Decent inexpensive pair of binocs for scouting / backpacking / observation?

[feedramp]

Curious what you guys would recommend for a decent pair of binoculars that are good for scouting, backpacking, or observation.

Not looking for expensive glass or high-end components, just the "bang for the buck" or "good enough" category around, say, $100-$150.

Nothing too relevant came up in Searches, though I did get super distracted following a rabbit trail from search results off into ACOGs and other optics.

I know Brunton makes a few of their lower end models in that price range, but no experience hands-on with them to know if they are a good choice or hold up well.

What do you have that you'd recommend as an affordable pair of binocs of decent quality for general purpose use?

ETA:

To specify what might be obvious: Great eye relief, durability / no-fogging, and light gathering / low-light effectiveness are three really nice-to-haves.

[AKDoug]

I have had great luck with Vortex brand optics. I feel that I get a very good "bang" for my buck with their products. I bought my kids 8x42's and I have began to prefer them to my higher end Pentax binos I have had for years.

[Jack-O]

I found two that fit really nicely in that category are a Vortex 10x and oddly enough a pair of 8x bushnells that had very clear glass but came in at around $32. the 10x started to suck but the 8x were winners. have not been able to find them in stores since tho. the better quality of the Vortex made it work well enough on 10x which was desired.

moral... go look thru lots of glass, you never know what you are gonna find and it's a quick way to educate yourself.

p.s. I'm a bit of an optic snob. I really like clear crisp glass, and I'm surprised sometimes at what you can get for cheap when you look.

[feedramp]

Thanks. Jack-O - when you say the 10x Vortex "started to suck" what does that mean? Did they fall apart? Was the eye relief poor and it was tiring to use them for extended periods? Is 10x a bit too powerful a zoom for general use and 8x better? How was the field of view on those two pair?

[Hot Holster]

I found two that fit really nicely in that category are a Vortex 10x and oddly enough a pair of 8x bushnells that had very clear glass but came in at around $32. the 10x started to suck but the 8x were winners. have not been able to find them in stores since tho. the better quality of the Vortex made it work well enough on 10x which was desired.

moral... go look thru lots of glass, you never know what you are gonna find and it's a quick way to educate yourself.

p.s. I'm a bit of an optic snob. I really like clear crisp glass, and I'm surprised sometimes at what you can get for cheap when you look.

I have to agree on this. I had a pair of the 8x Bushnells until my guide unknowingly dropped them out of his coat pocket while hauling out a pair of hogs I shot a couple months ago. They were compact and decent optics to have on a moving hunt.

We searched the area afterwards and couldn't find them. I was at Walmart a few weeks ago and saw a pair of Bushnell 10x so I decided to try them. Not bad, but not like the 8x for some reason.

[ra2bach]

for what you have asked you can go with either a "full" size or a compact. if going with a compact it makes sense to get a better grade than a full-size as it is harder/more expensive to produce good images in a smaller package.

the problems in going to a compact are the reduced brightness and FOV, and the cheaper ones generally do not have very good coatings for internal reflections, UV, etc... the benefits are size and weight.

I prefer the full size for almost everything but I have a pair of compact Steiner 8x22 Safari Pro's for my pack that are very good and moderately priced.

the Steiners give very good images in low light and eye relief is good. they seem well built. I have/had several pairs of cheaper compacts and without a doubt these are well above the performance of the Wallyworld options. there are probably several other choices in this price class and the Steiners are not the cheapest but I would buy them again...

[ra2bach]

I have to agree on this. I had a pair of the 8x Bushnells until my guide unknowingly dropped them out of his coat pocket while hauling out a pair of hogs I shot a couple months ago. They were compact and decent optics to have on a moving hunt.

We searched the area afterwards and couldn't find them. I was at Walmart a few weeks ago and saw a pair of Bushnell 10x so I decided to try them. Not bad, but not like the 8x for some reason.

10x in a compact is very hard to get right. even in full size I prefer something in the 7-8x range.

I think it's telling that the most common handheld military binocs are 7x35. what you gain in magnification you lose in clarity, brightness, and the increased wobble apparent in higher magnification.

[Ironman8]

Would a monocular work for you? Vortex, and I'm sure others, make some really nice, compact, lightweight monos. I can only speak to Vortex's glass since that's the only one I've looked through, but it is very clear!

[Jack-O]

Thanks. Jack-O - when you say the 10x Vortex "started to suck" what does that mean? Did they fall apart? Was the eye relief poor and it was tiring to use them for extended periods? Is 10x a bit too powerful a zoom for general use and 8x better? How was the field of view on those two pair?

no no no... I was trying to say the BUSHNELL 10x sucked. the optics just got crappy compared to the 8x bushnells

the Vortex 10x were just fine as the glass was of better quality.

[feedramp]

Would a monocular work for you? Vortex, and I'm sure others, make some really nice, compact, lightweight monos. I can only speak to Vortex's glass since that's the only one I've looked through, but it is very clear!

Good question. I have a cheap monocular (Brunton 10-30x21) but find it pretty shaky, tiring on the eye, and it has a lot of prismatic effect. I was thinking this time I will go for a binocular for the improvements it offers over the monocular, and reduce the zoom to 8x.