Leupold BX-4 Pro Guide HD Gen 2 Binoculars: Multifaceted

When it comes to mission essential equipment for hunting big game, one piece of gear tops the list with the most successful hunters. Binoculars. The ability to observe your surroundings whether hunting from a tree stand or hiking to the highest of glassing points is the key to creating opportunities during your hunt. Leupold has updated their BX-4 Pro Guide product line to fill the gaps in every hunting scenario with their 8x42, 10x42, 10x50 and 12x50 Gen 2 Binoculars. The new lineup has tripod-ready binoculars with excellent light transmission to keep you glassing for game earlier and later regardless of light conditions. These new products are purpose-built for a variety of hunting applications to offer hunters the right tool for the job.

The full line of BX-4 Pro Guide binoculars was recently updated to the Gen 2 featuring new lens coatings, interchangeable eye cups and all models feature a new 1/4x20 attachment point to be fitted with Leupold's bino stud and adapter (sold separately). Having the ability to connect your binoculars to a tripod allows for better glassing but also allows you to really see the subtle changes in image quality and light transmission that can't always be seen when hand held glassing.

HD Lens Coatings

The new HD lens coatings allow better light transmission in low-light conditions compared to the first generation. Not always is it early morning and late evening, but heavy clouds, rain and dark timber hunting all contribute to reducing the amount of light for your optics to allow in. Couple dark timber and cloudy conditions at first light and many HD binoculars will still fall short in giving a bright enough image to locate a deer let alone identify antlers at a few hundred yards. This is where lens coatings make or break a hunt and after a season of using the full line of BX-4 Pro Gen 2 I can attest to the bright image quality hunting dark timber in the overcast skies of Northwest Montana. Throughout my season, I never felt like I was missing out or lacked enough “glass” to locate and size up mature whitetail bucks running the dark timber edge in search of a hot doe.

Interchangeable Eyecups

While most binoculars come with a soft rubber eyecup to press against your face while glassing, many times the shape of the eye pieces don't always work as a one-size-fits-all option. The updated BX-4 Pro Guide features Leupold’s new Form-Fit eyecup system, specifically designed to improve comfort, and includes three user-interchangeable options: short, medium, and winged. I prefer the winged eyecups when glassing in super bright conditions for hours on end searching for Coues deer or javelina in the Southwest deserts. Having the winged portion block the side of the user's eye allows for a better image when glassing for long periods of time and can aid in concentrated efforts as you grid for critters. Stray light can create glare in certain conditions, leading to eye strain, mental fatigue, and poor optical performance. The rubber eyecups are easy to swap and provide versatility for any environment.

Tripod Capability

Growing up hunting the west, I was introduced to glassing off a tripod at an early age and soon realized the importance of stability when glassing with 10-15 power binoculars for extended periods. While high magnification optics are more associated with tripod glassing, a solid pair of 10 power binoculars becomes even more effective when attached to a tripod. Removing the shakeness from heartbeats, breathing and awkwardly shaky hands makes for a much cleaner image in the optic. Coupling this with the ability to accurately grid glass a hillside ensures you didn't miss a single spot a wary buck could hide out in the afternoon shade. If I could only choose one feature to have on a quality binocular it would be a tripod stud and adapter hands down; it's that important to my style of hunting.

Magnification and Objective Options

Having a magnification power and objective diameter option to suit each hunting style adds to the versatility of the Gen 2 series. Starting with 8x42 and stepping up to the 12x50, hunters can build an arsenal of options or pick the one binocular that best fits their exclusive hunting style. From tree stands for Whitetail to glassing the shale slides for sheep in the Brooks Range, selecting the right binocular is crucial for mission success and Leupold built options for everything in between.

8X42

For treestands, ground blinds and hunting close quarters in heavy timber, the 8x42 gets the nod from most hunters as the best binocular for the task. With a linear field of view of 376ft at 1,000 yards, this model gives you the best all-around view when scanning timber or close hillsides within 500yds give or take. The exit pupil in the 8x42 is 5.2mm which is the measurement of how wide the beam of light that transmits through the binocular and enters the human eye. While most of the changes are small, in low light you can tell a difference with a larger exit pupil. When I am hunting blinds or treestands, this is the binocular I pick up first.

10x42

The reigning champion for universal glassing, this model’s extra 2x power magnification narrows the field of view to 314 ft at 1,000 yards giving the user a more detailed view of distant hillsides from 300-800 yards when picking apart shadows under trees or finding antler tips in tall grass is the name of the game. The exit pupil decreases to 4.0mm offering ample light for all hunting applications across the globe. Without a doubt, the 10x42 is the sweet spot for universal glassing across the board for a variety of hunting scenarios.

10x50

When conditions call for dark skies and maximum light transmission for glassing mid to distant hillsides, many hunters reach for 10x50 binoculars for the added comfort of 10x over 8x and the 50mm objective to bring the exit pupil back up to 5.0mm vs the 4.0mm in the 10x42. Of course, with the added benefit of 50mm objectives is extra weight of 3.7oz. For guys counting ounces, that may be a deal breaker, but for those wanting the most light available, the trade-off is easy to consider if you take one extra protein bar out of your pack.

12x50

Lastly, the 12x50 BX-4 Pro Guide Gen 2 is the largest and most powerful binocular offered in the series by Leupold. This glassing powerhouse is the binocular of choice when the country calls for glassing everything from near to far and you don't want to carry two pairs of binos or a spotting scope. The extra 12x power narrows the field of view to 257ft at 1,000 yards with an exit pupil of 4.2mm, giving you slightly more light transmission than the 10x42 but with more magnification. These are best utilized mounted to a tripod for maximum usability as the 12x can be rough when hand held.

After a full season of use and some mild abuse, the Leupold BX-4 Pro Guide Gen 2 line of binoculars gives hunters of all experience levels, quality lenses, user adaptability and tripod mounting capabilities to fit every hunting niche at a price point everyone can work with. I even had my kids help this fall and despite their best efforts, the binoculars held collimation and worked great despite countless drops during hunting trips, a real testament to Leupold's warranty claim, “The Best Warranty You’ll Never Use." Check out Leupold.com for more information and to find a Leupold Optics dealer near you.

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