>>2306630As for brands, I'd go with Vortex or Maven. Both have lifetime warranties. You break them, they will fix them.
I had an old coworker that would intentionally break his every few years to get the updated model. This was for another company that stopped using that warranty or he'd break them just before the warranty ended to restart a new one. Suffice, I buy these brands even for hunting scopes.
I once owned a spotting scope from them, but it took too long to setup, was too heavy to backpack with, needed a tripod where I didn't have space for it, and getting the clarity I needed it for would cost thousands upon thousands.
The industry has advanced significantly in the last couple decades. The shit 20 years ago would have cost a he'll of a lot more to compete with the cheaper quality today. And the reality is if you go with the professional tier brands you will be spending thousands more to get only 10-20% better. You may need that, again, to see if the elk is diseased, but that's if you can't get closer. Again, Montana hunting is a much longer view of what you're tracking than the somewhere else.
The one issue many binoculars suck at is adjustment between eye to lens, especially for glasses wearers. I also just pop my glasses above my head and use them.
Between Maven and Vortex, I think they are both US veteran owned. Maven is the new kid on the block as Vortex can sometimes get sloppy in what they send you. Vortex is made in China and Maven is made in another SE Asian country. Thailand, Nam, or Taiwan. Maven certainly eeks ahead for consistency and quality. The one thing I didn't like about Maven is how fat the eye socket is. Also Vortex makes both porro and roof designs, and I prefer the porros as I find them easier to brace. I use the 8.5x from them as well as a 12x for structure I can brace against.
