Bino vs mino

[Kmarks]

So, to help reduce the bulk I take into the woods, I was thinking about getting a monocular. Has anyone used one, in a hunting situation? Any cons for this, compared to a set of binos?

Thanks

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[Squirrels]

In for responses on this one.


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[Weldabeast]

woods are pretty thick here so I usually only take a small monocular. It's ok...not sure the brand. Simmons I think. It will let me see pretty good to 150 maybe a little more. Only thing is it's hard to hold steady. It's useful enough that I keep taking it out with me. Fits in a 9mm mag pouch perfect

 

[Kmarks]

Cool. I read somewhere that people were using their rangefinders, in place of their binos. MAY think about that, since I keep mine close.

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[Aaronpaul14]

Switched to a mono this year. I’d use a range finder as it too but zoom on rangefinder isn’t near as good or clear especially lower light. Here is the one I use.

 

[Kmarks]

Awesome. I was thinking about the Vortex mono. My local Cabelas has it. With points and gift cards, I shouldn't have to pay anything out of pocket.

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[neonomad]

I have that same Solo, it’s definitely a weight saver but I have to admit optics wise it’s also definitely a compromise vs real binos. For the midwest whitetail woods it pretty much gets the job done though.

 

[Semper_Fi13]

Switched to a mono this year. I’d use a range finder as it too but zoom on rangefinder isn’t near as good or clear especially lower light. Here is the one I use.

I use the same one and love it..

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[TNbowhunter]

I’ve tried both, but felt the mono sacrificed too much in terms of clarity. It’s fine for most applications, but there have definitely been times I needed binos.

 

[Semper_Fi13]

I’ve tried both, but felt the mono sacrificed too much in terms of clarity. It’s fine for most applications, but there have definitely been times I needed binos.

Very true for me i don't hunt a lot if fields. On the NC pubic land its almost all timber where im at, so they work great. But that being said i do bring my Vortex binos when i have longer distances to glass.

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[LoadedLimbs]

I’ve tried both, but felt the mono sacrificed too much in terms of clarity. It’s fine for most applications, but there have definitely been times I needed binos.

Totally agree - the lower clarity, inferior visibility in low light, and the eye-strain with longer periods of glassing are significant “cons” that go with the “pros” of less weight and bulk - and that’s if you use a high quality monocular. (Don’t kid yourself into thinking or hoping that a cheap monocular will be a good compromise - you’ll just wind up paying more in the end.)

For my purposes in the Northeast woods, nothing beats the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 8x36 Binocular RTAP, Camouflage 190836. The clarity and brightness at this price point will blow you away. They’re a small to mid size binocular that is the optimal compromise between size, weight, and performance. They’re not easy to find, however. If interested, look on eBay.


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[always89y]

Agree with all above. I went to the Vortex mono this year. I will add that there is significantly more effort to stabilize the mono vs the bino.

 

[Cotehex]

I went the opposite direction. I went from a mono to bino's on a harness and never looked back. I did try just carrying my range finder for awhile. Its 6X Leupold so clarity is good but the binoculars gather light much better and provided much better detail.

 

[Westdesign03]

I echo the Vortex mono. IMO it’s the only mono on the market that’s worth it. I like mine a lot. I do feel that it puts some strain on the eyes of you use a mono of any kind for a long time. So I also ended up buying a compact set of binos to use for hunting too. Still have the mono and like it but also glad I have the binos. I’ll be using either one depending on where I’m going, how long I’ll be hunting, etc.


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[Dewey]

I have been using a Vortex mono for a few seasons now and it works great in the thicker stuff I hunt. The reduced bulk is much appreciated and I don't feel like I'm giving up much viewing ability.

 

[Wirrex]

There is no way I would make that sacrifice and I am a real minimalist. Get a good method to carry your binos. I use several methods throughout the season.