I recommend actually trying a few. I was looking at premium compact binoculars several years ago and it turned out that the Leica 10x were the best for my requirements. They have excellent eye relief and allow me to get full advantage of the binocular without taking off my glasses. The adjustments are also excellent. They were better ergonomically that the Swarovskis too. The Leupolds didn't seem as good, at least not on ergonomic considerations.
It is really worth a road trip to a big outdoor store, if you don't live near one already.
In summary, the brand is significant, but the model is too, and it has to be a good match for what you expect to use it for.
By the way, eye strain is not a problem with my compacts. I can glass with them for hours without problems. The only trade-off that they are not as good as others in low-light situations. This is a small tradeoff for me, as they seem to work well even in forest during fall and winter hunting. They are too dim before shooting hours and after shooting hours, so that's not a limitation for me.
