swaro vs leica

[fatfootdoc]

All right ,

I bought a pair of 10 x 42 fujinons CD last year and absolutely love them, however, hearing all of you guys talk, now I need a new pair of swaro 10x 42 el or the leica 10x's, my question is which would you buy and why? I am leaning toward the swaro's just because I hear they have excellent customer service and I just plain like the way the EL's look. Thanks guys(and gals),

AG

[fatfootdoc]

oops, I meant to put that in the optics section! AG

[TREESTANDMAN]

The EL's and Leica 10* binos are exactly the same in clarity and quality. Swarovski's customer service is awesome and resale is easier with the swarovs among hunters. Go w/ the EL swarovs. If it were the SLC's you were considering I'd say go w/ the leicas.

[azhuntnut]

I don't have the binos, but I do own a Swaro spotting scope that is very clear and bright. I am looking to buy some new binos also. Who has the best deal on the EL's right now? They need to be an authorized dealer. David

[hunter4life]

My choice between the leica 10x42 ultravid and the Swarovski EL 10x42 would probably be made based on which one I could find for a cheaper price. They are both top of the line and clarity and brightness are pretty much equal. The FOV at 1000 yards is the same and the weight is within 0.5 ounces. I have a pair of leica trinovid 8X42's and my dad has the ultravid 10X42's and we both really like them and they seem to be every bit as good as any swaros I have looked through. I don't really know about Leica's customer service as I have never had to use it. As for resale, I would say this is a once in a lifetime purchase (in my opinion).

[fatfootdoc]

I am going to get whatever I end up getting from Cabela's, have some gift certificates and the cabelas reward card, that is a bittersweet thing though, I never thought that I would encourage my wife to spend my money! AG

[bullwidgeon]

Leica Ultravids are the best binoculars in the universe when considering weight warranty and comfort. This is from a guy who owns 15x Swaros and 10X Leica Trinovids BN's. My buddy got the 12x50 Ultravids and they are awesomly light and mega clear. I am sure the 10x model of Ultravids is awesome as well, check them out before you make any hasty decisions to buy Swaros just because everyone else has them. You cant really go wrong either way but just check them all out...

 

Bret M.

[DEERSLAM]

They are both awesome glass and couldn't go wrong with either. If I were you I'd go to a shop that carried both and take them outside and compare them side by side. Everyones eyes are different and you may like one better than the other. That's what I did when shopping for mine.

By the way I have the 10x42ELs.

[azpackhorse]

I have the Leica 10x Trinovid BN's and have been nothing but happy with them. A couple of years ago I chipped one of the lenses with my release, right in the middle of hunting season. I sent them in with my warranty card and had the glass back in a little over a week. I have looked through the Ultravids and they are awesome, you really can't get much of a sharper and clearer image.

[fatfootdoc]

Brett,

Those were the glasses you had up there in Round valley when you were sighting in that muzzleloader with the sweet scope weren't they? Those were pretty nice if I remember right. Had any trouble with customer service with those babies? I just do not want to worry about spending that much money and then have trouble with customer service.

Thanks for all the other replies, still have not decided. AG

[azhuntnut]

I went and did a quick look through some swaro's, leica, and zeiss today. It is hard to see a difference in these top quality binoculars. I have been reading alot of good things about the zeiss FL's. I still need to take them outside on a cloudy day to make a good decision. I really like reading all the input from the birding forums. These guys really pick them apart. David

http://www.birdforum.net/index.php?

[bullwidgeon]

I had my Trinovid BN's up there that day, my buddies 12x50 Ultravids are the ones that really impressed me so much. I am getting ready to dust that busted up old muzzleloader off this weekend and try to scope it in for hog season. I still haven't jacked with that scope or done anything to it other than clean the heck out of it since September. Maybe I can find a hog to shoot with it in a week or two, if I can get her dialed in enough. Good luck with whatever you decide, I will say it again, really you can't go wrong either way...

 

Bret M.

[TLH]

I have the 10x42 Geovids with the range finder built in and they are some of the clearest glass i have ever looked through--pretty high dollar but worth it to me. I just bought a pair of 15x56 Swarovski's with an adapter for $1488.00. These are new but are the 2004 model and are from a Swarovski dealer. They have more if anyone is interested i can tell you where i bought them.

[COOSEFAN]

I love Swaro's overall but you won't go wrong either way, BUT there is a difference in mounting them to a tripod. Leica might have come up with something different lately, but last I knew, you had to use the claw adapter or the velcro strap plate. I don't like the Swaro adapter for the EL's because it has little springs and little plastic parts and I guarantee you drop your tripod, head first, it will break the EL adapter. I had Outdoorsmans install a nipple on my EL's and bought the outdoorsmans adapter for about the same price and it is bulletproof! My bro-n-law has Leica's and has to use the claw adapter and he hates it. "my.02" Good luck, JIM

[bullwidgeon]

Outdoorsmans makes the nipple adapter for the the Leicas as well. I have em for mine and my buddy has them for his Ultravids, you should tell your brother in law to check them out.