I just went through the same process recently so I'll give my 2 cents...
Started with Vortex Diamondback a few years ago and finally decided to upgrade. Quality was good, but the optics were just okay.
Bought a pair of Leupold Mohave Pro Guide HD that were optically very impressive. Very bright and clear to the edges. Got a decent deal on them for $550, but ended up selling them because they didn't fit my face very good. Probably not an issue for most people but I have deep eye sockets with a narrow IPD.
Tried out the Nikon Monarch 7. I liked them quite a bit. For me they were better than the Vortex Vipers which also get very good reviews. Much better than the Monarch 5. If you were considering the Monarch 5 I'd highly recommend the bump up to the 7. Pretty easy to find for $550-600
I finally decided that I could stomach the price and I don't want to upgrade again so I bought the Meopta Meostar HD. Very nice and fit me better than any of the rest. Haven't used it a lot yet but I am very happy with them so far. Ended up ordering a demo pair from Camera Land NY for about $1200 CAD all in. Hard to find a pair locally (Calgary) to look through so if anyone needs to look through a pair before ordering send me a PM.
Good luck with your search!
|