Compare Swarvoski SLC 10X42 binos with ??

[noharleyyet]

I the SLC are the best value in glass you can get. They hold their own against Els, Geovids, noctivids and Ziess HT and SF at about 1k less.

If I was on tight budget I would stick with SLCs.

You are correct. Haven’t check prices in a while.

 

[Trial153]

Assuming you mean first gen SLC...and I agree.

I had the first and now the HD versions. I also have ELs and most of the glass I listed. I like the SLC HD’s, the newest versions the best. However if was on a budget I wouldn’t blink at the first gen SLC.

I also keep hearing comparisons to of vipers, Conquests HD’s and meostars to SLCs.....sorry but I don’t see it. I think the SLCs are better glass and better value.

 

[recurveman]

Zen ray glass is not too shabby. But stacking vortex or maven (both zenray glass) against Swarovski? If the swaro guys were handed a pair of razors for a day I think they’d be disappointed.

Had a group out hunting last fall. We had 3 pieces of 10 X 42 glass. We had the swaro EL's, vortex razors and a cheaper pair (300-400) of nikons. The swaro's were far and away the best, razors were second and the nikons were a distant 3rd. All were good enough to hunt with but at distance there was a very noticeable difference.

Here is what the group determined after it was all said and done. There is a big difference in quality when you go from $100 to $400 pair of bino's. Then when you go from $400-$1000 the difference is still there but not quite as big. When you go from $1000-2800 there is not near the gain in clarity for the price. If you want the best then get swaro. If you can't get the best or are looking for the best value then cut the price in half and you will find a great pair of glass. You get what you pay for but as the price increases the gain is not nearly as noticeable.

 

[Cornell Cowboy]

I bought the SLCs 10x42, Zeiss Victory T* FL 10x42, Nikon Monarch 7 8x42, and the Vortex Viper HD 10x42 all at the same time and spent a little over a month off and on in the field under varying light conditions. The Vortex was okay, but clearly not as good as the other three. The Zeiss and Swarovski were the best, so most of the month was spent comparing them. I ultimately picked the Zeiss and have never looked back. In the lowest light, the Zeiss are brighter; the SLCs may have had slightly better contrast. The biggest difference I saw was during bright light glassing towards the sun: the Zeiss had much better internal baffling to stop the reflective flashing. The Nikon's cost $1000 less than either the Swarovski or Zeiss but the difference between them was VERY small. I ended up keeping them too because I thought they were such a good value relative to their performance. In short, from what I've looked at, Zeiss is the best... but you would struggle to see the difference from a $400 pair of Nikon Monarch 7. So even though I use Zeiss, I recommend the Nikon's to most everyone I meet.

 

[300 short mag]

Check out Tract Toric around $750

 

[jrsrock80]

I got the 8x Toric, it is great glass in low light but image quality falls short in those conditions. It is excellent glass for the money but I’ve looked through SLC’s in low light and they r superior when it counts

 

[pgidley]

I bought the SLCs 10x42, Zeiss Victory T* FL 10x42, Nikon Monarch 7 8x42, and the Vortex Viper HD 10x42 all at the same time and spent a little over a month off and on in the field under varying light conditions. The Vortex was okay, but clearly not as good as the other three. The Zeiss and Swarovski were the best, so most of the month was spent comparing them. I ultimately picked the Zeiss and have never looked back. In the lowest light, the Zeiss are brighter; the SLCs may have had slightly better contrast. The biggest difference I saw was during bright light glassing towards the sun: the Zeiss had much better internal baffling to stop the reflective flashing. The Nikon's cost $1000 less than either the Swarovski or Zeiss but the difference between them was VERY small. I ended up keeping them too because I thought they were such a good value relative to their performance. In short, from what I've looked at, Zeiss is the best... but you would struggle to see the difference from a $400 pair of Nikon Monarch 7. So even though I use Zeiss, I recommend the Nikon's to most everyone I meet.

Interesting, the Zeiss Victory T FL uses the Abbe-Koenig prism as well. It seems to really make a difference at low light, although from what I can find its only about a 2% difference, but I guess 2% can be a lot to human perception.

 

[300 short mag]

Were these the tract optics the new Schott ht glass or the previous model? The new glass is suppose to be better

 

[Cornell Cowboy]

I don't recall...I did this in 2014.

 

[F250]

Thanks to all of you who replied !! I appreciate the info and your experience with different brands of glass.

 

[schmalts]

If Leupold BX5 is not of interest I would contact me about Meopta Meostars.

 

[ida homer]

If shit the fan and you needed to sell, it's always a seller's market for Swaro's. They sell in minutes on all the boards.

I have used Meoptas on a couple backpack scouting trips. Excellent glass as well. Not sure of the price difference.

 

[schmalts]

If shit the fan and you needed to sell, it's always a seller's market for Swaro's. They sell in minutes on all the boards.

I have used Meoptas on a couple backpack scouting trips. Excellent glass as well. Not sure of the price difference.

Big price difference. You can find Meostar's for in the $800 range all day long if you contact the right seller

 

[F250]

Thanks again to those who responded. I bought the 10x42 SLC Swarvoski. I swear I can count the deer's eyelashes at 100 yards !! My wife and I are enjoying them already watching deer in our food plots near the house.

 

[Boarmaster]

The various Nikon Monarchs are fairly good.
I’ve had a pair of Swaro 8x30s for years and have really enjoyed them. They go on every hunt, even archery tree stand sits. Hunters spend a lot of money on rifle scopes, but often cut corners on binos. I never really understood that, as you’ll get much more usage out of a quality pair of binos.

Thats the dang truth right there. I bought some Swaro EL’s years ago. When I think of what it cost me each time I looked thru them and how much I enjoy them I have never regretted the money I spent. Well to be honest the first 24 hrs I owned them I kept thinking , “did I really just pay twice what I paid for my first car for these?” I guess that was the cry once period.

 

[rookhawk]

I handled a buddies Swarvoski SLC 10X42 binos last week. I have used various "under $400.00" binos for work and play my entire life. This was the second time I have ever used that brand. WOW !! Then I checked out some prices. Again : WOW !! Does anyone have experience with a brand of 10X42s that compares with the Swarvoski ? I'm certainly aware that you get what you pay for in the optics field. I guess I'm trying to justify spending that kind of money, and perhaps find a comparable 10X42 a bit cheaper. The Swarvoski's made my Leupold Cascades look like a child's toy !!

I have to be honest, you get what you pay for. Once you own the best, you become an optics snob because everything else looks so awful.

Two suggestions:

-Spend more. Buy better stuff, it lasts 4x longer. Price per use is less than the cheap stuff.

-If you can't afford the best new, buy the best used. Example: You can find nice used 8x42 Leica rangefinding binos that are like new for $800. They were about $2000 MSRP. You can't touch that glass for anything at that pricepoint. Used Swaros are a great value.

General hunter observation:

All my buddies are constantly buying stuff. They claim they are poor. They never have the money. Yet here they come with more stuff. My "poorest" buddy has FOUR handheld rangefinders. If mine, I would violently destroy them...total trash. He easily spent $800 in ten years on four trash rangefinders. My son wanted the best. The best handheld rangefinder ever made was the Swarovski with an $1800 MSRP, now discontinued. We found one on ebay mint in box for $400. My son now owns a $400 rangefinder that will last him 10-20 years, my "poorest" buddy has $800 in trash rangefinders he is always shaking to make them start working, cursing, and wiping away fog from their lenses.

BUY ONCE, CRY ONCE

 

[JohnM]

I’m in the same boat. I always used $100 binoculars until I picked up a pair of $400 Bushnell's and thought they were fantastic. I have used them for years until I pick up a pair of SLC’s and was blown away.

I decided I need to upgrade my optics but had a hard time paying the price associated with it. I kicked around buying something in the $1000 range but have been slowly saving (my change literally) until I can afford the SLC’s. Buy once cry once they say!

 

[rookhawk]

I’m in the same boat. I always used $100 binoculars until I picked up a pair of $400 Bushnell's and thought they were fantastic. I have used them for years until I pick up a pair of SLC’s and was blown away.

I decided I need to upgrade my optics but had a hard time paying the price associated with it. I kicked around buying something in the $1000 range but have been slowly saving (my change literally) until I can afford the SLC’s. Buy once cry once they say!

JohnM, I'd encourage you to look at Leica, even though I'm a dyed in the wool Swaro guy. Every year, Leica issues a new rangefinding binocular. The glass is the same every year, 95% as good as swaro in my opinion. (comparing the $2800 swaros, not the economy models) Anyway, every year the tech changes a bit and the old year's model gets discounted to a point approaching your budget. They start at MSRP $3000 but last year's models can go ~$1400-$!600.

What they do: You can upload your gun's actual ballistics to the memory card on the binos. When you range the animal in the binos, it will take an instant altitude, barometric pressure, and temperature reading, along with inclination and declination, and it will then report two things to you: Distance, and Firing solution. That can be yards or meters, and it can be mils, dots, or inches of holdover. Instantly.

The newer bigger-better model has bluetooth to get info from a Kestrel if you want that too.

This is the one piece of hunting gear I never leave the house without. It is my prized possession. Worth every single penny. And honestly, the advanced features add maybe $300 to the price of the same unit that is just a bino.

Why not Swaro or another brand? Leica locked up all the patents on this technology. None of these features will be able to come to competitors products anytime soon. Many years left on all the patents keeping Leica at the top of the pack for this capability for at least another 7-10 years.

 

[Aperventure]

Hey f250 still feeling good about the purchase? I’m in same boat and have read this thread numerous times. Thanks for starting it good stuff here

Thanks again to those who responded. I bought the 10x42 SLC Swarvoski. I swear I can count the deer's eyelashes at 100 yards !! My wife and I are enjoying them already watching deer in our food plots near the house.

 

[F250]

YES !!! We are absolutely happy with the purchase. There have been a few scuffles in our kitchen when we both reach for the Swarvoski's at the same time !!