I don’t pretend to be an “expert” in anything – just a serious student, or many things. Having spent 35 years in the martial arts, and I have Black Belt rank in five different styles of martial arts disciplines, I don’t consider myself an expert – just a serious student. I’m just like most folks, just a hard-working stiff, who demands the most for my hard-earned dollars, so that means I shop around – most of the time – for things I need or want. At times, it is difficult to walk away from a particular firearm, but if the price won’t allow me to get it, then I walk away from the deal. I’m always looking for deals on the Internet, and many can be found there – if you have the patience to keep on researching the product you want to obtain.
I’m certainly no expert when it comes to “glass” and by that, I mean, optics, like binoculars and rifle scopes. If you’re a hunter, you probably use the term “glass” more than you realize. Over the years, I’ve been able to look through some very expensive rifle scopes and binoculars. And, they are a thing of beauty, but I can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars on a scope or binoculars – not even in my wildest dreams.
Over the years, I’ve probably owned more scopes and binoculars made by Bushnell than any other brand, and for good reason. I’ve found their glass to be extremely affordable, and give me what I’m looking for – magnification of what I need to see from a distance. I still remember when I was a kid, getting a pair of those folding “binoculars” that actually folded-up with the lens going into the hard case – I was thrilled. But those things didn’t work very well at all. Every now and then, I’ll still see someone using those folding magnifying things at a sporting event – well, I see it on television, I don’t attend any sporting events – not since I was a kid.
This brings us back to Bushnell optics, and I’ve found them to be a fantastic value for your money. I’ve lost count, of the number of hunting rifles I’ve owned over the years, that had a Bushnell rifle scope mounted on them. And it is not unusual to find a brand-new high-powered hunting rifle, in a “package” with scope, rings and bases already mounted, for a very reasonable price. More often, I’m seeing Bushnell brand scopes mounted on these rifle packages. Again, they are a great value, for someone who wants to open the box, take the rifle out and zero the scope and hit the hunting trail, without having to shop around for a scope, mount, and rings.
I’ve never had any problems with any glass from Bushnell, be it a scope on a rifle, or binoculars. In another life, I worked as a Private Investigator, as well as a police officer, and found having a good pair of binoculars on-hand, made my job easier. While doing surveillance, I could do so, from a distance, and still be able to read a license plate number, or recognize a suspect. ithout binoculars, it made the job much harder to do.
Bushnell has been providing excellent glass at very affordable prices for as long as I can remember. Just a year ago, I was in my favorite small box store, and spied a pair of Bushnell binoculars for $39.99 – and I snapped them up. My wife uses them more than I do, for watching the many deer in our area as they graze. If you are in the military, I honestly don’t see how you can do your job, without a decent pair of binoculars. And, I don’t mean that you commanding officer or platoon sergeant are the only ones who need some glass. You need them as well. It can save a lot of grief down the road, if you can spot the enemy before they see you.
Some Details
I recently received a press release for the brand-new Bushnell Powerview 2 line of optics – new binoculars, and in short order, a sample was sent my way for testing. I received their midsize Powerview 2 10×42 roof prism for testing, however, they also have many other models available. They all have fold-down eyecups – great if you wear glasses. [JWR Adds: Like many other Bushnell products, the Bushnell Powerview 2 binoculars are assembled in the United States, but have mainly foreign-sourced components. They are forced to do so by market forces. The only way that they can be price-competitive is to use some parts that are made in China. Sad, but true.]
Unlike some glass, that have plastic bodies, the Powerview 2, has an Aluminum alloy body, one that won’t easily break if dropped. And, it doesn’t add any bulk or significant weight over the ubiquitous competing plastic-body binoculars. Each model provides a tough black rubber armor and brushed metal finish, and this provides a great gripping area, so they don’t slip out of your hand. Additionally, they also come in a soft carrying case, with a strap (imported), and if you elect to just carry the glass without a case, they also included a strip to attaches to the binoculars. And, you best believe me on this, wear the strap at all times. I’ve seen hunters spy a buck through their glass, and get excited and just drop the binoculars out of their hand – breaking them. It happens, so wear the strap!
The optics themselves are multi-coated for a very sharp and clear view of whatever you are looking at. The center wheel provides fast focus. And, the focus wheel is easy to use. All Powerview 2 models come with an adjustable diopter, and once adjusted for your eyes, you don’t have to make any further adjustments.
These new Bushnell binoculars offer durability because of their aluminum alloy chassis. The soft-touch rubber grip provides a very sure grip under all weather conditions. I believe what is most important is the quality of the image you view through the binoculars, and even in low-light conditions, these new Powerview 2 binoculars offer outstanding viewing. Many states allow hunting for half an hour after sunset, and when the sun starts to set, you lose a lot of vision with lesser-quality glass, than you do with these Powerview 2 binoculars. I’ve rarely hunted after the sunset, but its good to know that I can spy some deer if I elect to hunt later than usual. Honestly, we’ve had as many as 8 deer in our front yard at any given time – and depending on the time of year, some of those are bucks, and I could “hunt” them from my front deck – if I wanted to.
You Need Good Binoculars
For survival purposes, I don’t know how anyone can believe they have everything they need to survive, especially out in the boonies, if you don’t have a decent pair of binoculars. It is nice to be able to see trouble coming down the road, and act accordingly. I’ve tested these binoculars and found they provide outstanding quality, and more importantly, they are a great value for your money. I can sit on my front deck and easily spot deer and other game 600 yards away, across the road on my neighbor’s acreage without much of an effort. I know that some hunters, use their scope on their rifle, to spot game, and that gets tiring in short order – holding your long gun up so you can look for game. A good pair of binoculars does the spotting job easier and much better.
Depending on which model of Powerview 2 binoculars you want, the full retail price is $39.99. up to $79.99 for the primo version that I tested for this article. (Check Amazon for the current price.) I like a little bit of “heft” in a pair of binoculars, it tends to steady them a little better than lighter-weight versions. This version is 10 power, and that’s all I need, I don’t hunt much these days – just getting too old to hump up and down the logging roads, and I have never taken any deer beyond 100-yards, so 10-power is plenty for my needs. However, you can get some that have 20-power, if you live out in more open country.
One thing worth mentioning is that the front lens cover stays attached when you remove them from the glass – I like that, a lot – I’ve lost more than a few lens caps over the years, when I was sure I either replaced them after using the glass, or slid them in my pocket – only to discover, they weren’t there at the end of the day.
For value and quality, its just tough to pass-up the new Bushnell Powerview 2 binoculars – check out a pair at your favorite sporting goods outlet. I think you’ll really like the quality and price. The version I tested is the PWV1042 and they are all I’ll need!
A general note: DO NOT use your rifle scope for observing woods and fields while hunting! If you see a distant object it just might be another hunter observing you. If he sees you “aiming” at him with your rifle then you just might get a bullet in return in self defense,
I always had a pair of binoculars with me when I was a patrol cop. Like everyone in the military, every cop should have a pair with them on patrol. They were also a standard item and every detective vehicle. They came in handy many times. I still keep a set in my personal car. One day my wife and I were at the beach and she was trying to see something out in the water from our car. I said hang on and as I reached under the seat she said “if you have a pair of binoculars under there I’ll really be impressed.” I pulled them out with a flourish and said, “ta daa!”
“I can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars on a scope or binoculars.” From the article, which speaks for most people. I’ve found Bushnell products to be high quality, for the price. Good review.
Thank you, Pat! Good review!
I’ve owned a pair of Bushnell Custom Compact 7×26 since the mid 1980’s and they are still very clear and sharp. Reputably taken on Apollo astronaut missions, they are fine binoculars which do not get in the way. Much later, I found a pair of 1970’s in 6x in pristine condition for $25 at a pawn shop. Likely the owner googled Bushnell and just priced them what the current values are. No matter – these binoculars are good to go as well.
I’ve used Bushnell optics for a long time (40+ years). Sportview 4x and 3-9x scopes on several rifles that still hold zero, though not as clear as current much more expensive models. But they still get the job done and that is what counts.
I’ve got a pair of 30 year old Bushnell 7x binos that are great. They are actually marked Made in Japan. I might pick up a pair of these 10x ones. My eyes aren’t what they used to be, hah.