Topic: Best Binoculars for the Money of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 36 times)
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Topic: Best Binoculars for the Money of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 36 times)
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Score Card
Key Features
Pros
Cons
How on earth can Vortex bring a capable binocular to the masses for under $100? With a premium harness and the brand’s legendary warranty? Those were questions our test team batted around as we handled this brand-new entry-level binocular. Then we got behind the lenses and learned some of the answers.
The biggest answer is the class of glass inside the new Triumph HD is cheap. The Vortex received uniformly downbeat assessments in optical performance; it scored near the bottom in low-light brightness, and its resolution score was just below the median. Testers further co*plained about blue color fringing, noticeable edge distortion, and blurry focus.
But we also recognized that you shouldn’t expect world-beating glass inside a $99 binocular, and that same realism pervaded our assessment of the Triumph’s mechanical performance. The diopter adjustment is stickier than we’d like, and the overall build feels flimsy. But the tapered eyecups move with positivity and the focus wheel is tight and responsive. The texturing, balance, and overall design is better than we’d expect for the price.
On the value side of the ledger, the GlassPak case and integrated harness confirms the Great Buy designation we gave the Triumph HD. This would make a very good first optic for a hunter, birder, or shooter, and if treated gently is a good choice to throw in a pickup or cabin. We’re not sure how much rough handling this bino can take, but Vortex’s excellent warranty and customer service is a cheering consolation.
Read our full Vortex Triumph review to learn more about this best binocular for the money.
Score Card
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Introduced in 2017, the Burris is one of a handful of “legacy” submissions in our test, but the strong finish of the Droptine HD indicates that it is still a very capable optic that won’t break your personal bank. It’s also worthwhile to note that these veteran products have a long track record of performance, an important consideration for would-be buyers who want to know what previous buyers thought about the product.
For our part, OL’s testers especially liked the full hand-feel of the Droptine, and most liked the checkered texture on the barrels. The resolution was right in the middle of the field, probably as a function of its mediocre glass. But testers recorded decent edge clarity and pleasing color renditions and contrast. In short, its optics aren’t distracting, but rather additive to its performance, which is a rare quality for a budget binocular.
Of course, we found some shortco*ings. The focus wheel has noticeable slop, and a couple of testers found the image produced blue jags and slightly blurry focus. But overall, there’s a lot of performance in a solid package that, priced under $300, is one of the best binoculars for the money.
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Nikon seems to have an inexhaustible supply of appealing price-point binoculars. We tested a very capable Prostaff in this test, and Nikon has been a stalwart of our good-optic-for-the-price binocular for at least 15 years. The Monarch M5 continues that trend. It brings very good glass for the price, and the coatings and controls are of a quality you’d expect from a binocular that costs several times the Monarch M5’s under $150 price point.
Introduced this year, the Monarch M5 posted one of the best resolution scores in our budget bino test, and testers noted a pleasing image free from distracting flaring and distortion, again an exception for a budget bino. The Nikon disappointed in the low-light test, but its performance may be explained by its 8-power configuration. It’s worth noting that the M5 is also available in 10×42 and 12×42 versions.
In summation, the Nikon Monarch M5 is a solid, a good binocular for the money that would make an excellent first optic for a new hunter or outdoor person, or a reliable backup optic for a pickup or side-by-side.
Read Next: Best Binoculars for Hunting
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Introduced in mid 2022, this new(ish) budget binocular from Nikon checks all the boxes without being particularly noteworthy in any consideration. At just over 20 ounces, it’s light, but that very heft causes our testers to question its durability. Its handling was good, but not great.
“I’d give this a hard look as a kids’ binocular, or an optic for a first-time hunter,” noted tester Ky Idler. “It is solid. It’s decent. But it’s not particularly impressive.”
That generic happy place is fine with Nikon, who has positioned the Prostaff P3 as a utilitarian binocular that can do a little of everything, if nothing particularly well. Retailing for well under $150, it’s a very accessible binocular, but given Nikon’s long history with premium glass and coatings, you get a lot of optical horsepower for the price.
The Prostaff P3 posted average resolution and low-light scores, but testers generally liked the ergonomics and handling. Its light weight and loose eyecups and diopter probably cost the Nikon some points, and some testers noted that interior coatings are thin and poorly applied. Again, that’s likely to be a function of the entry-level build of this binocular, which also raised durability questions among our testers.
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This is a fairly standard $200 binocular. Its glass is decent but not wow-worthy. Its controls are a little spongy but move with repeatable precision. And its overall hand-feel is one that lacks heft, even though we found no durability problems during our testing.
In other words, meh.
That’s not to say it’s not worth your attention or your money. There’s a ton of value in this middling binocular, from excellent low-light performance (it surprised testers by winning the category) to fairly good optical quality. It lost points on mechanics and construction, and team members noted some fairly significant grease inside both barrels, evidence of some quality-control issues. A number of testers wished for softer, more rounded eyecups in order to create a more co*fortable binocular-to-brow interface.
Its orange accents and aggressive texturing help dress up the Argos, but there’s only so much brands can do to differentiate their binoculars. “Reminds me of the Redfield of a few years ago,” noted Idler. But overall, this is a solid submission that should provide steady service, if not memorable performance.
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An excellent backup binocular or a good choice for a beginning hunter, birder, or outdoor person, Leupold’s Alpine HD is built around adequate glass that is boosted by the brand’s excellent optical coatings. Those coatings allow the budget binocular to hit above its weight (and price) in low-light performance and casual glassing.
But when subjected to the more rigorous measurements of optical performance in our test, the binocular’s “high-definition” glass quality showed some shortco*ings. First was optical resolution, which is a measurement of crispness and clarity, where the Leupold scored in the lower third of submissions. And testers noticed a distracting ripple in the bottom of both barrels. Mechanically, the Alpine HD performed fine, but testers wanted both the diopter and focus controls to be slightly tighter.
Testers loved the oversized, textured eyecups and the fingertip sensitivity of the focus knob. And Leupold won unanimous praise for including its GO Afield binocular case and harness with the Alpine HD. That, plus the co*pany’s excellent lifetime warranty, gave the binocular very good price/value scores as an optic that’s well worth the money.
Scott Einsmann