The question is not about binoculars for glassing for long periods of time but of use in woods settings. Once in a while looking across long distances. Not too expensive ($200 max.)
Colorado elk and Arkansas whitetail and turkey.

I have a great set of Swarovski 8X30's but want a decent 'even more' compact set. ...And with that being said, should that even play a part in deciding what power to purchase?

Actually, your Swarovskis are fine.  The smaller compacts lose a lot due to the smaller objective lenses and narrower field.

I have a 10x25 Vortex Solo monocular and love it.  As compact as it gets.

I have the same Swaro's. The are the perfect balance between size and useability. I've got a pair of the Zeiss 10x that fold up. I find them darn near useless.

Y'all are right in that my Swarovskis ARE great BUT ... that's not really what I'm asking. I'm keeping them but WANT a good set of compacts. I've tried the mono route and didn't care for it. Not to say it isn't great for some folks just not for me. We've really tried to go lighter weight this year and my Swaros are twice the weight of compacts.

Here's the fact. I'm going to buy a new set of compact binoculars. I would like to get a good feel for the general consensus of you all what POWER you like best. I kind of have my mind set on one of the choices but still want other opinions. At this moment I'm looking at the Cabelas Guide 10X

I have the same Swarovski's as you - actually have had two pair. I used the first pair for years then thought I needed 10X so I traded for 10X42 Leica's. Beautiful glass but, heavy and felt bulky to me.  So I went back to an 8X30 swaro.

However when I am elk hunting or weight conscious, I take my 8X20 Zeiss.  I have had these for quite a few years; my wife bought them for Christmas for me one year. I know they are over your budget, but that is what I use and am quite happy with them.

I also have the same 8x30 Swarovskis and wouldn't treads them for anything. However since that doesn't answer your question I think you would be best served by a 6x compact. If you really wanted you could go up to 8x. Anymore power than that you will regret due to loss of light gathering at early and late hours. Also the inability to eliminate shakiness while viewing thru them

This is a pair that I have been considering. Not much smaller than what you already have, but a few ounces lighter (14.1 vs 17.6 oz). If you look around online, you can pick them up about 50 bucks under MSRP.
http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-diamondback-8x28-binocular

Might even look at some 6X.

Love my little Leupolds. Light weight and I can see everything I need to see from a treestand.

They are compact and take up little space in the pack. Don't weigh you down if you leave em around your neck for long periods of time. I hang mine on a piece of Paracord that's long enough to slide around to my side if I need to shoot.

bretto

Yep.  I think 6x or 7x is a better choice for thicker woods work.  You already have the 8x30s for Colorado.  Look for a good used pair of Bushnell Custom Compacts in 6x or 7x 26.  Excellent glass. Were rather expensive 20 or more years ago.  Easy to handle with one hand.

Dad had a set of Leo 8x compacts that were light as a feather. Anything in brush over 8x is useless in my opinion as you spend more time focusing than looking at the target.

I have a set of 10x28s that I carry in the door pocket of my vehicle in case I see something while out driving that I want a closer look at. And they stay in the vehicle. They are worse than useless out in the field in morning or evening light. I have a very nice set of Nikon Monarch X 8.5 x 45 that are nice and clear and do work well in morning light.

I'm with you in wanting a lighter, smaller glass I can carry when bow hunting. My choice will be between a 6x and 8x, however.

QuoteOriginally posted by Orion:
Yep.  I think 6x or 7x is a better choice for thicker woods work.  You already have the 8x30s for Colorado.  Look for a good used pair of Bushnell Custom Compacts in 6x or 7x 26.  Excellent glass. Were rather expensive 20 or more years ago.  Easy to handle with one hand.

I had a pair of the custom compacts and were worth every penny.  Lost them turkey hunting and didn't find them until that fall.  
I have a pair of Swarovskis 10x25 that are great but if I had it o do again it would be the 8 power.  For the east coast woods I use Leupold 6x30 katmia that are as good as any top of the line bino's I have tried.

So, Duck...I started with that exact pair you have as my first good set of binos.  They ARE good but I have been thru quite a few others; because I like testing things and finding the best tools for my hunts.

You will find many regurgitate things they have read but not actually experienced.  I will give you two experience I've had.  

Seven years ago I spent a month Bighorn sheep hunting in Colorado.  During this time I became friends with one of the resident sheep hunters.  We eventually teamed up and took his mules deep into one of the wilderness areas.  My friend has taken the Super Slam of North American game including the Recently added Tule Elk (rifle for a few but many bow), and has at least an Ovis Super 10 of sheep/goats from around the world.  He may be up to Super 20 by now.  Basically he hunts all over the world and he can afford the best of everything and has it.  You know what ONE piece of equipment he has on EVERY hunt?

A pair of 10x25 pocket Swarovskis.  That is not saying he does not have other optics, he does and uses them well.  But those little puppies are always on his person.  

I spent two weeks in Africa in July.  I had   TONS of time to glass all kinds of "stuff" from daylight to dark.  I took a pair of 8x20 Leica Ultravids and a pair of 8 x 32 Leica Ultravids   specifically to see how much I was giving up with the 8x20s in the field.  My conclusion is I am giving up nothing. I'll be carrying the 8x20s much more often.

I did not like my friend's 10x25 Swaros...their focus knob is on the objective end of the frame and they did not work well with my ever present eye glasses.

I'd save a little longer and look at the little Leica, Swarovski, or Zeiss.  You will probably get all the use out of them that you are thinking, and more    

Back in early eighties when Leupold came out with their first compact binos I  bought the 9 power ones  used them till I bought 8x30 Swarovski .
They are good glass for the small size and I still use them and always take as backup in case something happens to bigger ones.
It was said at the time that they were made for them by a West German company.

I fully agree with Steve O.  The right pair of 8x20 or 10x20 binocular is very useful, at least to me. And after 4 trips to the Colorado Rocky Mtns for elk and three years in AK,  I am very conscious about carrying extra weight in the Mtns. But, each to his own.

Good luck with your purchase,
Gary


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The older I get the better I was
Posts: 391 | From: new mexico/Gila | Registered: Jun 2008  |  IP: Logged |

I have a pair of the Swarovski compact 10x25, that I bought in 2003 or 4.

I had a pair of the Swaro 10x40s to take on an elk hunt, but whenever I needed them, they were in my daypack. Too big, bulky and heavy. With the compacts, they're in my shirt pocket all the time, where I can reach them fast.

I've been on four elk hunts in Colorado, and most of the time it was too thick to do a lot of glassing. And the compacts are perfect for whitetails, etc.

Through the years I've read a million times about how a 10x in compacts supposedly wobbles too much compared to the 8x. But I've never had a problem with it. I compared both at a store where I could see outside.

Anyway, they are expensive, but the optics of course are fantastic. I've already had these 10 years and still love 'em.

6x for AR
10x for CO

8x for do it all glassing.

Seems that the overwhelming theme is not to go over 8X. Thanks, Guys. I'll start looking at 8's instead. Don't think I'll go under 8 though, although I DO see your point.

I've got an old set of Simmons 8X compacts but want a better pair.

I kind of think the ideal setup would be a pair of those Leupold 6/12 switch power and some 8x Swaro mini's.