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Leupold Yosemite 6x30

Scott F

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2015
Messages
766
Location
Tampa, Florida
All,
I am NOT an optics guru, in fact I know very little about the topic. I just wanted to write a very quick post about a pair of binoculars that I just purchased - Leupold Yosemite 6x30.

In the past I have 'gotten away' with using very inexpensive Tasco or Bushnell glass. My logic was that I can use them for a season or two and just pitch them; no real loss. I only hunt in the eastern portion of the country, specifically along coastal NC, coastal SC, and most recently in west-central Florida. I'm an active duty Marine and these are the places that I've been assigned in the past 20 years (not counting various schools or deployments). I didn't have a 'need' to glass vast distances so I didn't want to shell out the bucks for expensive glass.
I am now in Northern Virginia and I wanted to purchase a binocular that would help me look deeper into the hardwoods while on stand. I wasn't looking for spotting-scope acuity, I wanted something to gather light during the optimal game movement times and permit me to bust the brush from my stand without breaking the bank. In my search I checked my 'routine' bowhunting forums for suggestions and I also came across a bunch of bird watching forums; their primary tool is a set of binos. Many folks recommended the Leupold Yosemite and now I can do the same.

I was astonished at the difference in clarity and light gathering between my 10x42 Bushnells and these 6x30 Leupolds. I brought both pair into the woods behind my house at multiple intervals to see the relative differences throughout the day. The difference was nothing short of amazing. From the showroom floor in your local sporting goods store you will not likely be able to see how good these are, but take them into the woods just before dark and I can almost guarantee a smile!

Just my thoughts.
Semper Fidelis,
Scott
 
Thanks for the review. That same model has been on my wish list for a while.
 
g2outdoors said:
6 power magnification doesn't seem very strong. I think I would want 10x at a minimum.

It depends where you are hunting. Some of the open hardwoods I hunt in the northern part of my state, a higher power like 10 would be ok. But down south where I grew up we never went higher than 7 because it was so thick and you can't see as far and need to be able to find what you are looking at.
 
For bowhunting and really scanning the 100 yards or so around a stand, these are tough to beat for the money. Been around my neck faithfully for ten years. Last year (during the rut of all times) an eye cup came off and was lost afield. I bought a set of Vortex raptors 6.5 x32's and claimed the eyepiece under the lifetime warranty. Leupold sent me a new pair within 2 weeks and didn't even ask for shipping money. I paid $75 for em ten years ago. They've gone up a bit but are WORTH EVERY PENNY AND MORE!!!!
 
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