Alpha Glass, Rangefinding Binoculars

Those of you with alpha glass, have you given up your non-rangefinding binocs for a pair of rangefinding binocs?

I am considering some alpha binocs. I have a set of Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42s now, and I think they are very good. I'm sure they give up some to Swaro ELs.

I don't particularly care for my rangefinder, as it's always somewhere in my pack or in some pocket, but it works.

If you had to save up, and competing interests include rifles, guided elk hunts, etc., are the RF binocs be worth the cost? These binocs will have to last a good while--15 years?

Really it comes down to Swaro EL vs Swaro EL RF.

joelkdouglas":1bkvxeyn said:

Those of you with alpha glass, have you given up your non-rangefinding binocs for a pair of rangefinding binocs?

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Yes.

joelkdouglas":1bkvxeyn said:

If you had to save up, and competing interests include rifles, guided elk hunts, etc., are the RF binocs be worth the cost?

Click to expand...

Yes.

I wouldn't be w/o my Swaro EL RF (or Zeiss RF or Leica RF). They are that good.

Hands down love my EL Ranges. I like having less equipment and less weight. It adds up. Plus having 10 power versus 7 and the cost of having a set of EL's and then a RF is the same as going with a one piece unit.

I think this is a killer price . .


http://www.eurooptic.com/swarovski-el-r ... 70010.aspx

DrMike":2a68hwxn said:

joelkdouglas":2a68hwxn said:

Those of you with alpha glass, have you given up your non-rangefinding binocs for a pair of rangefinding binocs?

Click to expand...

Yes.

joelkdouglas":2a68hwxn said:

If you had to save up, and competing interests include rifles, guided elk hunts, etc., are the RF binocs be worth the cost?

Click to expand...

Yes.

I wouldn't be w/o my Swaro EL RF (or Zeiss RF or Leica RF). They are that good.

Click to expand...

Doc, have you played with the other two? If I take the plunge, the Swaros are the first I'd look at, but if you like the others better....

In my mind, it is a toss-up on these three. I have the Swarovskis because they were immediately available. I like the Leica, truly seeing no difference in the glass at 0 dark thirty. The Zeiss are equally nice, though I haven't actually owned them. The Swaros have the quickest read time. The Leicas have the best ballistic information. The Zeiss is capable of coming so close to the other two on most fronts as to be indistinguishable. You won't go wrong with any of these.

Thanks all--I had myself convinced I need to acquire a 7mm Mashburn until I remembered I need a set of RF binos! My rangefinder really is pretty poor right now.

And I will have a life changing event in 5 - ? years (however long my dear wife lets me stay in the USAF)! I passed 15 years just 4 days ago.

I would like to go into this significant life change with no debt (check), a couple good elk rifles (almost check), and a set of great binos (needs work)!

joelkdouglas":1upnq96x said:

Thanks all--I had myself convinced I need to acquire a 7mm Mashburn until I remembered I need a set of RF binos! My rangefinder really is pretty poor right now.

And I will have a life changing event in 5 - ? years (however long my dear wife lets me stay in the USAF)! I passed 15 years just 4 days ago.

I would like to go into this significant life change with no debt (check), a couple good elk rifles (almost check), and a set of great binos (needs work)!

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Congratulations on making 15 years! Your service is greatly appreciate. I have a brother-in-law who invested 20 years in the USAF.

Thank you for your service, sir!

Thanks to you both for the thanks! I'm fortunate to have joined, I have picked up a bunch of good habits and have seen some cool stuff along the way.

[I would like to go into this significant life change with no debt (check), a couple good elk rifles (almost check), and a set of great binos (needs work)![/quote]

That's a good plan Joel. Thank you for your service. My cousin just retired from the Army after 23 years, but he has the same job still as a civilian DOD employee. He'll eventually retire with two pensions. His Dad did the same thing. His Navy pension wasn't enough to live off, but collecting $900/mo for almost 30 years meant that he basically took summers off to go fishing, camping and travelling.

Finish out your 20 and do what you want with the next part of your life.

Joel thanks for your service. Just remember buy once cry once. It's worth it especially the warranty.

DrMike":2qgptdq5 said:

In my mind, it is a toss-up on these three. I have the Swarovskis because they were immediately available. I like the Leica, truly seeing no difference in the glass at 0 dark thirty. The Zeiss are equally nice, though I haven't actually owned them. The Swaros have the quickest read time. The Leicas have the best ballistic information. The Zeiss is capable of coming so close to the other two on most fronts as to be indistinguishable. You won't go wrong with any of these.

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I agree with Doc 100% on his thoughts. I ran the Zeiss 10x45 RF's for 5 years hunting the west and some in the East. Awesome set up, glass is 2nd to none. I used Jakes 10x42 Swaro RF Bino's last year and liked them as well. Excellent set up and great glass as well.

I have never had the chance to hunt with Leica's, but I can't see any reason they wouldn't be as good as the other pairs.

This year I am running 10x42 Meopta Meostars and a Leica RF1000. I keep them both together in my chest rig. I think if money was no issue I'd get either the Zeiss or the Swaro's and be pretty danged happy. I liked the ability to range anytime I had the bino's on my face. I will live with the set up I have now and see how I like it this fall.

I will also say, I don't care if the bino's have a ballistics computer, but an angle compensation measurement is worth money to me. Out west it seems you are either shooting up or down significantly so it pays off.

Here is the bino harness I am running this Fall..

http://www.alaskaguidecreations.com/


Joel, and by the way, you still need the Mashburn..... :mrgreen:

By the time you get home from Wyoming, if I haven't forced you into one, I might have to turn in my rifle looney card to the good Dr.....

Hopefully you get that 30-06 back soon, if not, there is no way I can let you carry that 25-06 when there will be a perfectly good 7mm Mashburn or two in camp... :grin:

That is a sweet looking bino pack, Scotty. Might have to look into that.

It's a nice piece of gear Mike. Easy to grab the glass out and protective to both pieces of kit. Plus there is some for a lens pen or lens cloth. I've used Bino harnesses for awhile but snow and rain have been a pain to keep off the glass.

I saw another one similar on the Outdoor Channel last night but it looked like it had a waist strap or hooked to your belt as it had a strap running all the way down the guys back. I like the normal shoulder bino straps for the additional support while glassing but your constantly having to tighten them when you walk and if you ride a quad/motorcycle they tend to beat you up. They also get very dusty when it's dry and wet when it's raining. I have a pouch that straps around my chest when the conditions are really bad but it's not very comfortable.

The Kuiu harness is very slick I picked one up and like it a lot it doesn't bounce at all.