WJC
Well-known member
As I visit the forum, I continually see the “this vs that,” as so many struggle to find their version of the ultimate “alpha” binocular. So far, I have avoided endorsing anyone’s bino, knowing that doing so can put your tail in a crack pretty quickly.
Even so, I would like to put my tail in a crack to help forum members and also a worthy importer.
Alpen is a small organization, but I became very impressed with the way they did things when I was buying a lot of things from them, starting in the late 1990s.
When they came to see me, to try to gain Captain’s as an account, they were one of a very few importers to portray themselves as nothing more than what they really were—importers. So many importers sprinkle their sentences with phrases like “we MAKE, we MANUFACTURE, we BUILD, and the like. I didn’t even get a taste of that garbage from the guys at Alpen. They told me they just wanted to provide a good product, at a good price, and, above all, provide superlative customer service. In my 11 years of buying from them, I found that they walked up to the mark in all those areas.
Do they sell some lesser quality instruments? Yes. They try to meet everyone’s price point. Do they sell “alpha” quality binos? Absolutely. Are they sold for the price of a meal at Wendy’s? No. But, when you can buy an instrument that’s 95% of a Zeiss, Leica, or Swarovski for 30% of the cost, I think the situation warrants looking into. No, you don’t get the bragging rights and snob appeal that the well-healed can enjoy. But then, is your purpose observing nature, or struggling to be the envy of all your friends?
My bottom line is that I hope some of our members will give the company a try. Let’s face it: we freely talk about hundreds of Asian binos here when only a few actual manufacturers exist. And those products differ mainly in cosmetics, advertising and price.
Alpen doesn’t have the resources to be in your face 24/7/365 with how wonderful they are or what great binoculars the MAKE. But, for those who want a good product at a good price, they are worth a try. Are their OEMs different from the bizillions of other importers out there? They are not. But, for my money, the honesty, courtesy, and customer support is well worth the effort.
After having said this, I am braced for an owner of some low-cost Alpen product to skin me alive screaming that it was certainly no “alpha” bino. That, however, would say more about commenter than the product. If you have the money, they have the goods, at a price much lower than the ultimate (read: expensive) alphas. Remember, if you can’t see or feel the difference, the difference doesn’t exist.
Finally, NO, I do not work for Alpen, or have ANY connection—financial or otherwise. I just thought you should know. Also, it has been 7 years since I have been with Captain’s, they don’t promote optics as I did, they no longer sell Alpen as many of the other lines that made us the “go to” optics shop north of LA, and last October, the company even changed hands. Thus, I can’t say that Alpen is operating as it did when they sold me on their product and way of doing business. I just know that when people are talking about the great deal they got on their Asian binocular, it would be a shame to leave such a company out of the mix.
I'll crawl back in my hole, now. :cat:
Bill
Even so, I would like to put my tail in a crack to help forum members and also a worthy importer.
Alpen is a small organization, but I became very impressed with the way they did things when I was buying a lot of things from them, starting in the late 1990s.
When they came to see me, to try to gain Captain’s as an account, they were one of a very few importers to portray themselves as nothing more than what they really were—importers. So many importers sprinkle their sentences with phrases like “we MAKE, we MANUFACTURE, we BUILD, and the like. I didn’t even get a taste of that garbage from the guys at Alpen. They told me they just wanted to provide a good product, at a good price, and, above all, provide superlative customer service. In my 11 years of buying from them, I found that they walked up to the mark in all those areas.
Do they sell some lesser quality instruments? Yes. They try to meet everyone’s price point. Do they sell “alpha” quality binos? Absolutely. Are they sold for the price of a meal at Wendy’s? No. But, when you can buy an instrument that’s 95% of a Zeiss, Leica, or Swarovski for 30% of the cost, I think the situation warrants looking into. No, you don’t get the bragging rights and snob appeal that the well-healed can enjoy. But then, is your purpose observing nature, or struggling to be the envy of all your friends?
My bottom line is that I hope some of our members will give the company a try. Let’s face it: we freely talk about hundreds of Asian binos here when only a few actual manufacturers exist. And those products differ mainly in cosmetics, advertising and price.
Alpen doesn’t have the resources to be in your face 24/7/365 with how wonderful they are or what great binoculars the MAKE. But, for those who want a good product at a good price, they are worth a try. Are their OEMs different from the bizillions of other importers out there? They are not. But, for my money, the honesty, courtesy, and customer support is well worth the effort.
After having said this, I am braced for an owner of some low-cost Alpen product to skin me alive screaming that it was certainly no “alpha” bino. That, however, would say more about commenter than the product. If you have the money, they have the goods, at a price much lower than the ultimate (read: expensive) alphas. Remember, if you can’t see or feel the difference, the difference doesn’t exist.
Finally, NO, I do not work for Alpen, or have ANY connection—financial or otherwise. I just thought you should know. Also, it has been 7 years since I have been with Captain’s, they don’t promote optics as I did, they no longer sell Alpen as many of the other lines that made us the “go to” optics shop north of LA, and last October, the company even changed hands. Thus, I can’t say that Alpen is operating as it did when they sold me on their product and way of doing business. I just know that when people are talking about the great deal they got on their Asian binocular, it would be a shame to leave such a company out of the mix.
I'll crawl back in my hole, now. :cat:
Bill
