anybody using Alpen Rainier 8 x 42 ?? (1 Viewer)

[triodes]

No one anywhere near me stocks them for me to take a look.

They seem to be well thought of, are right in my price range, seem to be a top performer - near alpha for half the price.

I did see where one reviewer had a problem with the diopter adjustment frequently loosing its setting. I was thinking I saw that on allbinos, but when I looked for it just now, didn't find it.

If you have used, or are using or know someone that has been using the rainier 8 x 42 HD ED, please share your experiences and observations on this thread.

I would think that diopter adjustment loosing it's setting would be a repair made under warranty.

Quite interested in these ever since I saw a poster here state they were alpha class or quite close.

 

[bh46118]

Dennis has a pair.

 

[joe101]

Dennis has a pair.

But that isn't helpful to anyone.

 

[winwinbino]

I once owned and used both non-HD and HD Rainier but in 10x42. Didn't experience any diopter problem since they have a locking mechanism.

View is stunning and IMHO better than Leupold GR. Well worth consideration if weight is not an issue.

 

[triodes]

Dennis has a pair.

Don't know who Dennis is, maybe he will post to this thread.

I once owned and used both non-HD and HD Rainier but in 10x42. Didn't experience any diopter problem since they have a locking mechanism.

View is stunning and IMHO better than Leupold GR. Well worth consideration if weight is not an issue.

Good to hear about the diopter, in addition to the other postive comments.

I'm thinking seriously about going ahead and buying a pair, as long as I have the right to return.

I asked a question on Amazon about possible return if I didn't like them but have had no response at this point. Not very encouraging about returns if they do not respond to a question.

I'm thinking these would be a great way to get attempt to get serious about birdwatching without springing for an Aplha pair. Weight spec is 2 oz more than Zeiss Victory HT

 

[eitanaltman]

by all accounts they are excellent binoculars, basically only bested by the best-of-the-best alphas (Swaro SV, Nikon EDG, Zeiss FL/HT). They rank very highly in Allbinos tests and were the "best of the 2nd tier" in the recent birdwatching.com test here: http://birdwatching.com/optics/2012highendbins/review.html

Alpen is somewhat of an underrated brand on this forum but the reviews of their models are all positive, those who have had the Rainier HD ED have said very good things about them. I've owned the regular (non ED) Rainiers in 8x32 format and they are excellent, the build quality especially is just top notch. They also have a faultless warranty. I think there's no reason to think they aren't an excellent option at the ~$1k price point.

Other options you might want to consider in that price bracket is the Vortex Razor HD and the Ziess Conquest HD. The Razor HD is the lightest of the bunch if that matters to you.

 

[Steve C]

triodes,

I will just make a general comment here. I have no experience with the Rainier. I have see few Alpen products, but those all seem very good optics. The thing is, you are at the point where there are any number of binoculars that will be excellent performers. Trying to improve much past what you get at the Rainier price level will be difficult. It is not that improvement does not likely exist, it does. What differences you find with higher price stuff will be minor.

Personally, the Rainier interests me a fair amount. Allbinos gave it a good review and it came through their endurance test with its flag flying high.

Eitanaltman gave you some comparable glass. I could maybe add a couple of more.

I would suggest that since you are leaning toward them, I'd buy a set from someplace with a top notch return for exchange or refund policy.

Try it. I think you will probably like it. If you like it use it, and I'd suggest you ignore places like this. One can worry too much over the question of "Well I really like my Rainier, but I really wonder if a (insert name) might be better.

 

[bh46118]

Seems as if Dennis has left the building.

Don't know who Dennis is, maybe he will post to this thread.

 

[triodes]

Good advice in this thread. Thanks for the input.

I ordered a pair with full return privileges.

I liked the bressers better than what I had on hand. So, I thought the Alpen Rainers would be a big step up.

Good enough that if I am going to get interested in birding and go further with it then the Rainiers should work fine.

Later on, if I really get into birding, I will have enough experience with near Alpha to know which alpha model will suit me.

Or I may be just fine with the Rainiers.

 

[eitanaltman]

If the difference between the Bressers and the Alpen Rainier HD ED is X, then the difference between the Rainier and a "real" alpha will probably be something like X/10. As Steve wisely advised, further incremental improvements will be smaller and smaller beyond the $1k price point....

Also it's likely that X isn't THAT big either, the optics of today's $200-300 Chinese ED binoculars are already pretty darn good.

 

[triodes]

Also it's likely that X isn't THAT big either, the optics of today's $200-300 Chinese ED binoculars are already pretty darn good.

This is pretty much what I am thinking may be the case. Plus, unless I get into birding more than I am now, I really won't have very much need for something nicer.

 

[greendeere37]

This is my first post on this forum, So hello to everyone! I would like to add a little known but great fact about Alpen Optics. Not only is their lifetime warranty and service department great, but if you upgrade to the new Rainiers they give you tremendous deals. Actually hundreds of dollars off the list price to trade in an inexpensive Alpen model to get the top of the line model. You deal directly with Alpen and not through a dealer or on line source. I have owned quite a few of the binoculars and a couple scopes also.

 

[Dennis Mau]

This is my first post on this forum, So hello to everyone! I would like to add a little known but great fact about Alpen Optics. Not only is their lifetime warranty and service department great, but if you upgrade to the new Rainiers they give you tremendous deals. Actually hundreds of dollars off the list price to trade in an inexpensive Alpen model to get the top of the line model. You deal directly with Alpen and not through a dealer or on line source. I have owned quite a few of the binoculars and a couple scopes also.

Ok. I had the Alpen Rainiers 8x42 ED's and I was pretty satisfied with them except for the weight and the size. To be honest they are kind of bulky. The optics are really very close to alpha level optics. The eyecups are solid but after awhile I got tired of having to turn the eyecup clockwise to release it. I kept thinking about Frank's Bresser's 8x42 ED and how I liked the view but got pissed off when the eyecup came loose. Well, I decided to try them again. In the meantime I tried several models of Steiner's because I have never tried Steiner's. The Steiner's are well built but save your money because for birding the optics are only fair compared to the Chinese ED stuff that is coming out. So Frank will love this. I bought ANOTHER pair of the Bresser's for around $200 shipped. I received them and they seemed perfect in perfect order and the eyecups even seemed tight. So I figured I would have a showdown between the Bresser's and the Alpen's because I only need one pair of roofs. So which ones did I keep? The Bresser's. Here's why.

Ergonomically the Bresser's beat the Alpen's hands down. They are shorter, more compact and lighter and the tubes are narrower so your hands fit them more like a Swarovski EL. The fact is the Bresser's are really a comfortable binocular to use. It is amazing they are as small and light as they are being a full size 42mm. The eyecups are comfortable and I really don't get many blackouts with them at all. The armouring is much like the Alpen's being very comfortable. As Frank said they are a sweet little binoculars to hold and use. The case and strap are great and so are the tethered objective covers being very easy to put on and take off. The Alpen's objective covers are nice but they are a pain in the a to put on and take off.

What about the optics. After all we are comparing a $1100 binocular to a $200 binocular. The Alpen might have a 5% bigger sweetspot but the Bresser makes up for it with it's bigger FOV. CA control is about even in both binoculars. I did my usual test and found both binoculars to control CA excellent within the sweetspot and in my opinion very good at the edge. Contrast on both was excellent as was DOF. The ED binoculars seem to have an advantage when it comes to contrast. In my opinion that is where their big advantage lies. The ED glass seems to produce a more vibrant crisp almost lifelike image. When you compare an ED glass binocular to a non-ED glass binocular it is like somebody turned up the contrast on the ED glass binocular. Compare an ED glass binocular to something like the Canon 10x30 IS and you will see what I mean. The Canon has a flat lifeless image compared to the ED glass binocular. Also, as Frank said in his review of the Bresser's many binoculars are brighter as are the Alpen's because of the color bias. The Bresser's have a warm color bias which tends to make their apparent brightness less than the Alpen's which are more neutral and lack this bias making them appear brighter. The on-axis sharpness to my eyes was just as sharp in the Bresser's as the Alpen's. I compared them and compared them and although the Alpen's might be 5% better optically I decided they were definitely not 5 times better and they were definitely not worth $900 more than the Bresser's. I really preferred the bigger FOV on the Bresser's also. I got my Habicht 8x30's out to compare the on-axis sharpness of the Bresser's because my Habicht's are the sharpest binoculars I have seen and the Bresser's are very close to the Habicht's. They are as Frank said about as sharp as anything you are going to see on-axis.

I have been using the Bresser's birding and they give a great view of the bird and after having many alpha binoculars and the best porro's made I don't feel I am sacrificing anything with these. They are also a great handling binocular and I appreciate the 42mm lens when it starts getting dark. It does help and with these it adds little weight.
Last edited by [email protected] : Today at 22:44.

 

[BruceH]

This is my first post on this forum, So hello to everyone!

I would like to add a little known but great fact about Alpen Optics. Not only is their lifetime warranty and service department great, but if you upgrade to the new Rainiers they give you tremendous deals. Actually hundreds of dollars off the list price to trade in an inexpensive Alpen model to get the top of the line model. You deal directly with Alpen and not through a dealer or on line source.........

Greendeere37,

Welcome and hello to you too!

Thanks for the excellent tip about the Alpen Shop taking trade-ins. I did not know that. I have a 12X50 Alpen Apex that I bought new last year to hold me over till I could find a fair deal on a used 12.5X50 discontinued Bushell Elite. I figured it would take a year or more. Of course I came across one a few weeks after getting the Alpen. The Alpen 12X50 is a very nice binocular, but I feel obligated to use the Bushnell when I want a 12 so the poor Alpen never gets used. I will have to wander over to the Alpen web site and revisit their offerings. I keep seeng comments that the Rainier is better than the Leupold Gold Ring. Ummm.....

 

[BruceH]

Follow-up comments on the Upgrade Program

I did follow-up with Alpen on their Upgrade Program. I think it would best be described as a program that allows them to give discounts on their products sold directly by them.

I went to the web site but could not find any info. I then tried a Google search without success. I then called a couple of times but each time the person in charge of the program was not available. However the lady who answered the phone the second time did go to the location in the building were this person was at and relayed the information between us. I never did speak directly with the person running the program.

I was interested in the 8X32 Rainier. Turns out this binocular is being discontinued and they have reduced it to the closeout price of $485. I was told I would have to pay $400 plus send them my near new 12X50 Alpen Apex in order to receive the 8X32 Rainier. Basically I think the trade-in is just a mechanism to offer the discount. I concluded they are willing to discount the Rainier an additional $85. If I had gone for the offer, then that would have put a value of $85 on my 12X50. That is not realistic considering their store is selling it for $381. Of course I declined the offer.

I suspect if I wanted to buy an 8X42 Rainer ED at the non close-out price of $1,120, then I would have received a "trade-in" price of hundreds of dollars because they would of had a larger profit margin to work with. If I had been speaking directly with the person running the program I would have asked.

If this were a true trade-in program, then the trade-in would be worth the same no matter what unit you were buying. I doubt if that is the case. If anyone knows more about the program, it would be great to read your comments.

 

[Dennis Mau]

I did follow-up with Alpen on their Upgrade Program. I think it would best be described as a program that allows them to give discounts on their products sold directly by them.

I went to the web site but could not find any info. I then tried a Google search without success. I then called a couple of times but each time the person in charge of the program was not available. However the lady who answered the phone the second time did go to the location in the building were this person was at and relayed the information between us. I never did speak directly with the person running the program.

I was interested in the 8X32 Rainier. Turns out this binocular is being discontinued and they have reduced it to the closeout price of $485. I was told I would have to pay $400 plus send them my near new 12X50 Alpen Apex in order to receive the 8X32 Rainier. Basically I think the trade-in is just a mechanism to offer the discount. I concluded they are willing to discount the Rainier an additional $85. If I had gone for the offer, then that would have put a value of $85 on my 12X50. That is not realistic considering their store is selling it for $381. Of course I declined the offer.

I suspect if I wanted to buy an 8X42 Rainer ED at the non close-out price of $1,120, then I would have received a "trade-in" price of hundreds of dollars because they would of had a larger profit margin to work with. If I had been speaking directly with the person running the program I would have asked.

If this were a true trade-in program, then the trade-in would be worth the same no matter what unit you were buying. I doubt if that is the case. If anyone knows more about the program, it would be great to read your comments.

That sounds like a used car lot taking trades. You get more for your trade on the fully loaded model.

 

[David in NC]

This is my first post on this forum, So hello to everyone! I would like to add a little known but great fact about Alpen Optics. Not only is their lifetime warranty and service department great, but if you upgrade to the new Rainiers they give you tremendous deals. Actually hundreds of dollars off the list price to trade in an inexpensive Alpen model to get the top of the line model. You deal directly with Alpen and not through a dealer or on line source. I have owned quite a few of the binoculars and a couple scopes also.

GAWD! I wished Vortex did this!


I sank mucho dinero into a set of 1st Generation Razors and they then added two major upgrades in 3 years!

I would love to sell mine but I've had no luck... ||||

 

[hawken 12]

My son dropped his fairly cheap model of Alpen roofs out of his treestand 2 years ago, into deep snow. He was not able to find them for a few weeks and when he did one objective lens was cracked, had a piece missing out of it and it was full of dirt and water. He was not really too concerned about it as he had bought them used at a flea market for $25. I told him about the no fault warranty and showed him my new 8x42 Rainier HD-ED. He called and was able to upgrade to this model for $729.00 total by trading in his old cracked ones. They did not asked what happened to them or want to see his purchase receipt. You just have to love a great American company like this, reminds me of Thompson Center Arms.

 

[Dennis Mau]

Not many places that would do that.

 

[Tantien]

:hi:

FYI: I've never seen these go for this low:

http://www.sale-telescopes.com/products/Alpen-8x42-Rainier-HD-ED-Binoculars.html

Price: $575.00
Shipping (Flat Rate Per Order): $135.00
Grand Total: $710.00

The huge shipping is because they are in Indonesia BTW, but even then the total is pretty low. Anyone tempted?