Bushnell Legend 10x42 vs Leupold BX-3 Alpine HD 10x42
Quick take: The Bushnell Legend 10x42 costs $10 less; the Leupold BX-3 Alpine HD 10x42 has a wider field of view (342 vs 315 ft @ 1000 yds).
Field of view, to scale
Top-down view · drawn to true scale — no exaggeration
Which one to buy
For $10 more you get a current binocular instead of a discontinued one, and that is most of the decision. The Leupold BX-3 Alpine HD 10x42 moved the Alpine HD name up to Leupold's mid tier, with a magnesium chassis, a 342 ft field against the Legend's 315 ft, 16mm of eye relief against 15.2mm, and Leupold's Lifetime warranty against Bushnell's Limited Lifetime. Weight is a wash at 22.6 oz and 22.8 oz. The Bushnell Legend 10x42 is discontinued, with a newer Bushnell replacing it.
The Legend has ED glass, dielectric coatings and phase-corrected prisms. Legend owners, though, describe color fringing in high-contrast light, softness in the outer 30% of the view, and eye relief right on the boundary for glasses, while praising a clean center, a smooth focus wheel and sealing that held up from summer heat to ten below. They also say it is not the tool for long open-country glassing.
The BX-3 is too new to have a track record, so its case is the newer design and the warranty. At nearly the same price, a current model with a wider view, a little more eye relief and Leupold's coverage is the safer buy for most hunters. The Legend only makes sense if leftover stock is discounted well below $290.
Bushnell Legend 10x42
Only if leftover stock turns up well below $290, for a whitetail hunter who wants a light 10x for short sits.
Leupold BX-3 Alpine HD 10x42
The safer choice for most hunters at $10 more: a current model with a wider view, a magnesium body and Leupold's Lifetime warranty.
| Spec | Bushnell Legend 10x42 | Leupold BX-3 Alpine HD 10x42 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$290 | ~$300 |
| Use case | Hunting | Hunting |
| Magnification | 10x | 10x |
| Objective | 42mm | 42mm |
| Exit pupil | 4.2mm | 4.1mm |
| Field of view | 315 ft @ 1000 yds | 342 ft @ 1000 yds |
| Eye relief | 15.2mm | 16mm |
| Close focus | 6 ft | 6.2 ft |
| Prism | Roof | Roof |
| Glass | ED | HD |
| Coating | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Weight | 22.8 oz | 22.6 oz |
| Dimensions | 5.5 x 5.0 in | 5.7 x 5.0 in |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime | Lifetime |
Feature comparison
Bushnell Legend 10x42
- ✓ED Glass
- ✓Phase-Corrected
- ✓Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✗Locking Diopter
Leupold BX-3 Alpine HD 10x42
- ✗ED Glass
- ✗Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✓Magnesium Body
- ✗Locking Diopter
What birders say
Bushnell Legend 10x42
- ✓One owner of the line reported clean, distortion-free optics out to about 70% of the field before edge softening begins - respectable for the price bracket
- ✓An owner comparing tiers found the Legend L-series 10x42 outperformed a Leupold BX-1 McKenzie 12x50 outright
- ✓Phase-corrected BaK-4 prisms and fully multi-coated optics - the spec sheet reads a class above the sub-$200 price
- ✓Water-repellent exterior lens coating sheds rain, sleet, and snow - proven 'as advertised' in extended field testing of the line
- ✓Light for a full-size 10x42 at under 23 oz, easy on the neck for all-day carry
- ✓Smooth focus wheel and soft-touch rubber armor drew consistent praise in hands-on testing of the current generation
- ✓Nitrogen-purged and genuinely fogproof - the line ran from summer heat to minus-10 winter sits without internal fogging
- ✗Eye relief around 15mm is the line's known weak point at 10x - reviewers called it 'right on the boundary' for eyeglass wearers to see the full field
- ✗The 4.2mm exit pupil gives up low-light performance to the 8x42 version, a real trade-off for last-light deer movement
- ✗Absolute sharpness trails premium glass - in comparison testing the Legend family ranked below $400+ competitors even if the gap was small in practice
- ✗Edge-of-field softness in the outer 30% of the view, noticeable when panning or star-testing
- ✗Chromatic aberration is visible in high-contrast scenes, and an owner comparing generations noted Bushnell's newer budget lines still fight fringing
- ✗Confusing model history - Legend Ultra HD, E/L/M series, and the current Legend all share the name with different optics, muddying research and used-market shopping
- ✗Basic included accessories, with no premium case or harness in the box
- ✗Not suited to long open-country glassing sessions - field testers drew that line for the whole Legend family
Bushnell Legend 10x42 vs Leupold BX-3 Alpine HD 10x42: common questions
Is the Leupold BX-3 Alpine HD 10x42 worth $10 more than the discontinued Bushnell Legend 10x42?▾
For most buyers, yes. The BX-3 is still in production, has a wider 342 ft field, slightly more eye relief and a magnesium body, and carries Leupold's Lifetime warranty. The Legend is discontinued, so it only competes when discounted.
Which is better for glasses, the Bushnell Legend 10x42 or the Leupold BX-3 Alpine HD 10x42?▾
Neither is generous. The BX-3 has 16mm of eye relief and the Legend 15.2mm, which Legend owners call right on the boundary for seeing the full field in glasses. Eyeglass wearers should try either one before buying.