The Best Leupold Binoculars of all In A Nutshell

Leupold binoculars are devices that the US Navy and US Merchant Marine used during World War II. Therefore, their quality has been guaranteed and improved over the years. Nowadays, people usually use these popular binoculars for various uses, including nature observation, hunting, hiking, and fishing.

Overview of Leupold binoculars: Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD binoculars

Leupold products include different series, ranging from affordable to high-end price tag. Among them, the BX-2 Alpin HD Series receives much attention from users due to their reasonable price and outstanding performance. 

Though there are numerous models in this series, the 10×42 and the 12×52 are the best-sellers. Both are in full size, but the latter offers you more light to better deal with low light conditions. 

To know more about what they offer, let’s look at the specs table below (collated from Leupold homepage)

Technical Data	Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 10×42	Leupold BX-2 Alpine 12×52
Brand	Leupold	Leupold
Size	Full-size Binoculars	Full-size Binoculars
Magnification	10x	12x
Objective Lens	42mm	52mm
Exit Pupil	4.2mm	4.3mm
Twilight Factors	20.5	25
FOV	368ft	261ft
Minimum Focus	13.5ft/4.1m	12.5ft/3.8m
Eye Relief	15mm	16mm
Prism	Roof – Schmidt/Pechan	Roof – Schmidt/Pechan
Focusing	Centre Focus	Centre Focus
Diopter Adjustment	Right eye	Right eye
Optical Quality	Prisms and Prism Coatings: BaK4-glass Lens coating: Fully Multi-Coated Optics. Glass type used: High Definition (HD). Light transmission = 98 %	Prisms and Prism Coatings: BaK4-glass Lens coating: Fully Multi-Coated Optics. Glass type used: High Definition (HD). Light transmission = 98 %
Gas Filled	Nitrogen	Nitrogen
Weatherproof	Waterproof and Fogproof	Waterproof and Fogproof
Chassis Material	Magnesium Alloy	Magnesium Alloy
Uses	Birding Outdoor Sports Hunting Traveling Wildlife Observation General use	Birding Outdoor Sports Hunting Traveling Wildlife Observation General use

As you can see, the specifications of both binoculars are similar. To provide you with a better understanding of Leupold binoculars, let us analyze the Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 12×52. Let’s save the HD 10×42 model for the next time reviewing.

Detailed Review and Analysis of these Leupold binoculars

User-friendly construction and solid build quality 

The BX-2 Alpine HD 12×52 binoculars have 3-position locking eyecups so that you can easily use them with shade or glasses. The magnesium alloy body also makes them durable and superlight. 

The rubberized coating provides you with a sure and comfortable grip, even in harsh weather like the rain. The oversized focus wheel  turns well and easily, allowing you to quickly focus when looking at the lenses. 

Best optic quality

Leupold makes these with such clear glass that they are excellent at gathering light on the inside. The large 52mm objective lens even performs better than others. They reduce 85% of glare coming from reflective targets and provide great eyebox use for maximum clarity at edge.

In particular, they feature the Leupold light management system, which improves their low-light performance. The system can also add an extra 20 minutes of viewing time at sunrise and sunset.

Lifetime warranty

Customers always feel assured of the quality since the brand stands behind its products. Leupold offers the lifetime guarantee with no questions. They warrant these binoculars for life and replace or repair them in case of a break.

Weak points

Warm color cast

There is a bit of yellow color cast to everything. It is slight, and you probably won’t notice if you only look through these binoculars. From a realistic perspective, it does not matter the image quality.  But if you care about that and you compare these with others, then it is.

Loose lens cover

The lens cover does not come up to our expectations. They are so loose that they tend to fall off easily. You had better pay attention to that problem to protect your lens better.

Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 12×52 vs. Athlon Optics Argo G2 HD 12×50

With all advanced features and performance, the Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 12×52 deserves to be one of the best mid-priced binoculars. After looking at the comparison table between Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 12×52 and Athlon Optics Argo G2 HD 12×50 below, we can see the reasons why.

Factors	Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 12×52	Athlon Optics Argo G2 HD 12×50
EASE OF ADJUSTMENT	9	8
CLARITY	10	9
BRIGHTNESS	9.5	8.5
COMFORT	9	9
CONSTRUCTION QUALITY	9	9.5
FOV	9	9
MINIMUM FOCUS	10	8
PRICE	9	8
BRAND AND WARRANTY	10	9

Both binoculars utilize roof prisms and fully multi-coated lenses for maximum optics quality. However, delivering images’ brightness, clarity, and sharpness is Leupold’s strength, thanks to their unique Twilight Max management system.

Besides image quality, Leupold is also famous for magnification. Many users admitted that their products are much better and higher than other competitors with the same magnification. Therefore, it is understandable that their close focus is well-rated compared to that of Athlon Optics binoculars.

Nonetheless, despite being available at a lower price, Athlon Optics Argo G2 HD 12×50 brings a more comfortable feeling when holding. The manufacturer focuses on construction with lightweight magnesium body chassis and Xtra protective layer coating. 

To sum up, both Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 12×52 and Athlon Optics Argo G2 HD 12×50 are worth the price with outstanding build and image quality. We highly appreciate the former with better optics performance in both full and low light conditions. Meanwhile, the latter is also a competitive binoculars at the lower price range. 

The Bottom Line of these Leupold binoculars

Whether you are looking for a source of smoke or focusing on a flock of vultures, having these Leupold binoculars will come in handy. In particular, the Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 12×52 binoculars are also amazing at observing outdoor events. You might question why you did not purchase them sooner.

At the affordable price of these binoculars and a great warranty policy, you might want to hold them in your hands immediately. Their construction and performance will never let you down.

In case you are still confused about these binoculars, or in two minds of any Leupold ones, reach us in the comment section below.

Thank you for reading!