MILLERTIME10

I am searching for a pair of high quality pair of glasses. I have done some research and am still confused. I heard that Kahles and Swarvoski's are basically the same company just different name and are very good quality. I have heard that Leica is as good as it gets andthat you can't beatthe Gold Ring Leupold's for the price. Then today, I came across a pair on the cabelas website that caught my attention. It has a video along with it and it made me wonder about this pair of glasses. Here is the site of the Cabelas binocs http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/community/product_features/photos/pages/pf_eurobinoculars_int.html
I am leaning towards the swarvoski's but am still torn between them all. I would just like a little input from you guys and wandering if anyone has had any experience with the Cabelas pair of binocs. Thanks

North Texan

I've got a pair of Swaro's. They are the standard all others are measured against.

okcmco

I have resaerched this subject quite a bit. First off, here are a couple of web sites with some good info.
www.allaboutoptics.com/rev-bino=a1.html
www.holgermerlitz.de/
www.outdoorlife.com Click on the field tested gear icon and click optics. This is a best o"f list every year and they have several years listed

Asfor the Cabela's Euro binoculars, I suspect they are made by a company in the Czech republic called Meopta. this company has been in bis since the 1930's and (like Czechoslavakia itself) has been know for the manufacture of high quality goods for years. They have recently burst on the hunting scene with the introduction of themeostar binoculars and the artemis series rifle scopes. I looked through the meopta meostar 8x42 binoculars at the cabela's in Ft Worth. They were incredible! I am almost positive these are hte same as the cabela's euro series. Call cabela's and ask them what country the euros are made in. If they say czech republic or czechoslavakia, thenn they are surely Meopta. Romania, then they are IOR Valdada. If they are made in Germany or Austria, then they are Zeiss, Leica, Swaro, Kahles, Optolyth or such. But they look like Meopta
Probably the 3 brands that are accepted as the creme de la creme are (in no particular order)
*Zeiss Victory II T FL
*Swarovski EL series
*Leica Ultravid
Ironicly if you look at the 8x42 sizes, they are all around $1650-1750.00.
The swaorovski EL are better than the SLC
The Zeiss Victory II T FL are better than all other Zeizz
The LEica ultravid are better than all the othe leicas
When I was at cablea's last time, I found the Swaro EL to be at the top of the heap but was not alone there. Strangely I found the Nikon premier LX to be the equal of the swaro el. This is probably no surprise to many birdwatcher who are very picky about glass. The nikons have long topped any birder's list of the best binocs.But remember all eyes see differently so you may pick a different one as the best. But,I was certainly impressed with them.
So you may look through some binocs at cabela's and not be able to see any difference in clarity field of view, eye relief etc. Then it comes down to feel (ergonomics), styling and weight, and the company's record of customer service.
Don't buy the Nikons if you like to have a staus symbol at hunting camp. For that you need one ofthe big 3. But if you can't part with 1700 bucks, then the nikons, meoptas, Cabela's Euro series, and possibly the steiner perigrine are worth a look and all are (except the nikon premier LX, 1200 bucks) are under a grand. If you can find a pair of Docter Optic roof prism binocs to look through, check them out. Cabela's has them on sale for under 600 bucks. They are made in germany and used to be part of Zeiss. Good stuff, but the cabelas I went to didn't have any to look through. I have a pair of docer 7x40's and a docter rifle scope. No one at deer camp could tell any diff between the docter and the highest end Leupold scope there
Sorry to ramble. I love this subject
Let me know what you get. My email is not blocked
okcmco
PS I was not impressed with the Leupold Gold rings. But there is another guy on this forum who picked the gold rings over the swaro's. Do a search for Gold rings under the hunting gear section

stubblejumper

I am using a pair of ziess 10x40 classics.They certainly aren't the latest optics available,but they are very good and are available at great prices from dealers that still have them in stock.

okcmco

PS! Kahles is actually (I believe) the oldest optics company in europe. They were aquired by Swarovski. But Swaro is the premier of the company. The highest end coatings and most of the research goes to Swaro. Kind of like Cadillac and Chevy. Kahles represents excellent optics in a price range that seems to be about 30-40% less than Swaro. But I have never read about or heard anyone putting them in the same class as the Big 3 or Nikon. In fact, I found the Meopta Meostars better than the kahles binocs. Have not tried the Kahles scopes yet
okcmco

Robertesq1

I just completed a hunt in Wyoming and Montana and carried the Leica Geovid BRF Range finding binocular. The guides all fell in love with them... Great glass and 1200 yard rangefinders built into one handy unit.

If you really need Binos its likely we are talking about a long range hunt or at least the chance of a long range shot. If you are shooting beyond 250-300 yards knowing the exact range is critical. Lugging a single piece of glass was terrific, no clunking christmas tree feeling (I came home with two trophys both killed with single shots at goodly distances which were ranged and which I strongly attribute to the Geovids). The guides pretty much stated that the Leicas were the best binos and made the best rangefinders as well. I guess it was only natural that they would make a combination.

I strongly suggest that you not just buy but that you test them yourself and make the descision on the best based upon actual performance. That's what I did.

handwerk

I too would cast a strong vote for the lecia brf. I have a pair of 10x42's and how nice it was to range those Wyoming antelope at the same time as looking at them through the bino's. I am very pleased with mine. After buying/selling other binos I finally figured out buy once and have what you really want, you'll save money in the long run.

MILLERTIME10

Thank you guys for all the input, you reallly gave me some good info. I will take it all in consideration when I go buy a pair of glasses. Thanks again.