Last Updated on
This category happens to be the most popular budget for serious hunters and optic users.
Laying down a grand on a pair of glasses might seem absurd to some. But, to the hunter who needs precision for serious glassing, this is the budget with the best quality for the value.
Save up, look up, and tag it up this hunting season!
QUICK LIST: 7 Best Binoculars Under $1000 In 2020
- Leupold BX-4 Pro Guide HD 10X50
- Meopta MeoPro 10X42 HD
- Swarovski CL Companion Pocket 10X25
- Sig Sauer KILO3000 BDX 10X42
- Zeiss Conquest HD 10X42
- Vortex Razor HD 12X50
- Minox BL 10X44 HD
Our 7 Top Binos Less Than $1000
This high end category is more like the premium end of the mid-range binoculars – it’s not quite worth selling off an organ for, but it’s plenty good enough for a lot of hunters wanting a high-class optic.
Many hunters who are looking for a long-term binocular will pay within this price range. Why? Quality, durability, and brilliant glass is the name of the game, and this is exactly what we used as a standard to filter out the top binoculars for this high budget category.
So, if you’re a serious hunter who knows his optics and can really appreciate the differences between $100 and $900 glasses, this reveal is for you.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Leupold BX-4 Pro Guide HD 10X50 |
| CHECK PRICE |
 | Meopta MeoPro 10X42 HD |
| CHECK PRICE |
 | Swarovski CL Companion Pocket 10X25 |
| CHECK PRICE |
 | Sig Sauer KILO3000 BDX 10X42 |
| CHECK PRICE |
 | Zeiss Conquest HD 10X42 |
| CHECK PRICE |
 | Vortex Razor HD 12X50 |
| CHECK PRICE |
 | Minox BL 10X44 HD |
| CHECK PRICE |
The Best Hunting Binoculars Under $1000
1. Leupold BX-4 Pro Guide HD 10X50 – Best Value
- Leupold Model #172672 bx-4 Pro guide HD 10x50mm in Sitka open Country
- 100% waterproof, Fog proof, & shockproof
- High-definition, calcium-fluoride lenses delivers incredible edge-to-edge clarity
The Leupold BX-4 series is designed to be your backcountry hunting binoculars. Several features on the Pro Guide compliment this style of hunting, and if you’re gearing up for this season, make this one your go-to pair.
- Open bridge
- ED glass
- HD quality
- Phase coating
- Twilight Max
- Eyecup issues
There has been more than one complaint about how hard the eyecups are, and it’s been rumored they may move out of place once they’ve been set. But, no one has said either issue would be cause to return or pass up on buying the Pro Guide HD binos. However, here’s a feature fact for you: the aluminum eyecups are field-replaceable for when decades after wear and tear you may need to replace them.
The aluminum frame does an excellent job at providing build integrity and keeping weight down to 28 ounces. The open bridge design lends to its light weight and ergonomics for easy grip, comfort, and long glassing sessions.
As a high-end series of binos, it has the works. Leupold uses BaK4 roof prism glass, calcium-fluoride elements for high-def quality at all magnification levels, and a Guardion lens coating to shed all the nasties that may want to stick to your lenses.
Phase coated prisms help to produce edge-to-edge clarity and sharp resolution that works cohesively with the specialized glass elements in the objectives that reduce chromatic aberration. The Twilight Max Light Management System feature is a genius design move that enhances the benefits of having 50 mm objectives for low-light clarity that you’ll need at dusk and dawn.
The diopter is found on the center focus wheel and must be pulled out to set and pushed back in to lock into place. Quality accessories like the Go-Afield case and deluxe shoulder strap are included. And, perhaps the best feature of all is the GORE Optifade Open Country skin. With this finish option available, ditch the Shadow Gray finish and hunt in camo style.
2. Meopta MeoPro 10X42 HD Binoculars
- MEOBRIGHT ion assisted lens multi-coatings deliver an outstanding 99.7% light transmission per lens surface
- MEOSHIELD coating protects exposed lens surfaces from abrasion
Finally, Meopta takes a top spot in our optics reviews with the MeoPro 10X42 HD. This binocular is almost $800, but it has the quality of a bino twice its price – and I’m not exaggerating.
It has ED glass that produces High Definition effects, MeoBright coatings, and multi-position eyecups while being fully weatherproof on a light weight magnesium alloy chassis.
And, if you’re circumspect about the glass, maybe this tidbit will allay you… their glass source is none other than Schott AG. No Chinese-made BAK4 prisms here! To find out more about this underdog brand, the full review is only one page away…
3. Swarovski CL Companion Pocket 10X25
- 10x magnification binocular
- 25Mm objective lens diameter
I’ve thrown in the CL Companion Pocket 10X25 binocular because it’s a Swarovski that comes in at less than $1000!
Optically, it’s every part an equal to its siblings with SwaroBright, Schmidt-Pechan prisms, locking mechanisms, and submersible to 13 feet!
This 10X25 CL is the best-of-the-best when it comes to compact optics, not only is it small enough to fit into your pocket but also to keep you glassing in comfort for hours on end.
If Swarovski glass is on your shopping list, you better check out our review of this sweet little pocket rocket!
4. Sig Sauer Kilo3000BDX 10X42
- Sig Sauer sok31001 kilo 3000Bdx
- Laser range finding Binocular
- Laser range finding Binocular
This binocular is new and more advanced than any other binocular Sig has pumped out in the past. And yes, you can sometimes snag it for under a thousand bucks!
- Price
- LRF feature
- BDX compatible
- 5000 yard range
- Angle compensation
- Reticle size
The Kilo3000BDX is a rangefinder binocular. The technology is difficult for even the best brands to perfect, but the Kilo has done it well – 5,000 yards well. That’s right. It has a max reflectivity target range of 5,000 yards, 4,000 yards to trees, and 2,000 yards to deer. It also provides angle compensated distances for those steep inclines and declines over those long distances. Talk about extreme!
But, to really get the most accurate readings to these distances, it would require mounting it to a tripod – good thing you can. However, few users have said it would be a design improvement to make the reticle circle smaller for better target acquisition.
For a binocular rangefinder, it’s not too bad in the weight department with 31 oz under its belt – still heavy, but you have two technologies in one unit on your hip or around your neck. With 18 mm of eye relief, glasses-wearers shouldn’t have any complaints.
Being a BDX compatible unit means you can sync up your bino rangefinder with your BDX riflescope for an automatic illuminated holdover point seen through your scope. With the BDX app, even more is possible.
For a binocular with these capabilities, it really is impressive that it comes in around $1000. This Sig deal is hard to beat.
5. Zeiss Conquest HD 10×42 Binoculars – Best Overall
- Compact lightweight ergonomic design for ultimate comfort in the field
- LotuTec water shedding outer coatings for all weather use
- Designed and manufactured with traditional German quality
There’s no way a Zeiss doesn’t make it into the top picks of this budget category.
As one of the most bought-out Zeiss binoculars in the market, it has every right to be featured as a premium and high quality binocular. It literally has everything you could want in a bino priced under $1000: stunning glass, superb coatings, and a prism system that’s fit for any lighting challenges you dare hunt in.
It’s refreshing to see Zeiss come down a notch in price to cater to most hunters who can’t stretch the dollar into the triple zero digit range. As a high quality bino that technically shouldn’t be in this price category, it’s a steal!
6. Vortex Razor HD 12X50
- 12x magnification and 50mm objectives lenses, the Razor HD features hand selected prisms and premium high density glass, delivering unparalled resolution and color,...
The Vortex Razor HD 12X50 technically disqualifies from this price bracket because it has a price tag of around $1100, but since I can tell you that it won’t make the high-end list of binoculars, I’m giving it a mention here – besides, you can get if for barely over $1000 on sale so I think that is close enough to fit this price range.
It’s loaded with an APO system, Plasma Tech, XR Plus Fully Multi-Coated lenses, and a whole mouthful more, including a True Open Hinge design and lightweight magnesium chassis.
Now, if you don’t know what all of that means and how it is going to benefit your hunt, you will have to check out the detailed review of the Razor HD.
7. Minox BL 10X44 HD
- Low-Weight, Open Bridge Polycarbonate Body
- Nitrogen filled housing for non-fogging clarity
- Adjustable diopter with twisting eyecups
Skip the generic 10×42 configuration and go for 10×44 instead. That’s what this Minox does, and apparently, it’s not weird at all. Going against the traditional grain to produce superior European optics is what Minox is about.
- HD quality
- Field stops
- Open bridge
- Polycarbonate body
- Made in Germany
- Hard rubber eye cups
Minox is known for their cameras, and they’re nailing it in the sport optics industry, too. This particular model is designed for the “dedicated nature observer” supposedly hand-made in Germany.
Curiously, Volkswagen (yes, the vehicle company) collaborated with Minox to design their binoculars. What do we get from that collaboration? With a polycarbonate body, weight is kept to a minimum of 26 ounces that is right in line with comparable binos of the 10×42 configuration. It has a plastic diopter with markings underneath the eyecups, 17 mm of eye relief, and 3 extendable twist-up positions. However, due to the especially hard rubber on the cups, comfort may be mediocre.
When it comes to optics, this expert camera manufacturer knows what they’re doing, and yet they’re especially vague with optical details. We’re not privy to their secrets, but it’s obvious that extra-low dispersion elements are used to produce the HD image quality for optical superiority. This is reflected in its true color rendition and sharp resolution across the entire FOV. Exceptional light transmission is also thanks to the field stops integrated within the optical system.
Do these Minox binos come up to par for what the world expects from German glass? We think the answer is obvious.
What to Look for in a Binocular in this Price Range
This price range is the ideal category for buying a binocular – if you know what you’re looking for. High-powered might seem to be the way to go, but in this quality range, you’ll have much further distance with premium glass versus a cheaper, high-powered bino with mediocre or poor glass. Tip number one: always look for quality glass!
Some binos are too overpriced with little quality, and the quality of other binos in this range almost seem too good to be true. So, what do you look for? Let us give you a jump start in narrowing down on the vitals.
- Quality glass: This should include premium glass elements. Ex. ED, HD, etc. Look for world-renown glass sources.
- Quality coatings: This should include layered, weatherproof, debris-proof, and scratch-proof coatings. Additionally, look for any corrective or mirror coatings for roof-type prism binos.
- High-end focus system: Top dollar focus systems should include IF or dual focus systems.
- Tripod adaptable: Expensive can mean high-powered. Mount for those times the 10X mag proves to be too much.
- Quality Warranties: Protect your investment with the best available warranty.
Premium Prices Without Selling a Kidney!
We all know those types of optics that are worth selling off an organ or two for, but you can keep your kidneys intact with these high quality binos. You’re looking at high-class, premium, and luxury features for the best value in the market, and we’re not just saying that either.
Without spending a penny over a grand, you’ll be surprised to find that most hunters are willing to drop down several hundred bucks for a dependable optic. Yes – several hundred bucks. Sometimes you gotta give some to get some! You might be pleasantly surprised that you get more quality than what you anticipated for the price.
