Few things are as crucial to a successful hunt as suitable optics. Choosing the right optics can vary from hunt to hunt or hunter to hunter. For example, someone who spends the majority of their time in a treestand hunting whitetails might have different optics needs than a hunter who is glassing large expanses in the west.

Luckily, in today’s market, there is a wide array of companies and product choices. Within the market, price points vary greatly, and glass quality and features vary. Generally, there is a direct correlation between price and performance. Meaning that the more money you spend, the better the glass and often optical clarity.

So, if you are a western hunter who relies heavily on glassing throughout most of your hunts save your money and buy the highest-end binoculars, spotting scopes, long-range riflescopes, and rangefinders you can afford. If you spend your time close-range glassing in the back forty for whitetail, you can likely get ahead with a cheaper set of binoculars and any quality rangefinder.

With all that said, if you are a whitetail hunter who wants the best pair of binoculars available, go that route. Many consider a good pair of binoculars one of the best investments any hunter can make. Making this investment often can mean having a quality optic that can last a lifetime.

Adversely, just because you are a Western hunter, you don’t have to mortgage the house to get good optics capable of doing everything you need on a hunt. Many middle-of-the-road optics will do just fine. It’s recommended not to go super cheap here, but you can spend significantly less than you would if you buy the highest-end offerings. Look for mid-price glass and focus on bigger objective lenses that bring in light for glassing sessions early and late in the day.