Anyone own/owned Cabela's Guide Series binos?

[Cuz]

I checked out a pair the other day. They were pretty impressive. But that's in store and no real test.

I'd like to hear what you think about yours.

[wellingtontx]

Love them. Wouldn't trade for them. Crisp, clear and I have abused them over the years with no impact on view.

[gumbl3]

I may be wrong, but you have to look at when the pair you're eyeing was made. Each style/year may have a different mfg and the reviews I've read are hit or miss.

[Cuz]

I've tried to find reviews but there's not much out there for them. That's a bad sign in itself but it's not a deal breaker for me.

I think they very well could be made at/by the same factory as the Leupold Mojave (which are also nice for the $). They look almost identical (slightly different armor and knobs), they have the same open frame, they have the same center diopter, they have the EXACT same FOV and the weight and height are all but identical.
The only difference is the Mojaves would run me about $425 w/tax but I "know a guy" so I can get the Guide Series for $225 even.

[Cuz]

Anyone own/owned Cabela's Guide Series binos?





Im looking in to everything from $300 to $1,000 but these two seem to fit me the best so far. Lighter, more comfortable and about 4star glass, IMO.

[JustinJ]

You should contact Leupold. They have a steep discount for guys who guide. I don't know what sort of info you need to provide them, but you might as well check it out!

http://www.leupold.com/resources/guide-program/

[Cuz]

You should contact Leupold. They have a steep discount for guys who guide. I don't know what sort of info you need to provide them, but you might as well check it out!

http://www.leupold.com/resources/guide-program/

Interesting

[gatorgrizz27]

Zen Ray Prime HD's at $500 get stellar reviews. I haven't had a chance to look through them, but I couldn't tell almost ANY difference in clarity or quality between the Leupold Acadia's, Cascades, Mojave's, Nikon Monarch's, Steiner Predator's, and several others I spent over an hour looking through in the $250-$500 price range. Contrast, light transmission, focus speed, and other preferences, sure, but nothing about true image quality. Personally, I think once you are spending over $200 you are out of the "junk/budget/mediocre" glass but at $500-$600 you are still below the "really dang good" glass.

I could tell a significant difference in the Zeiss Conquests at $1,000, but once you get in that range the Cabela's Euro's become the "bang for the buck" bargain.

Not to step on any toes, but if you do actually guide spot and stalk type hunts often, not just from a blind or for friends, I believe you owe it to your clients to use as near to the best optics as you can possibly afford. When reading binocular reviews for months I found post after post of guys who were hunting out west with "decent/pretty good" binoculars in the $400-$500 range and were not able to spot the game their guide was pointing to. When they looked through their guide's Swaro's etc, they could see it plain as day.

It would be a shame to have an unproductive hunt for an aoudad or pronghorn because it simply couldn't be seen off in the distance through lesser-grade glass. Not to mention embarrassing if a client showed up with Swaro's, etc and was able to see things you couldn't.

The second thing is with trickle down technology, great glass is more affordable than it has ever been before. Within 100 yards, I have a $30 air rifle scope that is nearly indistinguishable from a Leupold VX-II 3-9x50 I bought in 2006, I think it was around $450 then. I have used them side by side, minute by minute, as the sun is setting and do not get a single extra minute of shooting light with that Leupold, though with the $30 scope I was able to watch a raccoon in a sheltered swamp until after legal shooting light. They both allow you to see through your scope what you can with with your naked eye.

I bought a pair of Leupold Yosemite 6x30's this year for hunting in the swamps as I needed a low-power binocular, they ran around $100 and the clarity and light transmission is hands down better than my VX-II scope. A barely-distinguishable lighter colored spot at 100 yards on a dark night can be clearly seen as a truck, and details identified though those binoculars.

The point is you can get glass that performs within 1-2% of the absolute best these days for great deals, but it is still just slightly above the binoculars most buy.

[Cuz]

I appreciate the input, Gator, but I have to disagree with you on not being able to see a difference in the Acadia and the Mojave. IMO they are VERY obviously much better glass and better built. The Acadias are really bad about flare and have pour clarity near the edges. Plus I've seen 3 pairs of those Acadias break in the field.
I will buy the best I can. But I won't break the bank for slightly better glass either. Which (again) IMO is what the $1,500 glass is to the $600 glass, in most cases, slightly better. So, I look for the best glass in my price range. I had a pair of Burris signature select binos that were excellent glass! I had no problem spitting game right along with the Swaro and Ziess guys.

Anyway, I just stumbled across what's new for 2015 from Leupold. They now have the Mojave Pro Guide HD. It's the Mojave but with "HD" glass. It's now Leupolds best binocular according to their website. Think I'll take A look.

http://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/binoculars/bx-3-mojave-binoculars/bx-3-mojave-pro-guide-hd-10x42mm/