Written By John VanDerLaan
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A search for the best hunting binoculars under $200 used to turn up some pretty lousy optics, but thanks to recent advances in technology, you can now get a really decent pair of hunting binoculars in that price range.
We have tested all of these binoculars in real hunting situations.
Below you will find the binoculars that performed best in our testing complete with reviews written by real hunters.
If you are not sure what the numbers mean, visit our hunting binoculars buying guide for a complete explanation.
6 Best Binoculars For Hunting Under $200
Reviews Of Our Top Picks
The Vortex Diamondback Binoculars really hit that sweet spot of Premium quality optics versus price.
They are very lightweight and feature Dielectric Fully Multi-Coated Lenses which transmit more light and return a very bright image, even in low light conditions.
Vortex Diamondback features:
- Short hinged design which makes for a very comfortable, ergonomic grip.
- Fully adjustable multi position twist eyecups for excellent eye relief.
- They have a Field of View that is one of the largest in its class.
- Very lightweight.
- O-ring sealed and argon purged for 100% Waterproof and fogproof performance.
- Rubber armor coating with built in thumb indents and raised texture on the sides for a secure grip and durable protection.
- The focus wheel is smooth and easy to adjust and there’s a locking right eye diopter to adjust for eye differences.
- Vortex VIP Warranty
What We Like
What We Don't Like
The Vortex Diamondback binoculars are the best value, with high end optical coatings which produces excellent image quality, and should definitely be on your list of binoculars to check out.
You can learn more by visiting our full Vortex Diamondback Binoculars Review.
Coming in at a close second in the roundup are the Burris Droptine binoculars. They are an ideal combination of performance and value. I recently had the opportunity to test these in real world hunting situations while comparing to them to the Vortex Diamondback binos and they performed flawlessly.
You can see that comparison here: Burris Droptine vs Vortex Diamondback Binoculars.
Burris Droptine features:
- Hi-Lume Index-matched fully multi-coated lenses with bak-4 prisms.
- Durable aluminum twist eyecups.
- Incredible Field of View of 420 feet in the 8x42 and 340 feet in the 10x42.
- Lightweight and comfortable for extended viewing sessions..
- O-ring sealed and nitrogen purged for 100% Waterproof and fogproof performance.
- Rubber-armored body that can withstand drops and rough handling.
- Textured coating for a solid, non slip grip.
- Burris Forever Warranty
What We Like
What We Don't Like
I really like these binoculars and they performed very well in my field testing. They are excellent quality with solid optical performance at this price point. You will not find a better value than the Burris Droptine Binoculars.
You can learn more by visiting my Burris Droptine Review.
The Nikon Prostaff P7 really surprised us with its quality and features at this price point.
My go to hunting binoculars are the Nikon Monarch 7, and I was expecting to be disappointed with the Prostaff, and I wasn't.
The Nikon Prostaff P7 is a perfect example of how the advances in technology have brought high end features to moderately priced optics.
Nikon Prostaff P7 features:
- Nikon's Advanced Optical System which utilizes Phase Correction Coated Roof Prisms and multilayer coatings on lens and prism surfaces.
- Nitrogen purged for 100% waterproof and fogproof performance.
- Ergonomically designed with depressed hand grips and a rubber texturized no slip coating.
- Enhanced knurling and smooth focus rings make focusing simple with just a fingertip.
What We Like
What We Don't Like
The reason that the Nikon Prostaff P7 did not make our top choice is because the Nikon Limited Lifetime Warranty is not nearly as good as the Vortex VIP Warranty.
That being said, you should still give the Prostaff P7 a serious look.
You can learn more by visiting our full Nikon Prostaff Binoculars review.
The Bushnell Legend Ultra HD Binoculars are another example of moderately priced optics that have benefitted from recent technological advancements.
They utilize Bushnell's ED Prime Glass, which refers to the extra-low dispersion fluorite glass they use for the lenses. This glass has been designed to offer amazing contrast and color resolution. It eliminates color-fringing and chromatic aberration so you can see clear, distinct details and is is easy to clean.
Bushnell Legend Ultra HD features:
- Magnesium Chassis
- RainGuard HD
- Fully Multi-Coated Optics
- Lead Free Glass
- Phase 3 Prism Coating
- "Yes That's Covered No Questions Asked Warranty"
RELATED: Best Rangefinder For Bow Hunting
What We Like
What We Don't Like
The Warranty on these binoculars is crazy good!
To learn more visit our full Bushnell Legend Ultra HD Binoculars Review.
The Vortex Crossfire HD Binoculars deliver crisp, razor sharp images thanks to the HD Optical System. They are optimized with select glass elements to deliver exceptional resolution, cut chromatic aberration and provide outstanding color fidelity, edge-to-edge sharpness and light transmission.
Perhaps the biggest thing that the Crossfire HD has going for it is the amazing Vortex VIP Warranty.
- UNLIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
- FULLY TRANSFERABLE
- NO RECEIPT NEEDED
Vortex Crossfire HD features:
- Nitrogen purged and O Ring sealed for 100% waterproof and fogproof performance.
- Armor coated chassis for lightweight, non slip and rugged design.
- Vivid, razor sharp images thanks to the HD Optical System and Fully Multi Coated Glass.
- Tethered objective lens covers.
- The Vortex Crossfire HD comes with the GlassPak binocular harness which keeps the binoculars comfortably on your chest.
What We Like
What We Don't Like
Vortex is really changing the game in high quality optics and the Crossfire HD Binoculars are no exception. They are good binos for hunters on a budget.
To learn more, visit our full Vortex Crossfire HD Binoculars review.
Bushnell Trophy Binoculars are high on quality by providing many of the features of higher end binoculars at a much lower price.
The small ergonomic design makes them easy to hold and the large focus knob is easy to use, even with gloves on.
Bushnell Trophy binoculars features include:
- Nitrogen purged and O-Ring sealed for 100% waterproof and fogproof performance.
- BAK4 Prisms
- Slim, Ergonomic shape with a no slip grip and large focusing wheel for easy, quick focus, even with gloves on.
- Fully multi coated lenses.
- Lead Free Glass.
My favorite feature of the Bushnell Trophy binoculars is the "Yes That's Covered No Questions Asked Lifetime Warranty".
What We Like
What We Don't Like
Check out the video below.
The Bushnell Trophy Binoculars deserve a good long look. They have pretty good glass and a solid build quality.
To learn more visit our Bushnell Trophy Binoculars Review.
RELATED: Best Hunting Binoculars Under $100
Binoculars Comparison Chart
Photo | Name | Weight | Field of View | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Vortex Diamondback 10x42 | 21.8 oz | 330 ft | ||
| Burris Droptine 10x42 | 26 oz | 340 ft | ||
| Vortex Crossfire 10x42 | 23 oz | 325 ft | ||
 | Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10X42 | 24.7 oz | 330 ft | ||
| Nikon Prostaff 7s 10x42 | 22.8 oz | 325 ft | ||
| Bushnell Trophy 10x42 | 25.3 oz | 330 ft |
Conclusion
RELATED: Best Rangefinding Binoculars
As you have searched the internet for the quality binoculars under $200, you have no doubt come across many articles that are clearly not written by hunters.
These articles are written by internet marketers that are trying to get you to buy the binoculars that they make the most money from.
Some of these articles are very obvious because they feature binoculars that no hunter would ever use.
If you made it this far, you now realize that this article is full of actual reviews of the best binoculars written by real hunters that use the hunting gear we recommend.
These are binoculars that we have actually used and in many cases, continue to use today.
