Range-Finding Binoculars Swarovski or Leica?

[broncolcj]

Ok guys, I'm making the leap up to full rangefinding binos. Finally got tired of fiddling with the additional rangefinder every time I glass an animal. I'm also more than a little envious of my PH's binos too.

Here are the two I am looking at:

Leica Geovid HD-B 10 x 42; These are the ones my PH on my last two hunts has. He swears by them.

Swarovski EL Range 10 x 42; I haven't tried them yet but I've used the regular ELs and they are wonderful.

The price range is close enough here that it's a wash. Anybody want to chime in and give an opinion on which I should get?

 

[bluey]

flip a coin.......
they both will be great.......
which one has the best warranty?
and do they both have a place in your state, where the warranty work ,is done ?

 

[JWB300]

Both great - from memory the Leica's range is a little better suited to bow hunters. The Swaro's start at 30 yds. Swaro customer care is second to none.

 

[TokkieM]

Leica will always get my vote.
Don't want to complicate it for you, but 2 in one is not always better. If something happens to the bino you are out of a rangefinder and the other way around. Forget the bino in camp or in the truck and you sit without both tools.Crack a eye cap and the same thing happens.

 

[siml]

Leica in my opinion make a better range finder, I use swarovski bino's. But either way you won't go wrong.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Leica Geovids. Best piece of equipment I own.

 

[Buff-Buster]

Leica without a doubt. Just my opinion and you know what they say about those! LOL

Both are great but my nod definitely goes with Leica.

 

[Divernhunter]

Both are great and out of my price range. I have to vote for the Leica as the one I looked thru was great as are the reviews. The others are not too far behind but to me they still are 2nd. If money was no object I would have the Leica and save my Zeiss binos and Leupold rangefinder as back up.

 

[flatwater bill]

Maybe you could buy them both. Write a comparison article here on AH. Or you could buy a Vortex, use the difference to hunt something new. Lots of options. .......................FWB

 

[broncolcj]

Maybe you could buy them both. Write a comparison article here on AH. Or you could buy a Vortex, use the difference to hunt something new. Lots of options. .......................FWB

Not a bad idea. My current binos and rangefinder happen to be Vortex already

 

[wesheltonj]

I own a pair of Leica BCA and had a Leica 1600 rangefinder, sold it and bought a Geovid HD-B 10x42 and am very happy with my purchase. You really cannot go wrong with Leica. The only thing that I don't like about them is they are made in Portugal instead of Germany, but my BCA is Portugal too, but it was not 3k either.

 

[huntsolo101]

Leica Geovids. Best piece of equipment I own.

Funny I wonder where you got those! The only problem with my 10x42 hr -r is that I can not switch from yards to meters. Ask Marius he has first hand knowledge. If I was to upgrade mine I would definitely get the hd-b 10x42. The new prism is much clearer than my current set.

 

[gordon-kruger]

I would go for Leica, you also have the specific ballistic card with "click" Indications on the Leica. Furthermore I find the Swarovski not very easy to read distance.... Maybe only me..

If Zeiss could make them model a little bit lighter and less bulky I would say Zeiss is the one, but they don't have the scope click indication for scopes with torrent knobs.

Also, I think that Leica also measure the outside temperature and counting in this in the bullet drop... good in Kalahari when the Gemsbok standing far away out in a freezing early morning and the rifle was zeroing in +40 Celsius the day before...

 

[broncolcj]

Leica is running away with this one. I am leaning that way

 

[broncolcj]

I've made my choice. Going with the Leicas. Got a good deal on pair for about $400 less than Cabela's and Europtics and reduced shipping. Pretty overwhelming support for Leica, thanks guys!

 

[gordon-kruger]

Good to hear and you will not regret that, regarding the support from Leica in Europe I don't put it very high at all... because the only problem pure esthetic with the Leica is the color and yes I'm a kind of person that like details.. so I ask them a year ago if that can be possible to special order one Leica Geovid HD-R
in green, I kindly ask them to add all the extra costs for this "problem" and they did not came back... I send one more mail and repeat my question and again no answer...

This is color of LEICA ULTRAVID.

 

[petrusg]

I prefer Leica...