids or Zeiss Victory RF

 

[Jettech]

Check out Maven out of Wyoming also. I just got the B6 model and they are right up there with all the high end models. Mine are not range finder combo though.

 

[Muskox]

Maven's are made in Japan or China depending on the model. By Light Optical Works in Japan or by someone else in China.

They are nice, but they are not on the quality of German/Austrian brands. A lot of people claim this to be the case, but it isn't a thing. Alpha glass comes with an Alpha price tag, it is one of the few absolutes in the gear world. A $6500 Gunwerks is not 10 times more accurate than a Savage M10. There will be Savage rifles that shoot as well as Gunwerks rifles all day long. The fit and finish, the way they cycle, the trigger there are a lot of factors you pay for on a Gunwerks rifle.

For optics a pair of $3000 Leica, Blaser, Swarovski or Zeiss is going to be measureable amount better in chromatic aboration, color, focus, toughness, image quality, and then there are the build asthetic things like fit, finish, case, optical lay out of controls and the quality of the components used to make it.

A $2000 high end Japanese optic from any of the vendors will be awesome, and for most things be very close in quality to the Alpha glass. But there will be areas where it faulters. There might even be an area or two where the Alpha gives up something to the high end Japanese glass, but it won't do it in every area. Top end Japanese glass is awesome! I have three rifle scopes made by L.O.W and they really punch high. But compared to my Swarovski, they leave things to be desired. At 25 or 30, I would have never beleived the difference that I see at almost 50.

On the other hand, and to answer your question.

I prefer to have a pair of binoculars separate from my range finder. I use a Leupold 1600 BRX (I think, is what it is called) and two pairs of binoculars. A pair of Swarovski El 12x50s for long range and a pair of Minox 8x56 for the forest.

I have horrible 20-450 vision in both eyes, and these have over 20mm of eye relief, so they insure no tunnelling effect when I use them.

The Leupold 1600 will range a truck at over 2400 yards, and range an animal at over 1200. Provides for inclination so I don't just get the hypotenuse distance. I actually have that turned off, so I don't have to do any math. Just dial and kill it.

I recommend a laser range finder that is set up in this way.

 

[bashaw]

I have the Nikon range finding Binoculars, when I bought them in 2016 I bought pair of Vortex Range finding Binoculars same time, tested them side x side & took the Vortex back to Cabelas. https://www.africahunting.com/threads/nikon-range-finding-binoculars.68259/

 

[Tra3]

The the earlier version of the vortex rangefinding binos did not have a locking diopter. That means one side or the other will bump out of focus while carrying them. It is annoying, but useable.

For dusk and dawn shots, it is much better, faster, easier to not have to juggle between two items. When you start to use rangefinding binos you will wonder why you waited so long to get them!

For ranging distance, it is nice to be able to range animals at 1000-1500 yards, but not for shooting. I use that to estimate how quickly I can close the gap and what angle I need to take.

 

[slam8031]

My issue with All the rangefinding binos has to do with warranty. The swaro EL 10x42 that I purchased recently are a lifetime buy that they will warrantee. The rangefinding version IF not mistaken are five year warranty on electronics (Leica and Swaro). So the EL plus the Leupold range finder is MY solution. Replacing the <$500 rangefinder is better than the 3000 plus swaro rangefinding binos. IMHO. The previous Leupold rangefinder failed on a Colorado mountainside. My binos did not. Leupold gave me a discounted price and an expedited shipment from the mountainside and I had to destroy the rangefinder on video for them!!! Without question the Geovid and the swaro Range are awesome porducts. I looked at both rigorously. I just know how I am with equipment! Good luck with your choices.

 

[Colorado Luckydog]

My issue with All the rangefinding binos has to do with warranty. The swaro EL 10x42 that I purchased recently are a lifetime buy that they will warrantee. The rangefinding version IF not mistaken are five year warranty on electronics (Leica and Swaro). So the EL plus the Leupold range finder is MY solution. Replacing the <$500 rangefinder is better than the 3000 plus swaro rangefinding binos. IMHO. The previous Leupold rangefinder failed on a Colorado mountainside. My binos did not. Leupold gave me a discounted price and an expedited shipment from the mountainside and I had to destroy the rangefinder on video for them!!! Without question the Geovid and the swaro Range are awesome porducts. I looked at both rigorously. I just know how I am with equipment! Good luck with your choices.

I think you might have just made up my mind. The Vortex Fury's are 1500 bucks and have a lifetime warranty on them. Edit-The electronics are lifetime warranty also!

 

[C.W. Richter]

'Have the leupold rangefinder mentioned above (small, easy to use, calculates ballistic range based upon 3 diff classes of cartridges/taking into consideration shooting angles.) It has NEVER failed me. For glassing the plains from rocky vantage points, I've used the Cabela's HD 15x on a spotting scope tripod, but when stalking, use 10x42s (i've had em all, but don't recommend Leupolds for the aforementioned eye issues!!!) Cabela's has the HD (it's either Meopta or Swaro), check out Burris' 10x42 (they are nice-gave mine to my Son and he loves 'em) but for the same price you can get Zeiss (even Blaser has a nice one now made by ?) Nearly all mfrs have built in rangefinding options, but that's your call. The aforementioned Leicas won't set you back much more than the happy med binos and top end rangefinder! (to spare wear/tear on HQ binos/rangefinders, I carry cheaper leupolds in the truck and have 'em sitting in strategic spots to glass the property at home and at the farm! IF you got the built-in rangefinder, how many minutes would you actually be using them in a lifetime, if you only used those binos when hunting? Zip-loc bag when crossing rivers?!) Bass Pro has a periodic bino trade-in program (and SWFA in TX had same) if you wanted to get rid of old ones and offset the cost of new....All my friends have Swaro. That said, I'll take 4 pr of others' to cover the bases, for the same price! Go to a quality shop and try out what works best for you before you buy (unless you're just going to buy Zeiss, Leica, Swaro.) They are NOT all the same!

 

[BWH]

The leupold in those platforms are very good. I own the binoculars & rangefinders. Very good no complaints

 

[Mike Van Horn]

The Bino’s with the RF built in can be heavy. Looked at the new vortex a friend has and didn’t care for them. Heavy and the buttons on top were to easy to hit. I wouldn’t order online without looking at them in person. For the record l am a vortex fan, just didn’t care for them. Leica’s mentioned above are excellent

 

[bashaw]

The Nikons laser Force have a lifetime warranty

 

[bashaw]

When I tested the Vortex against the Nikons they were almost equal I thought the Nikons were just a bit clearer

 

[Paul G]

Check out Maven out of Wyoming also. I just got the B6 model and they are right up there with all the high end models. Mine are not range finder combo though.

I have to disagree.

 

[DmacD]

I will be returning from a South African safari next week ( review to follow! ) and was very pleased with my Meopta bino/range finder.

One PH tried them out and said they were comparable to his older Swaros. The other PH picked them up one afternoon and exclaimed "what are these!", while we were out spotting game. I know they are not top of the line, but for the price, I was very happy. I consider them a step up from the Vortex Fury 5000 to my eyes. I was ranging game at 1400m. The only issue I had was in trying to keep steady at longer ranges in order to get a reading.