Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 8x42 vs Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42
Quick take: The Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42 costs $30 less; the Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42 reaches farther (10x vs 8x); the Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 8x42 has a wider field of view (394 vs 342 ft @ 1000 yds).
Field of view, to scale
Top-down view · drawn to true scale — no exaggeration
Which one to buy
Leupold's new entry-level binocular and a discontinued step-up model land within $30 of each other here, and the older one is the better binocular for most hunters if you can still find it. The Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 8x42 has ED glass, dielectric prism coatings, phase correction, a locking diopter and nitrogen purging. The Alpine also has the friendlier configuration: 394 ft at 1000 yards against 342, a 5.25mm exit pupil against 4.2mm, and 18mm of eye relief against 15mm.
Alpine owners praise a crisp, distortion-free view, easy one-handed focus, weather sealing that held up in coastal Alaska rain, an included shoulder harness case, and Leupold's lifetime guarantee with US service. They also say its sharpness gain over Leupold's entry line is real but small, and its close focus is unremarkable at 13.5 ft.
The Timberline answers with 10x reach, a lighter body at 22 oz against 24.3, focus down to 7.7 ft, the same lifetime warranty, and the plain fact that it is current and easy to buy. For timber, treestands, dusk and glasses, a remaining Alpine 8x42 at $230 is worth the extra $30. The Timberline makes sense for open-country glassing on a budget, or once the Alpine is gone.
Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 8x42
Worth the extra $30 while stock lasts: better-specified glass and a wider, brighter 8x view, though it is discontinued.
Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42
For open-country glassing on a budget, and the one you can still count on finding in stock.
| Spec | Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 8x42 | Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$230 | ~$200 |
| Use case | Hunting | Hunting |
| Magnification | 8x | 10x |
| Objective | 42mm | 42mm |
| Exit pupil | 5.25mm | 4.2mm |
| Field of view | 394 ft @ 1000 yds | 342 ft @ 1000 yds |
| Eye relief | 18mm | 15mm |
| Close focus | 13.5 ft | 7.7 ft |
| Prism | Roof | Roof |
| Glass | HD | HD |
| Coating | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Weight | 24.3 oz | 22 oz |
| Dimensions | 5.5 x 5.0 in | 5.6 x 5.0 in |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime |
Feature comparison
Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 8x42
- ✓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-2 Alpine HD 8x42
- ✓Adds ED-type glass, dielectric prism coatings, and a locking diopter over the entry McKenzie line for only about $60-130 more
- ✓Hands-on reviewers call the view crisp and distortion-free, with bright, accurate color from the BAK4 prism system
- ✓Verifiably sharper than the McKenzie in side-by-side viewing, per travel reviewers who tested Leupold's lines against each other
- ✓Real-world weather testing backs the waterproof/fogproof claims - one reviewer used it in Alaska's temperate-rainforest drizzle without issue
- ✓Ships with Leupold's GO Afield shoulder harness/case that clips to your body, an accessory step up from binoculars in this bracket
- ✓Oversized eyepieces and easy one-handed focus earn comfort praise for long wildlife-watching sessions
- ✓Light and packable for a full-size 42mm, with a durable rubber-armored magnesium-framed build
- ✓Leupold's lifetime guarantee with US-based Oregon service, repeatedly cited by owners as a reason to buy it over import-brand rivals
- ✗The optical gain over the much cheaper BX-1 McKenzie is real but marginal - reviewers say you need a side-by-side comparison to notice it
- ✗It sits in a brutally competitive bracket, and shoppers on forums cross-shopping the Vortex Diamondback HD and Nikon Prostaff P7 don't treat it as a runaway winner
- ✗Leupold's published specs for the line have shifted across versions, which has left forum users asking basic questions about its prism and construction details
- ✗Close focus is unremarkable, so it's not the pick for butterflies or feeder-distance viewing
- ✗Edge-of-field performance doesn't get the specific praise that its center sharpness does in hands-on reviews
- ✗The brand's budget lines are import-made, so you're paying partly for the Leupold name and warranty rather than US-made glass
- ✗Some owners report Leupold's budget-line diopters and clarity trail Vortex equivalents when compared directly
- ✗Leupold now sells it for about $230, which undercuts the Maven C.1, whose direct-to-consumer pricing still buys stronger glass
Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 8x42 vs Leupold BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42: common questions
Is the discontinued Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 8x42 better than the new BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42?▾
On paper, for most hunters, yes. The Alpine has ED glass, dielectric coatings and a locking diopter, and its 8x42 configuration gives a wider 394 ft field, a 5.25mm exit pupil and 18mm of eye relief. The Timberline counters with 10x reach, lighter weight and closer focus.
Which is better for eyeglass wearers, the Leupold BX-2 Alpine HD 8x42 or the BX-2 Timberline HD 10x42?▾
The Alpine 8x42, with 18mm of eye relief against the Timberline's 15mm. More eye relief makes it easier to see the full field with glasses on, so if you glass in eyeglasses the Alpine is the safer of the pair.