I own both the Vanguard Endeavor ED 10x42 and the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x42, and am able to provide a direct comparison between these two very similar binoculars.
Similarities:
The Vanguard and Bushnell both have 10x magnification and 42mm objective lens. Both use ED (Extra low-Dispersion) glass, have a magnesium alloy body, use BaK4 Roof Prism system, are fog-proof and waterproof, and both have a Field of View of 340-feet at 1000 yards. Both can be mounted on a tripod with an optional tripod adapter (a separate purchase for each). Both are made in China and come with a lifetime warranty.
Optics:
When looking at near and far objects in different lighting conditions, I actually can’t see any difference in the optics. The images through both binoculars appear to be the same. Both have bright, clear optics and sharp detail.
Advantage: Tie.
Twist-up Eyecups:
Both binoculars have twist-up eyecups to allow for different eye relief. The Vanguard eyecups twist up in 3 stages, with a distinct stop at each one. This allows for 4 different positions for eye relief. The Bushnell eyecups twist up to only one additional position, for a total of two positions available for eye relief.
Advantage: Vanguard.
Locking Diopter Ring:
Both binoculars use a locking diopter ring to allow for a +/- right-eye adjustment if needed (if you have slightly different vision between your right and left eye). The Vanguard’s diopter ring is rubber coated and easily adjusted. The Bushnell’s diopter ring is a harder plastic and slightly more difficult to manipulate. Since you should only need to make this adjustment one time, it’s probably not a big deal. But if several people will be using these binoculars, you could be adjusting this ring more frequently. The diopter ring on the Vanguard is directly above a graduated scale that can be referenced for +/- adjustments of the ring. If multiple people are using these binoculars, it would be easy to remember your specific diopter setting on this scale, and you could return to that setting quickly. The Bushnell diopter ring does not sit above a graduated scale, so returning to a specific setting would not be as easy.
Advantage: Vanguard.
Rubberized Coating / Grip:
The Vanguard’s rubberized coating is textured and fitted tightly to the chassis of the binocular. This allows for a very firm and positive grip. The Bushnell’s rubberized coating has a slicker feel to it, and it also feels spongy in some areas over the chassis. The Bushnell just doesn’t have the same positive grip as the Vanguard.
Advantage: Vanguard.
Center Focus Knob:
Both binoculars use a center focus knob that can be adjusted with your index finger when holding the binoculars up to your eyes. This knob also has the same type of rubberized coating that’s used on each of the respective bodies of the two. Both center focus knobs have a smooth rotation, but the Vanguard just has a better feel to it.
Advantage: Vanguard.
Objective Lens Protective Covers:
Both binoculars have protective covers over the objective lens, and both sets of covers are designed to stay attached to the binoculars when you’re using them, to avoid losing the covers. The Vanguard protective covers stay firmly attached to the body of the binocular and there is almost no danger of losing them. The Bushnell covers are not attached as firmly, and they could very easily slip off unnoticed. You would be well advised to find an alternative method of securing the Bushnell covers, or else keep a very close eye on them frequently.
Advantage: Vanguard.
Straps:
Both binoculars have short straps attached to their right and left sides to allow for the neck straps to be quickly connected or disconnected. Both neck straps are made of a neoprene-like material, and the Vanguard neck strap connects via quick-release buckles while the Bushnell neck strap connects via plastic clips. Both work just fine, but if you want to remove the neck strap from the Vanguard binoculars, the short straps remaining on either side can be connected to each other with the same quick-release buckles to form a very convenient carry handle. The Bushnell binoculars do not have this capability, and the two short straps on the sides would just flop around unless you devise your own method of connecting them.
Advantage: Vanguard.
Included Accessories:
The Vanguard comes with a nylon carrying case, neck strap, and cleaning cloth. The Bushnell comes with a more rigid carrying case, neck strap, cleaning cloth, a soft microfiber bag to store the binoculars in, and a deluxe binocular harness to use for long days of hiking.
Advantage: Bushnell.
Size and Weight:
The Vanguard binoculars stand 6.1 inches high and weigh 28.2 ounces (1.76 pounds). The Bushnell binoculars stand 5.6 inches high and weigh 25.7 ounces (1.61 pounds). Both were measured and weighed with their protective lens covers in place, but no neck strap attached.
Slight Advantage: Bushnell.
Carrying Case:
Despite being a slightly smaller binocular, the Bushnell carrying case is huge compared to the Vanguard case. Even though the Bushnell binocular is 0.5 inches shorter than the Vanguard, the Bushnell carrying case is taller, wider, and much thicker than the Vanguard case. The Bushnell case is 4.6 inches thick while the Vanguard case is only 3.3 inches thick. The Bushnell case has a removable carry strap, and it contains a separate pocket inside to store the carry strap, binocular neck strap, and the deluxe harness, which is why it’s so large. The Vanguard case is much more streamlined in appearance, and is sized to hold only the binoculars and neck strap. The Vanguard case also has a carry strap with a quick-release buckle, but is not completely removable. The case also has a belt loop sewn onto the backside so you can wear it on your belt or attach it to the webbing of a backpack.
Advantage: I prefer the carry-friendly size of the Vanguard.
Conclusion:
While the optics of both binoculars appear to be the same to me in terms of brightness, clarity, and sharpness, the overall design and construction of the Vanguard Endeavor ED 10x42 binocular is definitely far superior to the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x42 binocular.
Between these two models, I would strongly recommend the Vanguard.
Long time birder who has bought a number of binoculars over the years, cheap and expensive. These are my all-time favorites. They are easy to use, not too heavy, excellent in normal daylight or dark twighlight. I carry them in hand on long hikes no problem. I have a couple of pairs of these so my wife and I can both have use at same time. Never any negative issues at all. I highly recommend this product!
Excellent glass. Rubber coating is a bit on the cheap side. No issues overall.
I bought Vortex Diamondback in the same dimensions at Cabela's a few months ago. They felt fine at the store but I was quickly disappointed once on a hike. Chromatic aberration at tree lines against the sky was horrid. Realized I needed ED glass and couldn't settle. To my surprise, these showed up on sale a few weeks later. Got a set to try out. The difference is stunning. I remember seeing about this big of a difference between Diamondbacks and Talons (the latter I couldn't swing because of the price) at the store. I seriously lucked out with these at $170 shipped. No distortions at any distance, much clearer than Vortex, and sharper beyond 600 yards.
Naturally, Diamondbacks went on sale at Cabela's for $140 a few days ago. That's about what they're worth, IMO.
P.S. I know the two binos are not in the same price category or class. Just sharing my experience. I wish I've read something similar when buying Vortex.
I don't write reviews but amazon asked me to so here we go.
In my opinion these are the best binoculars you can buy for your money, they are not as good as the Swarovisions or Zeiss in optical clarity and focus but are the next best thing. Looking at colors through these is kind of fun actually, there impressive.
I'm a man, I don't need to see the period at the end of a sentence on a piece of paper 100 yards away: I need to see the elk, if it has horns, and how big and how many of them are there are before I plunk him with an arrow. I also enjoy birding to relax and just this morning I was looking at a Mourning Dove at about 40 yards. I had never before seen the pink dot they have on there cheeks until today, and I was able to see that very clearly. Beautiful.
I will say my dads a doctor and yes he's blown thousands upon thousands of binoculars that I've also personally used throughout this past decade and I will tell you right now you do not need those, these are top notch and will not disappoint you.
I can say that with authority because I rarely see someone mention in there reviews if they have good eyes or not, lol. That is kind of important when one is reviewing binoculars isn't it? I have 20/10 vision which means I'm in the top 1% of the lucky ones who have great eyes. I am so sensitive to bad binoculars that I literally cannot stand to look through them without my head starting to hurt sometimes, makes me feel cross eyed or something.
I love these binoculars, and although they might be made by kids in China, I got a good pair and they did an excellent job with mine. They are a great design.
Oh, one last thing... I only paid one Benjamin for mine after the mail in rebate. I did extensive review reading before I purchased them.
I am 42 and I have been using the same monocular since I was 15. No case, no cover, just stays in my backpack and it’s been all over to concerts, vacations, everywhere I’ve been for the last 30 years. I’m going on an Alaska cruise in June and decided to grab these on a deal of the day. The old monoculars have served me well but this is top of the line to me. I’m just an average dad , I don’t or watch birds and I’ve never looked through binoculars this nice. Why would I care to have them any better? I can read small print from across the street. I can see WAY our there in very clear detail. The focus is amazing. These are much larger for what I’m used to but I can wait to take them on the next trip. My wife and kids don’t care about stuff like this , so I will bring the old monocular for them. Deal of the day had them for a deep discount and after doing my research and settling on a much cheaper pair just days before, I’m returning those and keeping these. Awesome value. These will be my last pair of binoculars, provided I take good care of them.
Feature Product
- Rain guard HD water-repellent lens coating
- Lightweight, magnesium chassis
- Waterproof & fog proof
- Includes a soft carrying case, Microfiber carry bag & neck strap
- Never look directly at the sun wih your binocular ,as it may cause serious damage to your eyes
- 10x magnification, 42mm objective lens binoculars
- Exceptional optics with ED Prime Glass, Ultra Wide Band Coatings, and RainGuard HD water-repellent lens coating
- Ultra wide field-of-view with long eye-relief; locking diopter
- Lightweight (22.5 Oz), magnesium chassis and soft touch grips; 100 percent waterproof/fogproof construction
- Includes soft case and neckstrap
Description
Quite possibly the best binocular system ever made in this class of optics. The Legend Ultra-HD has three key ingredients that make it so: ED (Extra-low Dispersion) Prime Glass which produces a color tuned, high resolution image. Ultra Wide-Band Custom Coating which produces the brightest possible light by coating each lens individually to maximize available light. RainGuardHD - Bushnell's patented permanent water-repellant coating. The Legend Ultra-HD also has an extremely wide field of view to easily view moving animals or objects and is lightweight with a streamlined feel.
Was going to go with the Vortex Diamondback, especially with their warranty. Then I saw Bushnell's Bullet Proof guarantee. I bought these Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x42 from Amazon based on reviews. WOW!! I am impressed. I am going to have my son bring his Vortex Diamondbacks back over to compare, but I'm about 99% certain I'll be keeping these. If you are on the fence about which Bino's to buy among the choices in this price range, then try these. You will not be disappointed, and nothing to loose.
As with many items, binocular quality should be appraised in relation to cost. A $200 pair of binoculars cannot fairly be expected to equal a $1,200 pair. With this as a preface, I think the Bushnell Legend Ultras provide considerable bang for the buck. This is especially true for those of us lucky enough to have taken advantage of the "Deal of the Day" offering of these 10x42's not long ago.
Some people have complained about quality control issues with these binocs, but my pair is impressive in fit and finish. The focus is smooth, the twist-up eyecups work perfectly, and the waterproof exterior is flawless. I had no trouble setting and then locking the diopter on the right eyepiece. Apparently some people have broken the diopter by trying to rotate the ring while it was locked. Not a good idea! The ergonomics are agreeable, and a surprisingly comfortable neckstrap is included. This strap is padded and attaches easily with clips instead of forcing users to go through the usual tedium of threading the strap through eyelets and then laboriously adjusting buckles. Bushnell also includes a cloth bag, an ample zip-up carrying case, and a harness, which reduces neck strain and holds the binocs firmly to the user's torso.
In terms of the "stuff" that comes with the binoculars, the only weakness is the objective lens covers. Made of rubber, these are designed to it over the objectives with a tight rubber ring, so they can be opened without being removed. This is a nice idea, but the first day out in the field one of mine dropped off, never to be seen again. Bushnell sent me two new ones for free, indicative of good customer service. But I would advise purchasers to treat the caps as "fully removable," that is, one should remove them at the start of the outing, keep them in a safe place, and then put them back on to store the glasses in between uses.
How do these binoculars perform? The news here is good. The incorporation of ED glass ensures bright, vivid colors, and the central image is sharp and clear. As with nearly all binoculars, there is some slight falloff of sharpness at the edges because of field curvature. But for most people's uses this is not a problem, as we tend to use binoculars to view objects that are centered within our field of view.
I have compared these binoculars to my older Nikon porro prism SE 10x42's, and also to a pair of Zeiss Conquest glasses. The Legend reveals slightly brighter colors than the Nikons, which ten years ago were considered by many to be the finest performing binoculars available. But the Nikons display a flatter field, and hence better edge-to-edge sharpness. The Zeiss Conquests, at a cost of over $1000, are discernably brighter, sharper, and clearer than the Legend Ultras. But hey, they cost almost five times as much!
At the price I paid, the Legend Ultras were a virtual steal. At the regular low price set by Amazon, they remain a fine value. There may well be other 10x42 models that perform slightly better, but from my research it's apparent that all of these cost more, sometimes comsiderably more.
The Legend Ultras are good performers, and they represent good value.
I bought these to replace the identical binocular I purchased several years ago for a hunting trip to Wyoming. I left the original unit on my truck bed cover while in Yellowstone N.P., and they slid off when I got underway. The binocular was actually two monoculars by the time I retraced my route and found them in the middle of the road. Someone had run over them, or maybe a bison did. I am amazed that each individual half still operates well as a monocular, although I have to manually manipulate each half's focusing mechanism; with the central focusing wheel destroyed. This speaks to the strength of the tubes which hold the lens groups in place. I love these binoculars for hunting and for bird watching in my backyard, so I was pleased to find that they were still available. The price is lower than when I bought my first ones, but they come in a cheaper soft case, and include a less substantial neckstrap than the original one I purchased. The binoculars themselves appear to be identical to my original purchase. I can use my original case and strap, so I'm a happy customer.
The Binoculars feel good in your hands, and I was able to use them without my glasses even though I wear trifocals with vision correction for farsightedness, dashboard, and computer screen viewing. I was concerned after reading the booklet on line that they might be difficult for my grandson to adjust, in my trial run I just used to focus knob in the center to get great vision...so it is simple enough to focus, and there are settings to refine viewing even further. I like that the eyepieces have a cover that can stay attached to the eyepiece (hanging down) lessening the probability of losing them. The viewing lenses cover has a flexible bridge between each cover, a one piece deal making them less likely to get lost as well. I was looking a a model of Bushnell that was $100 less, but with the current rebate of $100. it's a no brainier to get the better pair. I would like to clear something up, there is NOT a harness included in this purchase. There is a soft case, and a nice padded neck strap, but the harness which I absolutely have to have for my grandson is an addition $15 purchase. http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-19125C-Deluxe-Binocular-harness/dp/B00200BVXS/ref=pd_bxgy_sg_text_y The harness is integral to the safety of my grandson and the binoculars, his hands are free, and the weight is distributed and steady. As a young hunter excited to go get game with his dad, I think an investment like this will heighten the enjoyment of nature, and bring a whole new group of possible hobbies to a pre-teen..
I've gotten into birding and we had some binoculars that I just couldn't get to work for me. I did a lot of research and looked and looked. I honestly just got frustrated. The prices varied so much and I knew from the pair we already had that were expensive didn't mean better. They ended up breaking and while looking at reviews on amazon someone posted a link to these and said these were really good. I bought based on that and am so happy I did. These are awesome little binoculars. Yes you can get binoculars cheaper and maybe even equal quality I don't know but I love these. My husband agrees. We can easily adjust focus and get a good look at the bird. They are light and compact. They said anti fog but the day I got them delivered and I left them in the car overnight once when it was cold and I had to wait for them to warm up as they did fog up. Other than that I love them.
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