Optics weight in the backcountry

[Buckhunter24]

I'm interested to see peoples optic weights. Refining my pack and trying to minimize weight. Any specific comments on what your combination is would be appreciated

[CastleRocker]

That's the only thing in my pack that probably won't get to be too much lighter in weight.  Just about everything can be made of different lighter materials...except glass.  Really good glass is heavy.   Heck, one of the reasons NASA researchers started to send telescopes into space years ago, is BIG glass telescope lenses can't support their own weight here on earth.  Good glass is heavy.

[Buckhunter24]

Yeah thats what im learning, gotta have it but it sure makes up a pretty good percentage of my total pack weight!

[fishngamereaper]

No real way around the weight..
I run small swaro binos, 10x25. Just don't like heavy weight around my neck, shoulders because of nerve issues.
My razor hds are 65mm so it helps...3.5lbs
My silk tri pod is bullet proof.. figured why get a cheap tri pod for expensive glass..3.5lbs..

So I'm about 8lbs total.

[The scout]

I’m not to sure what all my optics weigh. But for me every hunt I do has different optic needs, and the weight of them isn’t something that makes my decision. Anything to help my chances at shooting a bigger animal. My backpack has my BTX 95 in it majority of the time.

[fishngamereaper]

 

And for the record my spotter only goes with me once in a while. Most scenarios I get by just fine with binos for archery and if I need extra power rifle hunting my scope is 16x.

[lonedave]

Old Bausch & Lomb 7x26 Custom Compacts, old Leupold 20x50 with SLIK Sprint Mini III tripod - 3lb - 12.9oz total

[zwickeyman]

7 1/2# with

Swaro 20-60 x 80 spotter
Swaro SLC 10x42 Binos
Vortex SS tripod

Buying a 15-45x55 Kowa spotter just for grins that will drop 2# off total for some hunts

Like everyone says. Glass is heavy

[NiteHawk]

4.89lbs for me.

Vortex Razor HD 11-33 - 1.56lbs
Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 - 1.33lbs
Vortex Summit SS-P Tripod - 2lbs.

I have pondered this question many times and often thought that a pair of 15 power binos and a tripod would shave some weight and allow the spotting scope to be left behind. If I dropped the spotting scope and up-sized to 15X Diamondback I would still carry 4.175lbs of optics and not have a spotting scope. That's not quite worth the weight savings for me. Now if I were to drop the tripod and bring only 15X binos that would be a super light set up that would involve using trekking poles/sticks to stabilize binos while glassing. I would only entertain this idea on serious death marches as I think I would sacrifice glassing stability for a lighter pack. I'm not fond of this idea but as The Scout said below every hunt calls for different optic needs!

[Mtnwalker]

Never added it up before but my typical setup is

Leica 10x42- 27oz
Leica 65 spotter- 58oz
Slik 624 w/ Benro head- 41oz

For a grand total of 7.9 lbs.

I've considered going to a kowa 550 spotter which would shave a pound and a half off but then I feel like i'd need a big one too.

[ganghis]

Really varies on the trip - if there's not much in the way of long distance spotting, I'd probably just take binos, but my full set up is about 7 lbs:

slik pro carbon fiber tripod - 2lbs
sirui pano head - 1.2lbs
Maven B2 11x45 binos - 2lbs
Kowa 15-45x55 spotter - 1.9 lbs

The spotter is awesome, both for quality and weight.  It's spendy but finally pulled the trigger after reading good reviews on gohunt and rokslide.  I think if I did it again I might get lighter weight & lower power binos

[jjhunter]

Always have my EL Range and always have my 15x56 SLC’s and Outdoorsman's tall tripod with pan head.

For spotter, it’s either STX 65, 95 or BTX 95.   Just depends on where I’m headed and for how long.

[northwesthunter84]

Razor 10x50-              1 lb 12 oz
Razor 16x48-65mm-    3 lb 1oz
Sirui T-024sk-              2 lb 3 oz
Manfrotto MVH500AH-  1 lb 15 oz

Total just under 9 lbs.  I know I could shave weight/space on the fluid head but I like the feel.

[ian_padron]

I wouldn't change a thing about my current set-up, feel like it's the lowest weight/highest quality/best price combo possible for a high country deer hunter.

Meostar 12x50s
Vortex Summit Tripod with Benro S2 head
Kowa Prominar 554 spotter

[Magnum_Willys]

Razor 10x50-              1 lb 12 oz
Razor 16x48-65mm-    3 lb 4 oz
Sirui T-024sk-              2 lb 3 oz
Manfrotto MVH500AH-  1 lb 15 oz

Total just under 9 lbs.  I know I could shave weight/space on the fluid head but I like the feel.

Do you use use horses or mules ?