As a lifelong western hunter who has spent countless hours behind optics of all shapes, sizes and quality, I learned early on that few gear items are more worth the money than your binocular, riflescope and spotting scope.
This is never more true than when hunting hot weather, when animals tend to move most on the cusp of daylight and in the dark of night.
Recently, I had my first in-the-field experiences with Styrka binoculars and EOTech riflescopes. Here's what I learned.
Styrka Binoculars
Styrka says it delivers high-quality components and engineering at a price less than you would expect for the quality received. How’s that possible?
Because they are not an across-the-board optics company that caters to everyone from weekend bird watchers to the military. Styrka focuses only on the hunting market. This laser-like focus means that amortized costs often associated with broad-brand companies can be controlled and the savings passed on to the consumer. Earlier this year at Optics Planet, I found the top-of-the-line S9 series priced near $1,000, the S3 and S5 series at under $300, and the S7 series 8x42 and 10x42 binos under $600.
And then there’s the warranty, which states, “In the event of damage or malfunction, we will repair or replace your Styrka product free of charge. No questions asked. No registration required. No receipt needed. No matter who bought it. The only caveat? The warranty doesn’t "cover theft, loss or intentional damage.” It also states, “Send us your Styrka product and we’ll clean and tune it up once per year. Regular maintenance helps keep your Styrka performing like the day you bought it.”
These binoculars and riflescopes are worth checking out, for sure. More information is available at www.styrkastrong.com.
EOTech Riflescopes
For more than 20 years, EOTech has been well-known in the military world for the top-shelf glass quality and can’t-destroy-me ruggedness of its optics. In early 2016 it introduced its Vudu line of magnified precision products, and they are extremely impressive.
There are lots of features to like about the second focal plane Vudu 3.5-18x50 scope, but none so much as the quality of the glass. Simply stated, it’s as good as any I have ever used. I was able to clearly see and identify deer at extended ranges — which is what this particular scope is designed for — when there was barely enough light in the sky to let me see the hand in front of my face.
It features a robust 34mm tube, XC High-Density glass and, oversized and precision-machined turrets with a EZ Chek zero stop feature that lets you quickly dial adjustments and return to zero, even in low-light conditions. The side-mounted parallax adjustment allows you to dial the reticle focus in for the most difficult long-range shots. On the range I also tested the click adjustments by shooting at a target at 100 yards and tracking where the next shots would hit as I moved the adjustments left and right, up and down. They were right on, another sign of high quality. There’s also a lifetime guarantee that requires no proof of ownership or warranty card.
These are spendy products retailing for well over $1,000, but for those looking for the very best that will last a lifetime, they are highly recommended. More information is available at www.eotechinc.com.
