Hunting binoculars

When it comes to binoculars for hunting, you want the best of the best. That’s why we’re kicking it with Vortex Optics Crossfire HD Binoculars, our Editor’s Choice for this review.

We haven’t even gotten to our Best Value yet, but the value for money is already showing up!

These binoculars are mid-range, but they perform on par with high-end hunting binoculars. 

We took the 10×42 version of this bino out into the field. The magnification is in the sweet spot, and anything higher would be too shaky – it took a steady hand even with the 10x magnification. 

The objective lens is 42mm, the second biggest offered for this model of binoculars. It provides low-light vision that is heaps better than your eyesight. 

These binos have a pretty wide field of view. You can track birds from tree to tree without them going out of frame every time they move.

As a glasses wearer, I loved that I could adjust these binoculars for my eyes and be free of my specs for some time.

Get a massive bang for your buck with our Best Value, USCAMEL 12×42 HD Binoculars. These lightweight, compact binoculars are just what you need as your first bino.

It’s rare to see budget binoculars with high-quality specs, so we couldn’t leave it out of our review. 

Good on the eyes, good on the joints…

• The manufacturer’s lightweight claim holds. One of our team members with arthritis had no problem using these. 

The objective lens is 42mm, which is great for this price range. The 12x magnification had us counting the feathers of birds we saw!

These binoculars come with a nifty cell phone attachment. You put your phone into the device, which has a portion that you screw onto the viewing lens. The idea is that you can take magnified pictures. We tried this and think it’s more of a novelty.

Do you get what you pay for?

Unfortunately, yes.

The binoculars are advertised as fog and waterproof – a bold claim for cheap hunting binoculars. One we were too eager to take advantage of. We took them for a spin on a rainy day and had our fingers crossed. 

Let’s just say the binos were out of commission for about two days afterward. So no, not waterproof. 

However…

We like that they eventually dried out and became usable again. If you get these, be careful with them.

The sheer amount of positives on these binoculars makes them our Top Pick for this review. Everything from the optics to the accessories was a pleasure to play with. 

The 10x magnification provides an up-close view of any wildlife you want to get your eyes – and rifle – on. The 42mm objective lens diameter ensures you can still see them even when the sun is dipping below the horizon for the day.

Is it Christmas yet? Because it sure feels like it!

Opening this package made me feel like a kid on Christmas morning. It just has so much stuff to explore! These binos come with a carrying case, a neck strap, a cloth for cleaning, a microfibre storage bag, and a harness. 

The neck strap is very comfortable, but we found the harness better for long trips. The cleaning cloth and microfiber storage bag ensure that your tool stays in the tip-top shape you receive it in. The durable carrying case has compartments for all these accessories, so you never have to leave them behind.

Every coin has two sides…

The accessories and optics are impressive, but the hardware leaves something to be desired. 

The lens caps are loose, and it’s best to take them off at the beginning of your outing to avoid losing them.

The focus knob has some play, and you need time to get used to it. That’s not ideal in a hunting scenario where you have seconds to lock in on your prey. 

However…

This shouldn’t be an issue if you get familiar with your binoculars before your hunt. We think they’re worth the extra time spent getting used to them.

It looks like nighttime glassing is the new in thing with this review’s binos…

Yet another 42mm binoculars impressed us in low light conditions. Deer over 600 yards away were clear as day just after sunset! 

The 10x magnification provided a clear zoom without shakiness, which is always a plus. 

Speaking of clarity…

The sharpness and clarity of these binoculars are amazing for this price range and beyond. There is some chromatic aberration – this should only bother you if you’re bird-watching. They absolutely serve a hunter’s purpose beautifully.

Glasses wearers need not worry – a right eye adjusting diopter and 1.5cm eye relief ensure that you can use these lenses with or without your lenses. 

The only hang-up we had with these was a slight blur around the edges of the visual field and a fishbowl effect. It got tiresome to look past after several hours out in the field.

Out from dusk till dawn? These are for you!

The 42mm objective lens size lets in enough light that you don’t even notice the daylight disappearing. It’s great to have your hunt time extended past the regular window.

The focus wheel was easy to use, and the view through these binos was clear as day.

The rubber exterior was comfortable to hold and felt well-made.

You won’t believe this durability…

These survived being driven over by a car! If your hunts tend to get a bit rowdy, jump for these.

We would recommend these for all-over use since they’re so durable. However, they do fog up in the cold and where it’s humid.

These binos are kind of mysterious…

They’re made by ScoopX Optics, a brand that was completely new to us until this review. There isn’t much, if any, information about it online, so we were pretty skeptical.

Until we got our hands on them.

With image quality comparable to top binoculars and a high-quality build, these immediately became a fan favorite. 

They have 10x magnification, which was perfect for glassing over long distances. The 42mm objective lenses made regular and low light performance outstanding.

There’s more…

These hunting binoculars have the widest field of view in this review. At 347’/1000y, we had no trouble tracking game on the move.

The rubber exterior with texture for better grip feels of quality, and the mechanics feel great too. These are a great candidate for Editor’s Choice, right?!

Record scratch!

Hunting is a sport that requires durability, and that’s unfortunately where the ScoopX’s fell short – literally fell. 

These took a tumble from about a foot and a half high – they were resting on a backpack, our bad. After their short trip to the ground, the lenses were not positioned where they used to be, and the viewing was misaligned.

We weren’t phased because binoculars usually have a great warranty. After about 7 days of trying to contact the manufacturer with no response, we gave up on that belief.

So that’s why these are not Editor’s Choice. We believe in recommending well-rounded products, and that includes customer service. 

If you’re extra careful with these, though, they’re a great addition to your optical system.

These are the best in their price range…honestly.

When you get these in your hands, you can’t believe they’re a mid-range pair of binos. They fit perfectly in your hands, and adjustments take no effort. 

The focus wheel is smooth and adjusts quickly. Perfect for spur-of-the-moment sightings. The eye relief adjusts smoothly as well, and the interpupillary distance is easy to adjust too.

Vortex binos tend to lose some clarity around the edges of the glass, but the Vipers don’t fall victim to that. With ed glass, the sharpness and clarity that extends long distances is a definite plus for these Vipers.

They have a lifetime warranty, so you don’t have to worry about losing the bucks you dropped on them.

The only slight negative to these is that they don’t show color in its true glory. If you want to know the exact shade of the animal you’re glassing for, these won’t give you that. However, hunting optics don’t require that, so this shouldn’t bother most people.

Let’s shake things up a bit…

…and start with what we didn’t like about these Leupolds.

For the price range, the field of view and performance in low light conditions isn’t what it could be. There are cheap binoculars that perform better in this regard. 

That said, these are excellent hunting binoculars in all other aspects.

They provide high-definition magnified vision and are easy to focus.

Clarity was the standard whether we had these in hand or on a tripod. Shakiness is always a concern with 10x magnification, but these performed superbly. 

When you purchase higher-priced binoculars, you’re paying for small features that improve your experience. These can be adjusted to your vision and fit various face sizes.

Is 8x magnification the way to go?

Hunting binoculars don’t require insane magnification. The best binoculars for hunting provide a clear, steady image. Sometimes 10x magnification is too shaky to be useful in these conditions. That’s where this 8x bino comes in.

This piece is lightweight and compact and was a pleasure to use for hours. The ed glass makes for a crisp image. It was great to enjoy the good image quality without needing to rest my wrists every 20 minutes.

There’s more…

The tapered design and rubber material make for a comfortable, natural grip on these hunting binoculars.

Hunters who have glasses will be pleased to know that these are compatible. We didn’t experience any tunnel vision at all.

They’re great, but can they handle water?

These binoculars are nitrogen filled and have o-ring seals to ensure a fog-free and waterproof experience.

Our final hunting binocular is an extra-low dispersion glass, 10×42 dream machine. These three characteristics contribute majorly to the outstanding optical quality that these compact hunting binoculars provide. Edge to edge clarity is the standard with these.

The fully multi coated lenses prioritize anti-glare and water resistance. The multi coated optics were great to use in all weather conditions.

The hunting binoculars have high-quality mechanics. The focus wheel is easy to use. We appreciated that the diopter didn’t slide from the setting we chose as the day went by.

The only downside here is that you can’t keep your precious tool safe while in use. The case does not work well with the strap, so it hangs around your neck and jostles as you go about your activities.