Binoculars.

[Greb147 6,809]

I'm in search of a decent set of 8x42 binoculars with a price limit for around £250.

I know you can pay thousands for a pair and the more you spend the better quality you get but I can't justify spending more to my good lady. 

Any recommendations from you folk? 

[Meece 1,957]

Apart from looking through them,  what are you going to be looking at.?  By this I mean; views, distance,  wildlife or stuff like horse racing ect.

[Greb147 6,809]

Just now, Meece said:

Apart from looking through them,  what are you going to be looking at.?  By this I mean; views, distance,  wildlife or stuff like horse racing ect.

Mainly birds and mammals when out and about (pun intended) and the off bit of star gazing. I reckon 8x42's will be great all-rounders. 

[Greb147 6,809]

*odd

[Chaseorbechased 119]

The woman across the street 

[Meece 1,957]

It could be the bloke acros the road!

[Chaseorbechased 119]

Each to the own 

[zandy01 3,575]

Opticron Natura BGA ED 10x42 are a cracking pair of bins for the money

[zandy01 3,575]

You seen these ??? Well within your budget

https://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/390411-opticron-countryman-10x42-binoculars/

[Netmaker 909]

Ask Andy Kelly he screwed plenty out the lads on here he might have a spare pair

[Meece 1,957]

If money was no factor,  what would you buy, Swarovski ... Leica.?  The amount of times people ask advice on which binoculars they always seem to get steered  towards big cheap optics.  you have stated that you can't justify to the Mrs anything more than £250  so tell her you got a deal and didn't spend more..      Anything over 7x is difficult to hold steady.   If you can look through a pair of world class glass at dusk then you would see what I mean. Remember this old quote..... The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.

[Greb147 6,809]

58 minutes ago, zandy01 said:

You seen these ??? Well within your budget

https://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/390411-opticron-countryman-10x42-binoculars/

Are they still for sale? I see they also do the same in 8x42. Have you had any experience with them? 

[Bush Rummager 4,679]

I got mine from here. https://www.cleyspy.co.uk/

I tell you what.... they saw me coming!

You can take several pairs out the back of their shop to feild test before you buy. You can read as many reviews as you like, but this is the only real way of sifting through them to get what you want. I popped in late in the day ,October, as the light light was fading to give the bins a real test. Most bins peform good in bright daylight.. not so as the light fade. Out of you budget i know, but came away with some Vortex Vipers. 

Not easy to do, but try before you buy if you can!

[Ken's Deputy 4,460]

Greb: Speaking as a Birder? If  you want a pair for generally wandering around, getting an absolute certainty of what that little bird in the hedge, over the fence, or up in that tree is? The Carl Zeiss Jena Deltrintem 8x30 has been the Birders bench mark for ever. I always had mine, round my neck. 'Scope and 'pod over the shoulder. Nothing was safe.

Ridiculously well within your budget, s/h on ebay. Absolute work horse. You'd have to pry mine from my cold, dead hands! Got them, s/h, decades ago. They still live right beside me and are grabbed about daily.

As Meece has said though, it's horses for courses.

 

[ChrisJones 7,975]

I've always liked Vortex for the money.