7 Best Binoculars for the Money

Of all the equipment needs outdoor enthusiasts have from year to year, owning a good set of binoculars is easily near the top of the list.

From zooming in on an enormous whitetail buck slipping through the gloomy autumn woods to gazing across a spectacular valley as the woods go ablaze with fall color, viewing needs are unique and varied across this great land of ours.

If you’re on the lookout for a prime pair of binoculars – a set of optics that offer big-league features and easy to deal with pricing – look no farther than these seven models offered at Academy Sports + Outdoors stores or online at www.Academy.com.

Tasco Essential 16x32 Porro Prism Binoculars ($15.99)

Sometimes, a venture into the great outdoors demands big, powerful binoculars, the kind of optics you’ll want on a big game hunt out West or an autumn leaf-peeping trip to New England.

But for everyday use around the house, viewing birds at the backyard feeder, or even slipping into a shirt pocket for an afternoon of watching the kids or grandkids play soccer, something a bit more lightweight and compact is all that is necessary.

When that’s the case, check out the Tasco Essentials 16x32 Roof Prism Binoculars at your local Academy store, a lightweight, go-anywhere binocular that features multicoated lenses that ensure maximum light transmission and memorable viewing from sunup to sundown.

With a 185-foot field of view at 1,000 yards, this lightweight and compact model from Tasco offers 9 inches of eye relief, 16X magnification, 32 mm diameter objective lenses, and a general lifetime limited warranty from the manufacturer. With a matte black finish, these stylish little binoculars are perfect for the outdoors enthusiast on the go!

Tasco Essentials 50mm Porro Prism Binoculars ($49.99)

A step up in viewing potential from its little brother, the Tasco Essentials 50mm Porro Prism Binoculars remain a bright and powerful option when a closer look is warranted.

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Thanks to BK7 glass and multicoated lenses, this Essentials model delivers top-level light transmission, a 262-foot field of view at 1,000 yards, and magnification capabilities of either 12x or 16x options.

Despite the step up in optical power, this unit remains easy to carry, checking in at only 7.5 inches in length. With fold-down eyepieces, an easy-to-use center focus knob, a carrying case, and a strap, this binocular is topped off with a matte black finish composed of a non-slip rubber armor coating on the outside. And with a great price online or in the store, Tasco’s general limited lifetime warranty makes this optical gear a can’t miss value!

Leupold Rogue 10x25 Porro Prism Binoculars ($89.99)

Long known for its top-shelf products, Leupold has done it again with its 10x25 Porro Prism Binoculars, optics that bring a lightweight, compact design while still delivering high-end performance.

Thanks to a multicoated lens system, an O-ring seal bringing home fog proof and waterproof features, and BaK-4 porro prism glass that provides excellent light transmission and sharp, clear images, these easy-to-carry binoculars are perfect for ball games, concert venues, checking out wildlife at a local park, or for a hunter looking to downsize for his or her next trip to the woods.

With 10x magnification, a 294-foot field of view at 1,000 yards, twist-up eyecups bringing eye relief and viewing comfort, and armor coating on the outside, there's much to like about these lightweight binoculars. Add in a weight of 12.7 ounces, a length of 4.3 inches, a strap, a carrying case, and Leupold’s general limited lifetime warranty, and this is a tough option to beat if a compact set of binoculars is on your shopping list.

Bushnell 10x42 Realtree Roof Prism Binoculars ($99.99)

Years ago, the idea of using a 10x42 binocular in the woods wasn’t popular. Sure, everyone liked the viewing power, but almost no one enjoyed carrying around the heavy, cumbersome optics that brought such possibilities to the field.

But that was then, this is now. Thanks to the Bushnell 10x42 Realtree Roof Prism Binoculars, a set of binoculars that check in with a weight of just more than 1.6 pounds, the result is something that almost anyone will enjoy using.

Stylish in their Realtree camo finish, these Bushnell optics use BaK-4 glass to deliver bright, clear viewing in the first and last moments of an autumn deer hunt. Waterproof and fog proof, they are an excellent choice for a fall fishing trip or a visit to the beach. And with a generous field of view at 1,000 yards, 0.6 inches of eye relief, a 42mm objective lens, and 10x magnification, these are especially useful high up in the stands at the season’s biggest football game!

With an affordable price tag, a general lifetime limited warranty, and ease of purchase in local Academy stores or online, these Bushnell binoculars easily rank among the autumn season's best gear choices!

Vortex Raptor 10x32 Porro Prism Binoculars ($99.99)

Sometimes, it isn't a trip out west for a big elk hunt, the woodsy chase for the whitetail buck of a lifetime, or maybe even an offshore fishing trip that brings the need for a great pair of binoculars.

Instead, it might be a birding visit to a local refuge, a day trip to the mountains to check out the blazing fall colors or just the simple act of getting closer to the action at a sports event that has been anticipated for weeks. Such settings are where the Vortex Raptor 10x32 Porro Prism Binoculars perform best, bringing top-level components, high-end light gathering capabilities, and crisp, clear, and bright images no matter what the outdoor venue might be.

With waterproof and fog proof features made possible by the model’s internal nitrogen gas, a 339-foot field of view at 1,000 yards, 0.51 inches of eye relief, a rubber armor coating, twist-up eyecups, and a product weight of 17.6 ounces, these midsize, wide-angle binoculars are perfect for the outdoor enthusiast on the go.

Add in a neck strap, a rain guard for the eyepieces, a carrying case, and a general lifetime warranty, and it’s hard to beat the features of these Vortex binoculars, all for less than $100!

Vortex Diamondback Roof Prism Binoculars ($139.99)

As Vortex has established itself among the leaders in the world of binoculars and scopes, they've built a reputation for solid, superb optical choices that meet a variety of needs in the field without breaking the bank.

That reputation is only enhanced by the Vortex Diamondback Roof Prism Binoculars, available in several different sizes at your nearby Academy store.

No matter what model you choose, these Vortex optics bring affordable high-end options like anti-reflective lens coatings, multilayer prism dielectric coatings for superb color accuracy, and argon gas purging to limit internal fogging no matter what the temperature is.

Thanks to a diopter on the right eyepiece allowing for adjustments to fit the users' individual eyesight needs, the durable rubber armor coating provides both a nonslip grip as well as noise dampening abilities in the quiet moments found in an early morning deer blind.

With solid eye relief and field of view numbers delivering a wide, bright, crisp, clear view in the field, these waterproof binoculars also deliver twist-up eyecups and a tripod-adjustable design for easy use in the field or on a vehicle window mount.

Coming with such other notable features as a rain guard eyepiece cover, tethered objective lens covers, a comfortable neck strap, a carrying case, and a general lifetime warranty, and an outdoor enthusiast will find it hard to beat these binoculars from Vortex.

Leupold BX-1 McKenzie 10x42 Roof Prism Binoculars ($149.99)

Make no mistake about it, the Leupold BX-1 McKenzie 10x42 Roof Prism Binoculars are a high-performance set of binos, bringing plenty of big-league features at a modest price tag.

Featuring phase-coated BaK-4 roof prisms, a large central focus dial, waterproof and fog proof features, 10x magnification, and a 305-foot field of view at 1,000 yards, and there is plenty of out-in-the-field performance available in this easy to carry package.

Add in the matte finish, eye relief of 0.54 inches, a GO AFIELD shoulder strap and carrying case, and lifetime warranties on labor and parts, and this offering from Leupold will look and perform great for many years to come.

Hopefully, after examining all of these options above, no matter what your in-the-field optical needs happen to be this autumn season, you’ll see that the folks at Academy Sports + Outdoors have you covered.

Go online or visit your nearest store today to see an Academy Team Member to find out all about these models and more as you consider the next set of binoculars for your outdoor needs!