Best Binoculars Under $500 - Pros and Cons of Each

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In this video we look at 9 of the best binoculars under $500 and how each of them performed in our huge side by side binocular review (link below). If you are looking for the best binoculars for hunting, best binoculars for the money, the best binoculars in the world, or the best binoculars under $500, this video series is for you!
We recently had the chance to test 26 pairs of 10x42 binoculars side by side on multiple occasions, in multiple lighting conditions, and by our team of 10 volunteers to rank each of them. We took each of our testers opinions and pulled together a weighted average to come up with these rankings. None of the our volunteers were paid or incentivized in any way for their participation. We hope this series helps you find the best binoculars for your purpose, no matter if you are a birder, hunter or just enjoy watching wildlife.
Check out the full review:
backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-...
Check out our other gear reviews:
Website: backwoodspursuit.com/category...
FB: / backwoodspursuit
IG: / backwoodspursuit24_7
Buy the Maven C1: bit.ly/3WbUETT
Buy the Athlon Midas: amzn.to/3wJmglt
Buy the Kowa BD II XD: amzn.to/2T04agm
Buy the Zeiss Terra ED: bit.ly/3ifdjfJ
Buy the Bushnell Forge: bit.ly/37EEEBk
Buy the Vortex Viper HD: bit.ly/3rg5TeC
Buy the Leupold Pro Guide BX-4: bit.ly/3g0KGBB
Buy the GPO Passion ED: amzn.to/3gcwe8i
Buy the Athlon Cronus UHD: amzn.to/3ggDIr0
0:00 Intro
1:27 Maven C.1
2:16 Athlon Midas
3:15 Zeiss Terra ED
4:30 Kowa BD II XD
5:34 Bushnell Forge
7:29 Vortex Viper HD
9:22 Leupold BX-4
10:48 GPO Passion ED
12:14 Athlon Cronus UHD

Пікірлер: 234

  • @garrettsorensen3367
    @garrettsorensen33672 жыл бұрын

    I've watched a bunch of your videos...they are awesome. I really liked this one and the one with all the spotting scopes. If you haven't made one trail cameras I think that would make a great video! Thanks.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Garrett! Really appreciate that and I agree, trail cams would be a great review. Thanks for the idea!

  • @travelswithMTcharlie
    @travelswithMTcharlie2 жыл бұрын

    Fantastic. Based on your review I just purchased the Athlon as a gift for somone

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    That's great! I hope they enjoy the Athlon binos! Thanks for watching!

  • @scupking
    @scupking10 ай бұрын

    Over the past 2 months I tested the vortex diamondback 8x32 and 8x42. Returned the 32s after a week and tested the 42s on vacation. They just lacked the sharpness I was looking for. Decided to try the Athalon midas g2 8x42s. The midas g2 are much sharper with little to no purple fringing like the dimondbacks had. I returned the diamondbacks keeping the Athlon Midas G2 8x42! They are worth the 50 price increase over the dimondbacks. The Athlon Midas probably would even compete with the Vortex Vipers.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    10 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the feedback! Appreciate yoolu watching as well!

  • @jordanp2505
    @jordanp2505 Жыл бұрын

    Gabe, love the channel and your comparisons! Wondering if you could include the new Nikon monarch M7s at some point? Thanks!

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there Jordan and thank you! Yeah, we definitely need to get the Nikon Monarch in there! Thanks for watching!

  • @BaronSaturday66
    @BaronSaturday66 Жыл бұрын

    It's really nice to see Luke Wilson doing binocular reviews and not Hollyweird movies for a change.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Lol! Thanks for watching!

  • @UrMom_says
    @UrMom_says2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this!

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Absolutely and thanks for watching!

  • @StOKRATzoom

    @StOKRATzoom

    2 жыл бұрын

    kzread.info/dron/rKJ5aVast8tXtS-qRGL51w.html review

  • @jordanselsor8945
    @jordanselsor8945 Жыл бұрын

    thank you so much for the great comprehensive review! I only wish you would have included nikon monarch 7's!

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks Jordan! Yeah, those are one of the several other pairs we we're able to get in there...but hopefully next time! Thanks for watching!

  • @shaocaholica
    @shaocaholica2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this. Eye relief is related to how far the eye cups go out and your specific facial build. Some people have really deep inset eyes while others don’t. I wouldn’t say more or less eye relief is better. It really depends on each person unlike riflescopes where length of pull is not constrained by the build of the optic.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for sharing! Yeah, everyone is different and some need more eye relief and some don't. Having a lot of eye relief does allow for more folks to be able to use the binos though. Thanks for watching!

  • @Seriously140

    @Seriously140

    Жыл бұрын

    A binocular should have several positions of eye cup extension so more people can be accommodated.

  • @MikeHoncho504
    @MikeHoncho5046 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the video! I believe ill be going with the leupolds after watching this. Should be great for low light whitetail hunting in the southeast

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    6 ай бұрын

    Sounds great! Thanks for watching and let me know how you like them.

  • @nick22472
    @nick224722 жыл бұрын

    Nice video, thanks a lot. Any suggestions on the Bushnell Engage 10x50?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you and thanks for watching! I haven't had a chance to look through the Engage yet, so can't really help there unfortunately. Sorry!

  • @nick22472

    @nick22472

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit Thank you anyway, keep it up with your great videos.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@nick22472 any time....and thanks! Will do!

  • @ddallgood1383
    @ddallgood13837 ай бұрын

    Not sure if you're familiar with Carson 3D-ED. I've compared sided by side to. Vortex Viper, Terra ED, Cabelas EDHD, Leopold BX4, and No perceivable added quality from any of those. Vortex being pretty close. I now have the Athlon Cronus and they are so close, keeping them both. Huge props to you for all the replies back to so many questions!!

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    7 ай бұрын

    Hey there! Thanks for the insight! I've not tried the Carson binos. Good to hear that they are performing well though. Yeah, lots of questions/ comments, but happy to help if I can. Thanks for watching!

  • @commonsense5709
    @commonsense5709 Жыл бұрын

    Would really love to hear your opinion on the Athlon Cronus UHD vs Tract Toric which has the clearer image quality?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there! That's a great question. Image resolution is pretty similar between those two, but the Athlon has better edge to edge clarity...by a lot. The Tract is significantly better in low light though, so there's certainly some give and take there. Both are great binos and a great value. Here's a link to our big article with more rankings and details if interested! backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/

  • @semiprohunter
    @semiprohunter Жыл бұрын

    Borrowed a buddies Athlon Cronos G2 and it really was great glass/ clarity but way to heavy for me. Major bummer. Ended up buying the Midas and happy with the performance and weight so far

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Interesting. Yeah, the extra weight comes.from additional lenses to correct for things like chromatic aberration etc. The same can be said for Alpha glass, which is heavier than the Cronus UHD. There's always a give and take! Thanks for watching!.

  • @adampace5882
    @adampace5882 Жыл бұрын

    Great video! Thanks for all of the information. Have you had any experience with the Cronus in the 15x56?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey Adam! I haven't had a chance to try the 15x56 Cronus yet...but hope to soon! thanks for watching!

  • @brianstuart4203

    @brianstuart4203

    Жыл бұрын

    I have had them for about two years and you can’t beat them for the price. Use them mainly for spotting at prs matches. They give up edge to edge clarity to the Swarovski’s and the field of focus is also narrower. imo I would buy the cronus again if I had the choice. I can’t justify the extra 1500 dollars for the Swarovski’s.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    @@brianstuart4203 awesome! Yeah, they are a great value for sure! Thanks for sharing your experience.

  • @adampace5882

    @adampace5882

    Жыл бұрын

    @@brianstuart4203 thanks for the input!

  • @mathiashammar1
    @mathiashammar12 жыл бұрын

    I totally agree with Leopolds. Surprisingly good optics at low light. Compared to my pentax SD 10x42 WP Leopolds are superior. Its not a fair comparison. Daytime Leopolds have a bit yellowish hue/tone and colors are not popping. So definitely no color rich sensations like when bird-watching/flowers etc.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    For sure! We're were all surprised with low light performance of the Leupolds! Thanks for watching!

  • @kevn22

    @kevn22

    Жыл бұрын

    I have them too solid binos

  • @RichardPilon
    @RichardPilon2 жыл бұрын

    Do you know if the Minox BL 8 x 42 BR are any good?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    I haven't had a chance to test those ones out yet unfortunately, so I can't really comment on them. Thanks for watching!

  • @gone4days956
    @gone4days9562 жыл бұрын

    Subbed!

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Awesome! Thank you!

  • @comitatoutentitrn9921
    @comitatoutentitrn9921 Жыл бұрын

    Thanx for interesting review but let me say that if the goal is to find out the best binos under 500 dollars, it's impossible not to mention Nikon Monarch

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks and yes, there are a number of binos that we weren't able to include this time, but hopefully next time! Nikon makes some great binoculars! Thanks for watching.

  • @stevemoore6812
    @stevemoore68122 жыл бұрын

    Have you ever looked at the nikon monarch 7. Thanks for any information.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hey there Steve! I used the Monarch 7 years ago, but wasn't able to get them in this review. I'm not sure how they would stack up side by side against these ones optically without being able to do a side by side. I do remember the eye cups being very loose though and tended to move unintentionally often.

  • @johnnewcomb5162
    @johnnewcomb5162 Жыл бұрын

    Athlon Chronus uhd or Vortex razor hd Which should I get? not really worried about warranty. Should I spend the extra 600 bucks for the Vortex Razor? Or are they pretty close? Thanks

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there John! The Athlon Cronus is certainly the better value I'd say as they compete with the Razor I'm many categories. That said, the Razor HD are definitely better in low light in our testing. Clarity is very similar and both have great warranties. If the extra low light performance the Razor gives you isn't a big deal, it's probably not worth the extra money for the Razor. Thanks for watching!

  • @fcanomalcarria4671
    @fcanomalcarria46718 ай бұрын

    What do you think of the vanguard IV 10X42 ed, have you tried them?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    8 ай бұрын

    Hey there! I haven't yet tried those, so I can't say. Sorry, but thanks for watching!

  • @mauriciolacruz
    @mauriciolacruz Жыл бұрын

    From what material Bushnell Forge's chassis is made of? Metal (magnesium, aluminum...)? Plastic (policarbonate...)? Fiber?... And the prisms on the 8x42 version are Schmidt-Pechan or Abbe-Koenig?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there! I'm not sure what the body is made of, and I don't see that in the many or on the website. Sorry! They have Bak-4 prisms. Thanks for watching!

  • @2musiclover534
    @2musiclover5342 жыл бұрын

    Liked. Is the Cronus 10x42 UHD different from the 20x42 UHD G2? A comment below seem to suggest that the G2 is different from what you tested. They look the same. Thanks for any insight.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching! Yeah, the G2 is redesigned vs the Gen 1 UHD. We didn't test the Gen 1, but I'm not sure if the optics are any different.

  • @2musiclover534

    @2musiclover534

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit Thanks! So yours is Gen 2 then. Great to know. One of the comments sugested that what you tested is not the current Gen 2 which they claim has degraded. Glad to know that is not so. Thanks.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@2musiclover534 yes...the one we tested was the Gen 2 Cronus 10x42. The Gen 1 looks very different than the Gen 2 (Gen 1 is a grey color while this Gen 2 is black with red lettering). Hope that helps!

  • @StOKRATzoom

    @StOKRATzoom

    2 жыл бұрын

    kzread.info/dron/rKJ5aVast8tXtS-qRGL51w.html review

  • @martinchivers7341
    @martinchivers7341Ай бұрын

    I went for the Kowa BDii XD 8×42. Nothing to complain about.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Ай бұрын

    Good to know...thanks for the feedback and thanks for watching!

  • @TheTrailDancer
    @TheTrailDancer2 жыл бұрын

    Nice reviews!!! What are you getting when you up to the under 1K models? Materials? Image? I’ve noticed no Steiner or Nikon.. is there a reason? Thanks!!!

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! When you jump up to the 1k range, you are getting a better, more well contrasted image, better edge to edge clarity,and better low light performance. Typically you'll also get a locking diopter as well, but not always. Overall just better performance. We tried to get as many as possible, but certainly didn't get them all. We will have some Steiner in the upcoming rangefinding binocular review we are working on! Thanks for watching!

  • @TheTrailDancer

    @TheTrailDancer

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit ya I’m mainly looking for something for backpacking, wildlife viewing, nature.. etc.. Any suggestions?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TheTrailDancer what are you looking to keep the budget at?

  • @TheTrailDancer

    @TheTrailDancer

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit under $1K, but $500 would be better.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TheTrailDancer I'd say the Athlon Cronus would be your best bet in the $500 price range. Dang good for the money. If you wanted to jump to the $700 price range, the Tract Toric are very good. Thanks!

  • @justindiaz6545
    @justindiaz654510 ай бұрын

    What would you recommend maven c3 12x50 or the athlon Midas 12x50?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    10 ай бұрын

    Hey there Justin! We didn't test those specific configurations, but our group preferred the Athlon Midas over the Maven C3 in the 10x42. I can be 100% sure, but I assume the same would hold true for the 12x50s. Thanks for watching!

  • @justindiaz6545

    @justindiaz6545

    10 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the quick reply!

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    10 ай бұрын

    @@justindiaz6545 absolutely!

  • @clawer2969
    @clawer2969 Жыл бұрын

    Where I live the meopta air HD's are around 590 euros, would that be a better option than these?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there! Yeah, I'd personally pick the Meopro Air of anything in this video. The Athlon Cronus are close and a fantastic value, but I thought the Meopro Air were a better optic overall. Thanks for watching!

  • @archstanton9703
    @archstanton9703 Жыл бұрын

    I wonder how the Meopta Optika 10x42 binoculars would have fared under your comparison.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    That would be very interesting indeed! I wish we could have gotten them in there for the review! Thanks for watching!

  • @GM-bq6zo
    @GM-bq6zo10 ай бұрын

    Porro prism design always worked better for binoculars but roof prisms massively improved. Are there any top porro prisms that are still better than the top roof prisms?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    10 ай бұрын

    Hey there! I'm not sure on that....We'd have to do some extensive testing to be sure. Thanks for watching!

  • @swi2009ca
    @swi2009ca Жыл бұрын

    Im very surprised monarch 7 is not in this grup, how so? How would Nikon 7 compare to the Athlon. Thank you

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there! Yeah, we tried to get as many as possible in there, but certainly couldn't get them all. I'd have to put the Monarch 7s next to these to be sure, but I had a pair of the Monarch 7s years ago and liked them. Thanks for watching!

  • @kurtwilhelm3823
    @kurtwilhelm38232 жыл бұрын

    Do you think for a hunter real only glassing fields 100 to 400 yards ( 400 not to often) that that $ 500 price point is all you need?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hey there Kurt! Yeah, the $500 price point would be great for that! Thanks for watching!

  • @brianstuart4203
    @brianstuart420310 ай бұрын

    Just ordered the Athlon cronus! Got them for $375 with my military discount!

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    10 ай бұрын

    Awesome! Heck of a deal right there! Thanks for watching.

  • @GeoGrafwow
    @GeoGrafwow5 ай бұрын

    What can you say about Leupold BX -2 Alpine HD 10x52? Which one is better Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 10x52 mm (181178) or Vortex Diamondback HD 10x50? Today both price are same

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    5 ай бұрын

    Hey there! That's a question, but unfortunately we didn't test those models against each other, so I can't really say. Sorry! Thanks for watching.

  • @JamesMichael333
    @JamesMichael333 Жыл бұрын

    Its crazy to me. Ive always used binoculars that costs around $100. They were always very clear like watch8ng something in High Definition. You would think that for $500 they would be leaps & bounds better but im betting I wouldn’t notice much of a difference as far as viewing the object clearly that im looking at.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey James! yeah, I'm my personal experience there is a significant difference in more expensive glass, however, depending on what you are using it for, the difference may or may not be worth the extra money. Thanks for watching!

  • @Seriously140

    @Seriously140

    Жыл бұрын

    Back in 1996 my projection TV and VCR looked amazing. Now, after having a 4K TV, that old one looks like viewing through a screen door. You will probably find out the same thing if you upgrade binoculars.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    @@Seriously140 haha....that's a great analogy! Once you've used Alpha glass, it's tough to use anything else! But, apha glass isn't in everyone's budget Thanks for watching.

  • @oneonlynono
    @oneonlynono2 жыл бұрын

    What about Image Stabilised Binoculars ? Please... when will you be doing a Review on Image Stabilised Binoculars ? Please

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching! I'll have to put together a imagine stabilization bino review! Thanks for the suggestion!

  • @scbane
    @scbane Жыл бұрын

    I used to run the Vortex Diamondback HD 10x50's. Was happy with them until I tried the Athlon Argos G2 UHD 10X42's. The Argos glass quality and low light beats the crap out of the Vortex DB, and for $40 less. Kinda sad about it actually, as most of my optics are Vortex.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Yeah, those Athlon binos are a fantastic value! Thanks for watching!

  • @scupking

    @scupking

    10 ай бұрын

    I just went from the dimondback 8x42s to The Athlon Midas G2 UHD 8x42s. The Athlon beat the Diamondbacks on everything. Such great glass at a great price. Yes they are about $50 more than the dimondbacks but punch way above their weight!

  • @KyleGustafson1986
    @KyleGustafson19862 жыл бұрын

    Have you tested the Olympus Pros? If so, where do they fall in the mix?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    I have not tested the Olympus Pro. I'm not sure where they'd fall in the lineup. Sorry!

  • @StOKRATzoom

    @StOKRATzoom

    2 жыл бұрын

    kzread.info/dron/rKJ5aVast8tXtS-qRGL51w.html review

  • @me200342
    @me2003422 жыл бұрын

    Might want to give some other the delta optical binos a shot might surprise you

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks! I'll have to go check them out. Thanks for watching!

  • @StOKRATzoom

    @StOKRATzoom

    2 жыл бұрын

    kzread.info/dron/rKJ5aVast8tXtS-qRGL51w.html review

  • @user-ko4pe9yd4e
    @user-ko4pe9yd4e Жыл бұрын

    If it wasn’t for the low light performance, how would you rate the glass of the BX-4 compared to the Viper?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there! Based on the average score of all 10 reviewers, here are those results: Overall image clarity: Viper Color contrast: BX-4 Edge to Edge Clarity: Viper Low light: BX-4 (by a lot) You can review more details of the whole review of all 26 binoculars over on the website: backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/ Thanks for watching!

  • @user-ko4pe9yd4e

    @user-ko4pe9yd4e

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit Thank you for the detailed response. I know I was late to the game, but I’m a subscriber now.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    @@user-ko4pe9yd4e absolutely! Happy to help and let me know if you have any other questions! Thanks for the sub!

  • @Paultricounty
    @Paultricounty2 жыл бұрын

    Nice videos. Is there a reason you didn’t have a Nikon (Monarch 7 or even a 5) in that group. You had an Athlon a relatives company but Nikon has been around for a long time. Also I was very surprised of the top result. Thank you.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks! We tried to round up as many as we could, but didn't get them all of course. Wasn't able to get Nikon and a few others in there unfortunately. We were suprised by the results as well! Definitely didn't expect the Athlon tot come out on top. Thanks for watching!

  • @chrischenevey6446
    @chrischenevey644610 ай бұрын

    Do you like the Hawke Frontier in the mid price point?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    10 ай бұрын

    Hey there! I haven't had a chance tk test put the Hawke Frontier, so I can say how they stack up. Sorry!

  • @roman9509
    @roman9509 Жыл бұрын

    How would the following binoculars compare the the list: Nikon Monarch M7 and Hawke Frontier ED?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there! I haven't had a chance to test either of those side by side with these unfortunately, so I couldn't say for sure. Sorry! Thanks for watching though.

  • @dannymollevanger990

    @dannymollevanger990

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit Yeah men i did not meant any disrespect you made a nice quality video but its true they cost less and they are better.

  • @dannymollevanger990

    @dannymollevanger990

    Жыл бұрын

    kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZJhh3MifiLfZo7A.html&ab_channel=Celestron

  • @dannymollevanger990

    @dannymollevanger990

    Жыл бұрын

    this is someone that works for a manufacturer its just a random video that explains it rather well.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    @danny mollevanger thanks Danny! Correct...I we don't work for any particular company, just try to provide helpful information for folks trying to decide what to get. Thanks for watching!

  • @dwaynephilpot6154
    @dwaynephilpot61543 ай бұрын

    I have the Bushnell forge I don’t have seem to have any problems with the edge to edge clarity.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    3 ай бұрын

    Hey there! The Bushnell Forge are very nice binoculars for sure! They did, however, appear to suffer more edge to edge clarity loss vs some of the others, which became more evident when we put them side by side on a tripod. Thanks for watching!

  • @dwaynephilpot6154

    @dwaynephilpot6154

    3 ай бұрын

    I was not calling you a liar I was telling you just what I observed. But I don’t glass as much as some one out west.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    3 ай бұрын

    @dwaynephilpot6154 oh no worries at all....I didn't take it that way. Thanks for the follow up though!

  • @Trihope
    @Trihope5 ай бұрын

    Looks like the price has went up considerably on the Maven C1 as they are $425 now. Athlons are still under $300. Maybe even more reason to go Athlon.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    5 ай бұрын

    Yeah, I'd seen that the price went up. Bummer!

  • @roberttophan9314
    @roberttophan93142 ай бұрын

    How was the athlon cronus in low light?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 ай бұрын

    Hey there! The Cronus were pretty good in low light, but not the best of the $500 class. That's one area I wish they were a little better. But....they are still a heck of a performer in the $500 category. Thanks for watching!

  • @cde1439
    @cde1439 Жыл бұрын

    How about reviewing hunting rifle scopes using this format?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Oh man... that would be awesome! That would be a bit tougher given reticle preferences, doing some tracking testing etc, but as far as optical performance that would be awesome. What would you like to see if we did a review like that?

  • @larbueno
    @larbueno6 ай бұрын

    Unsponsored comment here… why you didn't include the Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 is beyond me...and I'm sure a lot of other people, too. Around $250, lightweight, bright, contrasty, very sharp edge-to-edge, as good a warranty as you can get...to me an amazing value. I somehow lucked out and got mine for a 150, but even at 250, they are exellent bang4buck. I have been a birder for 30 plus years and I've tried just about every significant brand of glass out there including Swarovski Zeus and Leica. These are an amazing value. No one's giving me any kickback for this. I'm just shocked you didn't mention these.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    6 ай бұрын

    Hey there! Thanks for the question. We tried to include as many as possible but focused most of our efforts on the price range $300 and up to try to narrow down the field to a somewhat manageable number. As it was, we had 26 binoculars to test and review, and once you dip below the $300 range, there is an endless number of options. That said, I've personally used the Diamondbacks, and they are great for their price point. Thanks for watching!

  • @Trihope

    @Trihope

    5 ай бұрын

    Definitely one of the most popular big box store brands. I feel like the Athlons blow them out of the water for less than $50 more.

  • @acort10

    @acort10

    4 ай бұрын

    My dad has the diamondback hd 10x42 and I have the cabelas intensity gen 1 10x42 and we both agreed the cabelas looked better while we were glassing at the beach from close up to a couple miles out.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    4 ай бұрын

    @acort10 thanks for sharing!

  • @commonsense5709

    @commonsense5709

    3 ай бұрын

    ​@@acort10Only thing about Cabela's is they don't have a good warranty nor honor their previous warranty.

  • @redpillnibbler4423
    @redpillnibbler44235 ай бұрын

    The Cronus are great but the eye relief is I’d guess no more than 16mm.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    5 ай бұрын

    Hey there! According to the specs sheet, the eye relief comes in at 19.3 inches. Thanks for watching!

  • @redpillnibbler4423

    @redpillnibbler4423

    5 ай бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit Hi 👍 I believe the Athlon Cronus quoted eye relief is incorrect.I can’t get full fov wearing specs whereas I can with my Swaro 8x25 (17mm eye relief)

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    5 ай бұрын

    @@redpillnibbler4423 yeah, I hear ya. I feel like it's likely less than the specs as well.

  • @hellvsheaven89
    @hellvsheaven899 ай бұрын

    I dont know how good the athlon cronus 10x42 is but i got a 15x56 and i hated it. The view is so much smaller compare to my brother 10x42 razor. Clarity is great no doubt but i would consider something smaller. My advice to everybody that are buying binos, the bigger the power you get, the more shaky it is when you view through them unless if you want to carry a tripod. I would say 10x42 is the best size. 12x50 is ok but 15x56 is a no no.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    9 ай бұрын

    Hey there! Yeah, you will certainly have a much smaller FOV with that higher magnification. If you compare the FOV of the Cronus vs the others, all in 10x42, the Cronus are right there. Thanks for watching!

  • @hellvsheaven89

    @hellvsheaven89

    9 ай бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit exactly. Im thinking about returning my 15x56 and probably get the 10x42. I hope the smaller one will suit me better.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    9 ай бұрын

    @@hellvsheaven89 sounds good! Let me know what you think of the 10x42s if you try them.

  • @redpillnibbler4423

    @redpillnibbler4423

    5 ай бұрын

    8x42 probably best all rounder,also has larger exit pupil compared to 10x42.

  • @propriono
    @propriono2 жыл бұрын

    Imho the Kowa deserved to be at least 2 positions above that one.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hey there! Fair enough! They are nice binos....we just averaged out the scores from everyone and weighted them according to importance. Here's the link to the more in-depth article if interested! backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/ Thanks for watching!

  • @juliusb790
    @juliusb79010 ай бұрын

    Where is the popular Nikon M7?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    10 ай бұрын

    We tried out best to get as many as possible, but obviously didn't get all the options out there. Sorry! Thanks for watching though!

  • @elieziete
    @elieziete10 ай бұрын

    We’re going to Big Bend in a couple of weeks kzread.infoUgkxSt0aBrzyS1nxONvwm1e0u7ZDFD_eypAO so I bought these to use during the hikes, didn’t want to miss anything. As you can see by the photos I tested the phone adapter by taking a phone of a power pole on the next block and you can see the results. It took a couple of minutes to line the phone camera up to the eye piece, there’s a bit of a learning curve, but once it was longed up it stayed in place without any issues. So far I’m impressed with the feel and the weight, the neck strap is wide and soft so it feels good on my neck. I look forward to using it with my friend and grandson in Big Bend!

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    10 ай бұрын

    That's great! Go with what works for you! Thanks for watching!

  • @Mrjordskie12
    @Mrjordskie122 жыл бұрын

    What about the steiners?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Unfortunately we weren't able to get the Steiner's in this one, but they'll be in our upcoming rangefinding bino shootout! Thanks for watching!

  • @bradenhudson885
    @bradenhudson8852 жыл бұрын

    Did you get sponsored or compensated anyway by Athlon? All of your suggestions in each category were athlons.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    No sir I was not. Athlon was just a great performer!

  • @andre1987eph
    @andre1987eph2 жыл бұрын

    never heard of these brands

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, there are a lot of optics companies out there!

  • @StOKRATzoom

    @StOKRATzoom

    2 жыл бұрын

    kzread.info/dron/rKJ5aVast8tXtS-qRGL51w.html review

  • @johnnewcomb5162
    @johnnewcomb5162 Жыл бұрын

    Have you seen the Covert binoculars?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there John. No....I have not seen the Convert binos. How are they?

  • @johnnewcomb5162

    @johnnewcomb5162

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit I have owned a bunch of different binoculars, I just picked up the 8X42 from the Optics planet sale after hearing about them. I will put it to you this way. The pair I got are outstanding for the price , sold the BX5 the next day. The center hangs with my Vortex UHD, lowlight practically the same. The hinge is perfect for throwing in and out of the bino harness. Perfect eyecups ect. I am actually going to be using these this coming hunting season. Really impressive for the money. eBay has a new pair in the box I think for $250 bucks, you should check them out if you can.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    @@johnnewcomb5162 thanks for the recommendation! B I'll check them out. Thanks for watching!

  • @richpryor9650
    @richpryor9650 Жыл бұрын

    Which ones had the best color rendition?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    We thought the Athlon had the best color rendition of this group. Thanks for watching!

  • @throttle_therapy0025
    @throttle_therapy00254 ай бұрын

    No monarch m7?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    4 ай бұрын

    Hey! It would have been great to have Nikons in the review, but there were a number of others as well that didn't get in there. Next time hopefully! Thanks for watching.

  • @throttle_therapy0025

    @throttle_therapy0025

    4 ай бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit understood. What are your thoughts on them?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    4 ай бұрын

    @throttle_therapy0025 on the Nikon Monarch? It's been a number of years since I've personally used Monarch 7s, and they weren't the latest model so it would be hard to compare to these without putting them side by side.

  • @orionlagj9413
    @orionlagj9413 Жыл бұрын

    Bushnell or Nikon?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey there! The Bushnell Forge are in the! Good binoculars! Thanks for watching!

  • @commonsense5709
    @commonsense5709 Жыл бұрын

    The limited 2 year warranty for the Zeiss would make me not even consider ever buying it. Bushnell's very shady warranty practices would make me avoid that brand as well. BBB gave Bushnell an F rating for screwing over way too many of their own customers over not honoring their lifetime warranty.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Yeah, it would be nice if the warranty on the Terra ED was longer. Thanks for watching!

  • @daveyboy6985
    @daveyboy69855 ай бұрын

    Pity you haven't got any Porro prisim Bino's on display

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    5 ай бұрын

    Yeah, there are TONS of Porro Prism options put there! Those of us who take their binos into the backcountry and are harder on them tend to lean towards roof prism though for their extra durability. Thanks for watching!

  • @daveyboy6985

    @daveyboy6985

    5 ай бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit I didn't realise that roof prisims were more robust. The reason I like porro's is the better 3D imagery they give, and generally you get better image quality for comparable priced porro and roof Bono's.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    5 ай бұрын

    @daveyboy6985 yeah, Porro Prisims are generally much less expensive, but are by design much less durable. So, yeah, you'll pay more for roof prism, but they are much less likely to break on you out in harsh conditions.

  • @gone4days956
    @gone4days9562 жыл бұрын

    I believe only the Leupolds are made in Japan. The rest are made in either China or the Philippines.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, most of them are unfortunately. I'd have to double check each manufacturer to be 100% sure though. Thanks for watching!

  • @tehrihumbert876

    @tehrihumbert876

    2 жыл бұрын

    GPO are not made in China ! Developed engineered in germany, built in japan and all back tested in germany.... Very impressive quality that comes very close to high end binoculars worth over 2x the price !! An extremely promising new brand, developed by a former CEO of Zeiss.... The quality is top level, but the price is much more interesting then Zeiss, Swaro or Leica, because made in Japan !... And I won't complain about it !!

  • @gone4days956

    @gone4days956

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@tehrihumbert876 The Passion ED line of binos are indeed made in China.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@tehrihumbert876 GPO is an impressive brand for sure! They performed extremely well! Thanks for watching!

  • @tehrihumbert876

    @tehrihumbert876

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@gone4days956 No, buddy, you make a mistake ...

  • @rs3tuber425
    @rs3tuber4252 жыл бұрын

    No Nikon monarch 7?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Unfortunately we didn't get all of them on the market, but I'm definitely interested how the Monarch 7s would compare!

  • @chrishorne5186
    @chrishorne51862 жыл бұрын

    Those Maven’s are the C.1’s not CS.1’s.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks! Yeah, I misspoke lol. Thanks for watching!

  • @commonsense5709
    @commonsense5709 Жыл бұрын

    The $249 ScoopX is the same as the Athlon Cronus UHD but questionable warranty even though they may state they have a lifetime warranty. The Meade Master class is also the same binoculars but don't buy it for $349 it only has a 2 year warranty which isn't even transferrable to a second owner anyway. Might be worth buying if they were really cheap like $100 or less though just toss it and buy a new one after the warranty expires and it breaks just like disposable throw away rangefinders without a real lifetime warranty.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    I've not had the chance to try either of those, so I"m not sure. Thanks for watching!

  • @commonsense5709

    @commonsense5709

    3 ай бұрын

    ​@@BackwoodsPursuitThey're currently selling for as cheap as $70 on eBay. Worth buying they're a step above the Athlon Midas UHD Gen 2 and Cronus UHD Gen 2 believe it or not. Between Vortex Viper HD and Razor HD optically.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    3 ай бұрын

    @@commonsense5709 thanks!

  • @Burritosarebetterthantacos
    @Burritosarebetterthantacos9 ай бұрын

    The Mavens are $400+. I tested against the Vortex Diamondbacks and liked the Vortex better for half the price.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    9 ай бұрын

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts and thanks for watching!

  • @commonsense5709
    @commonsense5709 Жыл бұрын

    The Maven CS1 could be bought for $300 couple of years ago now they're $425 and the Athlon Midas UHD is better even though it's made in China and much cheaper too same with the Maven 15-45x65 vs Athlon Ares UHD version big price difference both made in China and strikingly similar aside from the weight and seems to be made at the same Chinese factory. I really thought Maven was trying to avoid made in China but I guess I was wrong about it.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Yeah, we were pretty impressed with how the Athlon performed, especially for the price point! Thanks for watching!

  • @Klingonmastr

    @Klingonmastr

    Жыл бұрын

    Both the Athlon Midas and Vortex Viper are good choices if you want a wider field of view. Of course with the Vortex Viper those are Made in the Philippines while the Athlon Midas are Made in China. Nothing wrong with either model. I really like the fact brands like Athlon and Vortex offer lifetime warranties on their products.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    @Klingonmastr yeah, the warranties on so many optics are so much better than they used to be! Thanks for watching!

  • @francisbarton6101
    @francisbarton61012 жыл бұрын

    SEVERELY DISAPPOINTED IN ATHLON CRONUS UHD G2 . Apparently the G2 are replacing the ones tested they are supposed to be even better than the ones tested . I only use binoculars for hunting and the only 2 things that I care about are clarity and low light performance. So how did they compare to my old binoculars the Yukon Gear APX Roof Prism Fully Multi Coat Binoculars? 3 of us tested these while hunting looking at a tree line from 100 yards too 600 yards . During full light and 15mins after legal shooting daylight . 2 of us couldn’t tell any difference and 1 preferred the Yukon’s. So one of 3 things are happening here. 1.Yukon’s are really good? 2 They use the exact same lens ? 3 .There is very little difference between 300 dollar and 1000 dollar and under in performance in these 2 categories? If you read the full review the Athlon Cronus where better than 50% of the binoculars at 1000 and under. My advice to anyone buying binoculars for hunting? If you can’t afford the best then buy the cheap ones because there is probably not much difference between cheap and 1000 and under in clarity and low light performance.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience! Always good to hear others experiences!

  • @User-od8dz

    @User-od8dz

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit This comment is on every binocular review I have watched. This guy is just promoting Yukon gear or something? He acts like he has tried all the binos which is super strange.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@User-od8dz thanks for the heads up on that😁....and thanks for watching!

  • @francisbarton6101

    @francisbarton6101

    2 жыл бұрын

    Sorry Brian I am not sponsored and far as I know the only place you can get Yukon gear is at Canadian Tire in Canada so if your American then that throws your theory of being sponsored out the window because you can’t buy them anyway. Yes I posted on a few you tubers review of the Athlons . It was because a watched a few videos before I bought the Athlons and ended up disappointed. Athlons are a good overall binoculars and are better quality than my Yukon’s ..But for me as a hunter I only care about clarity and low light conditions and they did not perform any better . I’m not a daily bird watcher and only a seasonal hunter so how firm the focus dial is and other little binocular specs is unimportant to me . BP did a great review and I think a honest review but I’m just letting any hunters know that in these 2 categories of clarity and low light you probably will not notice a difference or very little between 150 and 1000 dollar binoculars. Just letting hunters know that in these 2 categories that you probably don’t notice a real difference until you get into the high end gear .Just sayin don’t throw out your cheap binoculars to only upgrade to a mid level .

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@francisbarton6101 thanks for the update and info!

  • @skepticalmechanic
    @skepticalmechanic6 ай бұрын

    No love for the Hawke???

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    6 ай бұрын

    Hey there! We tried to include as many brands as possible, but obviously couldn't get them all. Next time! Thanks for watching!

  • @millenium2003
    @millenium20035 ай бұрын

    Just buy nikon. Nothing else

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    5 ай бұрын

    Nikon makes some good stuff for sure! Thanks for watching!

  • @bikeracerdude
    @bikeracerdude Жыл бұрын

    Which of the tested binos are NOT made in China? All of Athlon's products are china made- except for one rifle scope. Thanks

  • @bikeracerdude

    @bikeracerdude

    Жыл бұрын

    All of the Leupold BX4 models are designed and built in USA.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    I'll have to double check to be sure o each of them. Thanks for watching!

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    @@bikeracerdude thanks!

  • @istvanvarosi
    @istvanvarosi5 күн бұрын

    Why are you banging your binoculars on the table ? Not yours ?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    5 күн бұрын

    Hey there! Not quite sure what you are meaning there as I felt like I was setting them on the table. The mic may have been picking up a bit extra and making it sound worse than it was? Thanks for watching either way though!

  • @petertrout7866
    @petertrout7866Ай бұрын

    You got Bushnell but no Nikon or Swarovski …this is not a review.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Ай бұрын

    Hey there! We did a 4 part series on the 26 binoculars we tested, and this was part 1 for the $500 price point. Feel free to check out the other 3 videos on the $1000, $1500, and Alpha Glass binoculars. We also did a full written review over on the website. Go check that out for even more details. backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/ Thanks for watching!

  • @petertrout7866

    @petertrout7866

    Ай бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit Thanks! I’ll check that out.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Ай бұрын

    @@petertrout7866 sounds good. Thanks!

  • @idontlikebigbrother9778
    @idontlikebigbrother9778 Жыл бұрын

    If your binocular review is just about standing here talking all the time without showing actual image through the lenses, why bother making the video?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    Sorry it wasn't what you were looking for. Filming through the optic usually doesn't show the differences that well, so opted not to go that route. Thanks for watching though.

  • @ovideoarkans7982
    @ovideoarkans79827 ай бұрын

    THIS IS ONLY ADVERT FOR WHAT YOU ARE GETTING MONEY FOR...... TOTALLY RUBISH....

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    7 ай бұрын

    Hey there! There are certainly a TON of other pairs of binocular out there under the $500 price point, but these were the ones we tested along side each other, and none of the companies paid us for the review. As mentioned, we also had a good number of volunteers (each with some experience with various optics) rank each of them based on their own personal opinion to get as good of an idea as possible. Thanks for watching though!

  • @suzgabverdugo933
    @suzgabverdugo933 Жыл бұрын

    Vortex viper 12x50 for me.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    Жыл бұрын

    The Vipers performed well! Thanks for watching!

  • @kurtwilhelm3823
    @kurtwilhelm38232 жыл бұрын

    How was the athlon cronis in low light?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    The Athlon did pretty well in low light. Not the best of the group, but very good. Here's the full review with the rankings! backwoodspursuit.com/26-best-binoculars-for-hunting/

  • @kurtwilhelm3823

    @kurtwilhelm3823

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit I would be mainly buying for low light . Sol the leupolds seem like a good choice. Do the leupolds compare or hold their own against the athlons cronis during the daylight hrs in such things as edge to to edge and sharpnes?

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@kurtwilhelm3823 ok...gotcha. I'd say the Leupold were noticably behind the Athlon Cronus in overall imagine sharpness and edge to edge clarity during daylight hours. During very last light, though, the Leupold shined.

  • @kurtwilhelm3823

    @kurtwilhelm3823

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@BackwoodsPursuit thank you. I really enjoyed your video. Really well done and informative. The written one was even better. Thanks.

  • @BackwoodsPursuit

    @BackwoodsPursuit

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@kurtwilhelm3823 absolutely....and thank you! Appreciate the feedback!

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