Swarovski SLC 8x42 HD Binocular

From Jon in MT:

5/5 Rating

As a biologist I use my bins every day for survey work. They get stuffed into my backpack, banged around on my hip or dropped into a dry-bag when I'm out on the water. Without a single doubt these SLC 8x42 HD's are the best investments I have ever made. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

I selected the Swarovski's after comparing them to the 8x42 Leica HD's-- optically they were virtually identical, but I preferred the 'stickier' grip, focus speed, and eye relief of the Swaro's. 3 months later I don't regret the decision one bit!

Pros:
- No distortion, sharp edge to edge, and absolutely NO chromatic aberration.
- Massive field-of-view. When scanning a horizon or working off a boat, the field of view through these bins makes work a real pleasure-- your eyes can wander through the frame without 'blackouts' or any distortion throughout the view.
- Compact
- Incredibly bright
- Bomb-proof build quality. One thing I especially like is how recessed the front elements are into the metal housing. There's at least 1cm of depth to protect the front elements!
- Undeniably perfect customer service and warranty support. Shortly after purchasing these I problem with the diopter mechanism while in the field and called customer service for help. Within minutes I was speaking directly with their SLC repair technician-- she determined it was indeed 'not right' and had me send in the bins. The very next day Swarovski sent me back a brand-new pair, next-day, no questions asked.

Cons:
- Same price as 3 months rent.

Best for:
- Any professional/hunter/every-day-bins person the minute he/she can afford it.

If you are like I was 4 months ago, wavering about buying a ~$300-500 pair of Monarch X, Ranger ED, or Viper HD's... they are very fine binoculars that I have experience with. But are you planning on using them almost every day? Using them for longer than an hour's stroll through the woods? Buy these and never look back.