Leupold BX-1 McKenzie HD 10x42 vs Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42
Quick take: The Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42 has a wider field of view (342 vs 304 ft @ 1000 yds).
Field of view, to scale
Top-down view · drawn to true scale — no exaggeration
Which one to buy
Leupold has discontinued the BX-1 McKenzie HD 10x42 and replaced it at the same $200 with the BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42, so this is less a choice than a check that the successor is an upgrade. On paper it is, in exactly the places McKenzie owners complained. Eye relief rises to 15mm from 12mm, the McKenzie's weakest spot by owners' accounts, where glasses wearers wished it worked better. The field widens to 342 ft at 1000 yards from 304, which owners said made the McKenzie harder to aim at 10x, and close focus improves to 7.7 ft from 9.8. Weight stays at 22 oz, and the lifetime warranty carries over.
What McKenzie owners liked was the light weight, a bright view for the money, grippy armor, full weather sealing, and Leupold's US-based service. The Timberline is waterproof, fogproof and tripod adaptable; check Leupold's current specs before assuming the McKenzie's phase-correction coatings, rubber armor and nitrogen purging carried over.
Unless you find a new McKenzie well under $200, the Timberline is the one to take. If you do find one, know that its 12mm of eye relief rules it out for most people who glass in eyeglasses.
Leupold BX-1 McKenzie HD 10x42
Discontinued; only worth it at a real discount, and only for someone who glasses without eyeglasses, given its 12mm eye relief.
Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42
The current Leupold at $200, with more eye relief, a wider field and closer focus than the model it replaces.
| Spec | Leupold BX-1 McKenzie HD 10x42 | Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$200 | ~$200 |
| Use case | Hunting | Hunting |
| Magnification | 10x | 10x |
| Objective | 42mm | 42mm |
| Exit pupil | 4.2mm | 4.2mm |
| Field of view | 304 ft @ 1000 yds | 342 ft @ 1000 yds |
| Eye relief | 12mm | 15mm |
| Close focus | 9.8 ft | 7.7 ft |
| Prism | Roof | Roof |
| Glass | HD | HD |
| Coating | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Weight | 22 oz | 22 oz |
| Dimensions | 5.7 x 5.0 in | 5.6 x 5.0 in |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime |
Feature comparison
Leupold BX-1 McKenzie HD 10x42
- ✗ED Glass
- ✓Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✗Locking Diopter
Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42
- ✗ED Glass
- ✗Phase-Corrected
- ✗Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✗Magnesium Body
- ✗Locking Diopter
What birders say
Leupold BX-1 McKenzie HD 10x42
- ✓10x reach at a street price under $200 makes it one of the cheapest credible open-country glassing options from a major brand
- ✓Still very light for a 10x42 at 22 oz - owners say it carries and holds comfortably for hours
- ✓Image quality repeatedly described as outstanding for the price bracket, with bright views from phase-coated BAK4 prisms and fully multi-coated lenses
- ✓Solid, grippy polymer-and-rubber build that owners praise for secure handling
- ✓Fully waterproof, fogproof, and nitrogen purged - real weather sealing at a budget price
- ✓Leupold's lifetime guarantee with US-based Oregon service; owners report even drop damage getting repaired
- ✓Budget shoppers on forums repeatedly land on it as the value pick when cross-shopping Vortex's entry lines
- ✗Only 12mm of eye relief - the tightest in the McKenzie family, and glasses wearers specifically report wishing the eye relief worked better
- ✗The 4.2mm exit pupil dims faster at dawn and dusk than the 8x42's 5.25mm, exactly when hunters need the glass most
- ✗304 ft field of view is narrow, and combined with 10x hand-shake it makes finding and tracking animals harder for beginners
- ✗No ED glass, so color fringing control trails ED-equipped rivals in the same aisle like the Vortex Diamondback HD
- ✗Experienced hunters who compared them head-to-head have preferred the Diamondback HD, citing clarity and the McKenzie's diopter adjustment
- ✗Scattered quality-control complaints from buyers, including debris found sealed inside lenses and one owner's pair falling apart
- ✗9.8 ft close focus limits double-duty use for close-range nature watching
- ✗Basic accessory kit - no harness or upgraded case like the step-up Alpine line includes
Leupold BX-1 McKenzie HD 10x42 vs Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42: common questions
Is the Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42 better than the BX-1 McKenzie HD 10x42 it replaces?▾
On paper, yes. At the same $200 it adds eye relief (15mm against 12mm), a wider 342 ft field against 304 ft, and closer focus at 7.7 ft against 9.8 ft, all points McKenzie owners raised. Weight and the lifetime warranty are unchanged.
Can glasses wearers use the Leupold BX-1 McKenzie HD 10x42 or the BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42?▾
The McKenzie's 12mm of eye relief is its weakest spot, and owners specifically say glasses wearers struggle with it. The Timberline's 15mm is a real improvement but still modest, so test it with your glasses on before relying on it.