Binoculars 10x42(suggestions) ?

[jgp12000]

I have been through several cheapo binoculars over the years,and want to get a good pair.With a $100 budget if possible,Nikon or Vortex have been recommended to me so far.Primarily for wildlife watching.

[Brewcrafter]

Well, given the budget we will rule out the Swarovski's  .  I have a set of Bushnell's that have served me well for a long time.  And when you look at brands like Nikon (known for optics) you can pretty much buy with confidence; at that point: do you know what level of magnification you are looking for/most useful?  Spotting moose at 3000 yards is a lot different then birds at 75.  My budget Bushnell's have served me well.  Also they came with a carrying case (helps insure longevity).

[PacRat]

https://www.sportsmans.com/hunting-gear-supplies/optics-binoculars-scopes-rangefinders/binoculars/leupold-bx-2-alpine-hd-binoculars-10x42/p/1696469

These are double your budget but Leupold has a lifetime warranty and great customer service.

I use to like Steiner a lot but they were bought out by Burris and their customer service isn't as good as it use to be.

If you really want to keep within a $100 budget, there are still a lot of WWII binoculars out there and some are in really good condition. Look for Zeiss or Lietz 8x30 (German Officers Model) Americans built some good ones too but they seem to be harder to find.

[jgp12000]

200-300 yards is about max before any tree line.10-12x is suffice.

[thorhammer]

I have several Nikon at various PP's, James. Solid.

[Midway Tommy]

Man, without a tripod or support I can't hold 10X steady enough to decipher a whole lot. Everything becomes blury pretty quick so I prefer 7X or 8X. I've always had good luck with Bushnell & they're usually priced reasonable.

[foakes]

My Dad had a pair of Bushnell's in a leather velvet lined case.

Might have been 10X50's.

He was a forward artillery spotter in the Army during WWII —- previous to his training as a pilot on P-63 Black Widow Night Fighters.

He was in the South Pacific arena up through the occupation of Japan.

He would go ashore in a landing craft, and with a Jeep and a driver.

His job was to direct both ship to shore artillery batteries as well as aerial attacks on enemy positions.  He used a radio as well as these Bushnell's. 

When a mortar shell struck close to their Jeep —- it overturned, and Dad landed on a Coral Reef.  He spent 3 months in a New Guinea Army Hospital, on his stomach —- until the injuries and infection were healed.  Then, just back into the war effort.  No going home.

He brought home these binoculars, a .45, a fold-up Camillus Machete, a compass, a leather flight jacket, and a mess kit.

I still recall the smell of the leather case and instrument grade binoculars —- when I was old enough to be allowed to use them.

Nowadays, there are so many brands available —- I would just go to Cabelas, Amazon, or online to compare ratings, performance, and value.

Best, Fred

[Crab Pot]

Have you thought about buying a used pair?

For a $100 you should be able to buy a nice used set that sold for up to $250 new.

Garage sales are a treasure trove as well but obviously a whole lot of hit and miss.

I have a hard time finding a crow bar big enough to pry my wallet open at times to, but look at my signature and you'll get my opinion.   

[reelynew]

My Wife and a good friend both bought Vortex Diamondback 10x42 binoculars.  They both really like them and you can't beat their warranty.  They bought the non HD version and you can pick them up for sub $200.  Probably a little more than you might have wanted to pay. 

https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-diamondback-10x42-binocular.html

I keep a pair of Leupold Rogue BX1s in my truck.  I really enjoy their size and weight.  They can be bought for under $100.

https://www.leupold.com/bx-1-rogue-8x25mm-compact-binocular

[happyhooker]

Man, without a tripod or support I can't hold 10X steady enough to decipher a whole lot. Everything becomes blury pretty quick so I prefer 7X or 8X. I've always had good luck with Bushnell & they're usually priced reasonable.

Tommy is right; magnification is fine, but the higher you go, the harder it is to keep them steady enough to see anything.

Frank

[CapeFish]

I recently got nikon prostaff p7 10x42. They are great so glad I took the plunge to get better bins. Been using them in the bush for birding, wildlife viewing and hunting

[Shellbelly]

Primarily for wildlife watching.

100 bucks might prove disappointing. As mentioned, stability will be a problem and will be frustrating for you.  Look into a pair with an image stabilizer.  I have a pair of "10X30 IS" by Canon.  Probably not the highest quality optics and definitely not Zeiss-class 10X50 long eyes, but I can't say enough about the stability factor.  I use mine for birds and such...also very handy for watching the water under feeding birds in the surf. This feature also reduces instability while in moving a vehicle....for the passenger, of course

[jgp12000]

Sounds good I dont wanna buy again if i go over $100 so be it Shell.capefish those nikon prostaff p7 sound like keepers.

[jgp12000]

Fred your Dad sounds like a true Hero.

[reelynew]

Occasionally Midway USA will have some deals on refurbished Binoculars.  I was looking for a dedicated pair for hunting and picked-up a refurbed Nikon ProStaff P5 8x42 for about $85.  They work great (for me).  If you are near a Cabellas or a Bass Pro, you can test a lot of these out.  The store out here had some big game mounts on walls over 70 yards away.  It was nice to use them in a semi realistic manner.  My wife preferred her 10x Vortex over the rest Cabellas had, while I liked the Nikon 8x. 

I have bought Binoculars on sale at dvor.com, midwayusa.com and also have used camelcamelcamel.com to track pricing and set alerts for items at Amazon.  Hope that helps.