Free: Contests & Raffles.
Just picked up a pair of the Vipers myself and will be using next week on my spring bear hunt . I spent quite a bit of time in Sportsmans Warehouse looking through lots of different binos. Thanks to the salesguy that took me outside with all of them to get a better feel for how they all performed in real light situations . I didn't try the Steiners, but compared the Vipers to a couple different Nikon and Leupold binos and the Vortex Diamondbacks, just to get a sense for the dramatic difference. I was upgrading from a standard pair of Alpens, so I knew I would be impressed with anything better than what I already had. Anyway, long story short, after looking through the Vipers and having a similar budget as yours, they were hands down the best ones I looked through. The clarity and amount of light they let in was amazing. Others may disagree or have varying opinions, but that was my experience and . Hope it helps and hope you find a pair that works for you.
No experience with the Viper, but I've never been impressed with Steiners.Personally, I'd go with a used pair of Nikon's upper-end glass, maybe Zeiss Conquest.Cabelas Euros/Meopta are very good.
Quote from: thinkingman on May 02, 2013, 09:51:28 AMNo experience with the Viper, but I've never been impressed with Steiners.Personally, I'd go with a used pair of Nikon's upper-end glass, maybe Zeiss Conquest.Cabelas Euros/Meopta are very good.Got to take a look at the vipers if you were impressed with the Steiners.
I have never tried the vortex so I have no idea on them. But what I can tell you is I have had stingers 10x42 predators for ten plus years and they are very nice glass. I have had excellent luck with them and have spent many long days looking through them and they have always been very comfortable. the rubber eyecups that block the sun make it pretty easy even in direct sunlight to glass. I have spotted deer at long range at all hours of the day and been fortunate to find bucks bedded at several hundred yards. So I think for the price of the predators you would be very pleased. they do only have a ten year warranty I believe though. I plan on buying some new glasses in the next year or so for my wife and when I do they will be the predators. :Tupi:
I have never tried the vortex so I have no idea on them. But what I can tell you is I have had steiners 10x42 predators for ten plus years and they are very nice glass. I have had excellent luck with them and have spent many long days looking through them and they have always been very comfortable. the rubber eyecups that block the sun make it pretty easy even in direct sunlight to glass. I have spotted deer at long range at all hours of the day and been fortunate to find bucks bedded at several hundred yards. So I think for the price of the predators you would be very pleased. they do only have a ten year warrenty I believe though. I plan on buying some new glasses in the next year or so for my wife and when I do they will be the predators.