All Purpose Bushnell Excursion EX

[Rogan]

Most people, unlike myself, will only own one pair of binoculars and won’t spend a fortune acquiring them. That raises the question as to which one fills the bill for all around use, a jack of all trades. Admittedly the risk is in being a master of none, but, there are always trade offs. I believe that I have found a strong candidate.

I am a big fan of the Bushnell Legend/Excursion binos through their earliest models (many with Japanese glass) through the current E, L, and M. I’ve put them nose-to-nose with each other and with other comparable brands (many more expensive but not Alphas) and keep coming back to the Excursion EX, the 10x42 in particular. One caveat. The Legend M is the king of the hill but since it’s discontinuation prices are going up. The M is still a great value but to me the Excursion offers a better value for the average Joe.

The Excursion EX is a very well built double bridge design. It is offered primarily for hunters, especially the 10x42. Its a rather compact design and the robust build bodes well for the hunter. The glass is of excellent quality. As far as resolution it’s a close match for the ED/HD Legends and other mid tier brands. The bright view suggests to me that in leaving off the ED glass they may have reallocated that cost to dielectric prism coatings. This is just a theory but it would make sense as hunters might value brightness over presence of some CA. As reviewers have noted there is some CA but I have not found it to be particularly objectionable even in the conditions most likely for it to rear it’s head. Overall you have a very bright view (especially for 10x42) with resolution that is rather amazing at most price points. Edge resolution is better than the Legend Ultra HD and almost on par with the Legend L,M but still quite good.

I guess the brightness and resolution really make these standout. My resolution test is pine needles at 180 yards. These binoculars are superior in resolution to Vortex Talon 8x32 and Leupold Mojave Pro Guide HD 8x42 and at least the equal to Legend L 10x42. The magnification certainly makes a difference but I often find resolution deficiencies at higher magnifications to be more pronounced at greater distances.

A few other thoughts. The focus on the Excursions is very nice. Smooth, no slop or take up. It would be perfect if there was just a bit more resistance. An interesting feature, especially for the hunter and potentially for the astronomer, is that the focus wheel can be locked by pushing it in. In doing so the focus remains unchanged. The overall built reminds me much of the Legend Ultra HD which may have offered a starting point. The eyecups are about perfect and the diopter, while not lockable (which has caused problems for the Legend Ultra HD) is exactly what it should be. One very minor issue I had with them was the white “billboard” brand name raised on the rubber armor. Fortunately that was easily removed.

For birders the 10x as opposed to 8x may not be optimal, and 8x can often offer what seems to be a sharper brighter view, in this case for an all purpose binocular the 10x gets the call for me. The ergonomics and weight seem to minimize hand shake.

There is also a “non-EX” single bridge version of the Excursion that some folks prefer as well as an “EX HD”. I also quite like the the non EX version (also 10x42) and from what I understand the EX HD only offers extra waterproof lens coatings.

As to astro use, so far I am quite pleased. I am a fan of 10x42 for astro. Yes there is a smaller exit pupil but rarely am I in conditions where my pupil is fully dilated so it’s a moot point. The magnification more than makes up for it and the 6.5 degree field of view is more than adequate. Stars are as pinpoint as I could want and I have detected no CA on brighter stars. I have not tested them yet on the moon or planets.

When discontinued binoculars have a much lower new price than original retail ($100 vs $300+ish) one can very well underestimate what is being offer based on current prices. The Excursion EX is one such case.

[Rogan]

Forgot to mention. They are phase coated, of course.

[Rogan]

And fully multi-coated, BaK4 prisms, nitrogen purged waterproof.

[Rogan]

One more strong recommendation. Brunton Echo 8x42. Brunton is best known for making some rather amazing compasses but some years back offered binoculars, some made in China and upper tiered models made in Japan. Their binoculars were panned by birders based upon their top tiered models, Epoch and Icon, that were priced right with Swarovski. They fell short of the mark. In this case the baby got thrown out with the bath water with the loss of two excellent lower priced models, the Eterna and Epoch, when all binos were discontinued. The Japanese made Eterna are quite good wonderfully built worthy of their own discussion and still go for good money. They are built more for the hunter. The real deal is the Echo series. I acquired mine new for $40 shipped. They originally sold in the $250 range. Based on their lowest tier series, the Lite Tech, I wasn’t expecting anything all that much. Mea culpa.

With a 6.5 degree FOV for an 8x and specs indicating a lack of phase coating (which I find hard to believe) I wasn’t expecting much. I actually put off testing them out for a good while but when I finally looked through them it was a “doggone” moment.

First you have excellent resolution and contrast matching the Bushnell Legend M. Sharp and bright. If these binos are not phase corrected then Brunton did something else very, very right. Internal reflections are well controlled which I in part attribute to their Emeral Fire coatings (a unique coating). Edge resolution isn’t quite as good as the Legend M but better than most. There is slight pin-cushioning (bowed inwards) but as a result zero roller balling. The pin-cushioning is only apparent on architectural objects at very close range.

Construction is solid and simple reminding me very much of German austerity. They feel on the light side for their size but that in no way translates into a feeling of cheapness. The rubber armor is understated but yet very grippy. I wouldn’t change the focus wheel at all. Waterproof and nitrogen purged. I have heard that Brunton adds one extra set screw on their prisms to aid in holding collimation. I’m not sure if this is true with the Echo level but it wouldn’t surprise me. The oculars are large offering a somewhat immersive view for 6.5 degrees.

Kudos to Brunton.