Alpen optics?

[Owaatta']

Any experiences with them? Research on the web gets lots of rave reviews on bang for the buck. I'm thinking 8x42, waterproof, camo of some variety or another. The Pro is very affordable, Apex somewhat higher, and Sport are dirt cheap.

[ACPOSSETIM]

I have seen through them and they seem pretty good, I have a buddy that has one of their spotting scopes and likes it, but I've never tried it. I've got a set of Nikon's and love them. They've got a couple different price levels as well.

[Great White Hunter]

Don't know about Alpen. I use Leupold 10x42 Wind River Cascades. They are excellent and I wouldn't trade them for Nikons or any other...well maybe Swarovsky. No Nikons though (unless someone was paying me to put little yellow Nikon stickers all over my stuff).

[ACPOSSETIM]

GWH, what nikon's have you used? Look at the monarch's and I'd put them up against just about any brand.

[Colorado Rick]

and the gauntlet drops...

a hush falls over the crowd...

[Monie]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rick

and the gauntlet drops...

a hush falls over the crowd...

rotflmao...I was thinking the same thing.

[Va Hunter]

Not to step on any toes here, but I've used the Wind Rivers and love 'em. I had some Nikons and gave them to my brother. They seemed blurry or something. Not crisp I reckon. Ended up with some Pentax. Lost 'em somewhere this last season. Maybe I'll run across them this year as my stands are all in the same general areas. I gotta scrounge around to find my others, before season arrives.

[ACPOSSETIM]

I wasn't challenging anyone to a duel....just curious if he looked through a lower priced set of Nikon's. I have a Leupold scope, and I am really happy with it, it's an older model Varix-II 3-9-40. My thing is for the price of some of the big brands, I.E. Swarovski, Leica, Leupold, Nikon you get some very good glass with the Nikon's. I'm not slamming the other brands, just saying I think you get a good bang for your buck with the nikon's.

[HurricaneCreek]

I would not dispute the Nikon's. My boyfriend uses them exclusively and swears by them. I have Celestron's and I swear by them I do have a cheap pair of Alpen's that I carry in my Jeep. They are just that, cheap. I don't have any experience with their more expensive bino's, maybe they are OK.

For anyone curious about comparing different bino's, here is an interesting (but somewhat technical) link. Scroll down near the bottom and you will find the reports/comparisons to click on.

http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1769

[oneshot]

If you are compairing cheap nikons like the sport modle (which I have) I can see why you like the leupold better just remenber to compare apples to apples or is it oranges to oranges, oh you know what I'm saying. I've also used the Monarch's (borrowed from a friend) and they were great. The same goes for the rifle scopes the pro staff scopes don't do as good in low light as the monarch I have one of each as well as a leupold vari x lll, and comparing the monarch and leupold I personally can't tell any difference.