Manfrotto o55 XB tripod

From Mark in Pennsylvania:

5/5 Rating

This is a big, solid, reliable, and extremely well-made tripod. The leg locks are the best I've seen: smooth and secure. It should be tall enough for anyone, even using a straight spotting scope. I'm 5'9" and with an angled scope I don't extend the center post at all, and don't even fully extend the legs. It is BIG. With a head on it, it is also LONG, but (for me at least) not too heavy to carry around. Of course, it is no trekking/backpacking tripod--far from it--but for the price it can't be beat as a solid platform for a scope.

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Atlas Optics Intrepid ED

From Ted in Virginia:

5/5 Rating

For the money I could not have done better, and I have to thank the staff at Eagle for recommending this purchase. I read complaints on the focus wheel being to slow, for me it is precise since I can read serial numbers on nameplates at a safe distance, say nothing of my fascination with birds. Every detail is clear from edge to edge, an old pair of 10x25 are permanently assigned to be battered up on a four wheeler. I have used them in foul weather with no adverse effects. Buy a pair even if you can afford the alpha glass, these will be the ones that you won't worry about damaging.
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Bushnell Elite 20-60x80

From Steven in New York:

5/5 Rating

I just purchased the Bushnell Elite 20-60x80mm Angled Spotting Scope. I needed a good clear scope for birding but couldn't afford to spend thousands of dollars on one. This scope is fantastic! It has the ED Glass lenses, a nice, smooth zoom 20-60x eyepiece, and a view-thru case. I find this scope to be more than adequate for my purposes. It is extremely crisp and clear, even at 60x. The zoom and focus knobs operate smoothly and easily, unlike some less expensive scopes that I have used. The angled body makes this scope very comfortable to use. The view-thru case is a nice accessory because it provides extra protection to the scope without interfering with its use. I am very happy with this scope and would definitely recommend it.

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Leica Ultravid 10x42

5/5 Rating

Leica is all I'd hoped, and more. Five years ago I was a new birder with 30-year-old inexpensive binoculars. In researching online and talking with experienced birders, I heard that I should buy as much binocular as I could afford, after holding and trying many... I did, buying Leica, choosing the 10s over the 8s because I live in the west and wanted to see across our big skies. For daytime raptors, or early morning, late evening light gain, my Leicas beat anything I have borrowed or tried. They are lighter weight, and have sharper views than other, similar size binos also. I could not be happier with my Leicas.

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Nikon Monarch 8x42

From Ann in Ohio:

5/5 Rating

I purchased these binoculars as a gift for my daughter. She lives in New England along the Atlantic coast. She seemed pleased with the crispness and clarity of the binoculars. She also liked that they were lightweight. I bought them because they were in the right price range, were lightweight, and the other reviewers seemed to be so impressed. So far we have only had one chance to use them: a trip down to the Cape Cod Nat. Seashore. They performed beautifully on that trip. There was no problem with fogging as one reviewer complained of, but to be fair, it was a beautiful sunny day in the 60s with a good breeze so I couldn't really speak to that problem.

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Pentax Papilio 6.5x21

From Dawn in Ohio:

5/5 Rating

I recently purchased Pentax's Papilio 6.5x21 binos for butterfly watching. These are so much more than that. I am able to see tiny spiders on flowers, intricate details on plants, insects etc. Then if a bird catches my eye I can still focus far enough to enjoy them as well. My sister recently visited me and now she wants to buy my pair as I said I was going to buy the 8.5x21 as well. Pentax binos are always high quality at a good price. I own four different pair now and have never been dissatisfied. Plus with their great warranty they are an even better value. These Papilios are a great addition to view the natural world.

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Nikon Monarch 8x42

4/5 Rating


I've owned these binoculars for more than three years now, and I'm still constantly impressed with how bright and sharp they are. I've tried other people's Leica and Swarovski binoculars, and there's very little to no noticeable difference in image quality.

My only disappointment has been the durability of the eyecups. After I had used them for about a year, the plastic rings that hold the eyecups cracked, causing the eyecup bearings to fall out. This resulted in the eyecups regularly getting off the "track" and falling off, until I eventually lost both of them while birding. So I sent the binoculars to Nikon for repair and got them back looking brand new. A few months went by, and the same thing happened again. Thankfully they are still covered by warranty, but it's still a nuisance.

Overall, I think these are outstanding binoculars for the price. I highly recommend them.

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Atlas Radian 8x42

5/5 Rating

I'm a hard sell but these binos were an easy decision. I bought these binoculars mainly for bird watching and am impressed with the image brightness, field of view and ease of use. The focus moves freely though the dioptor adjuster is pretty stiff. Luckily it only has to be adjusted once and then it locks nicely. In low light the binos capture plenty of light. The colors come out true to my eyes and I am impressed with the high level features at this price. I will consider Atlas Optics if I decide on 10 power binos to look at the night skies. The staff are quite friendly, helpful and down to earth. And you can't ask for a better warranty. Hopefully I'll take a trip up to Hawk Ridge in Duluth yet this fall to test them further!

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Leica Duovid 8+12x42

5/5 Rating


Optics, close focus, focus speed and agility are on par with the top binos. Nice job Leica. Heavy binos - I think my 10x50 SLC's are lighter. Heavy and not a superb balance in the hand. Eye relief not that good for eye glass wearers. Try before you buy. Strap holders wont take my harness which meant some custom work and these heavy binos need a harness. 8x all day is great. 12x is great but ***superb*** if you tripod with gitzo carbon fiber. WOW you can feel ok if you have to leave the spotting scope at home. Haven't tried to rig the bino with a 2x doubler but a steady 12x binoview is superb. Could be a workhorse bino for some but for me its a niche binocular for birding sparrows and shorebirds or astronomy. It's pretty hard to beat 8.5 or 10x42 ELs IMO.

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Vortex Razor HD

From a customer in CA:

5/5 Rating

This scope lives up to its rep as a great birding appliance. Now that the other "big names" have moved prices into the stratosphere, this scope makes impressive sense. The view is as clear as various magazine reviewers state. The included 20-60 eyepiece is quite sharp, but like its priecy peers, does fall off a bit at max.

I purchased the optional long eye-relief eyepiece but find the standard one works just fine and does provide great viewing for glasses wearers with the additional zoom, so try it out before spending...

I experienced a problem with the coarse focus on the scope--turning the knob had no affect--and called Vortex to whine, expecting lengthy return-and-exchange hassles. Surprise! My issue was handled by English speaking reps, and they "one-day shipped" a new replacement scope with a UPS label for return of the defective unit.

Bottom line: Great product, fine value, exceptional customer service!

Eagle Optics Denali 8x42

5/5 Rating


I am very happy with my Denali 8x42 binoculars. My first priority was binoculars that focus clear and easily with my glasses on, and these work great with glasses. I tried a couple of other brands with similar twist up and down eye pieces for use with or without glasses, but none of the others worked well for me. Next priority was binoculars that were light weight with a bright clear field of vision and a reasonable price tag. Again these binoculars do it. The construction seems very sturdy and the focus is easy to use and smooth. Even in low light situations these binoculars are bright and clear. In stores I tried a few pairs of very expensive binoculars and these stand up very nicely next to those. These are really nice quality binoculars and I would definitely recommend them to anyone.

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