Glass for Every Budget | Choosing a 10x42 Binocular from Vortex

Not all 10x42 binoculars are created equal, and the price tags show that! We went to the Vortex headquarters to get a detailed rundown of their 5 different options.
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[@robinsok]

This talk came out a little bit like, buy the $1500 razors, and there was relatively little talk about anything else.

[@jamesbradney2450]

I know.. right? Is there no way to "see" through the lens on video. Obviously it's not going to be wicked precise but would give you some representation I bet. Maybe I just needed a more basic intro video. Will keep looking.

[@kylepawelczyk163]

That’s because they don’t have to pay for them, it’s free

[@robinsok]

@@kylepawelczyk163 obviously. But that doesn't mean it's a helpful video to the consumer. I'm sure for most folks, $1500 binocs are not something you purchase lightly, if at all.

[@BobEllis79]

To my eyes the Viper HD is the value sweet spot in the Vortex lineup. The Diamondbacks are sharp but I can spot color fringing pretty easily whenever I look through one. The Viper HD is much better in this regard. The Razors are better still but it's less about correcting defects and more about further refinement of the image. Of course as Mike said each person's eyes will discern these optical changes differently.

[@josephhopkins2851]

The Viper model fights well above it's weight class and is the sweet spot for most hunters. It's a price most hunters are okay with and I don't think you can beat it at that price. They're so good even they have to give them the honorable mention on a podcast about why you should buy their most expensive ones.

[@Humble452]

Great job guys and gals! really enjoyed this educational video on binoculars, learned a few things and I am grateful to you all. GOD Bless!

[@Middlewick]

There may be little differences between the models, but it comes down to: Are the Razor UHD 10 times better than the Crossfire for 10 times the price?

[@TheXone7]

Definitely not. Based on my research Viper is already very high quality of glass and there is not as much difference above it.

[@kentuckyleisure4289]

So, where are the porros. It would have been nice to have your raptors there to compare against these

[@jeepmor]

Nice geek out, guy in the black jacket needs a grease board to show us all the ray tracing.

[@bernabemachadoferre4537]

Ha sido muy interesante. Saber que unos ojos apreciarán mas que otros la diferencia de calidad. Y que es en mala luz donde más se destacan los supremos. Gracias.

[@justinholman1096]

I will agree on the small differences between models. Between my viper and my Buddy’s diamondback hd, there isn’t a big jump in discernible difference between them.

[@marinjokautz4542]

Totally agree with you. Intensively looked through both (12x50), but did not see any difference or maybe a very small difference. But it is very hard to see it. A few months later, I compared the Diamondback and Viper spotting scopes (20-60x85). They use the same glass as the binoculars. With the big magnifications I could see the difference much better. So, it takes real big magnifications, before you see the limits of the Diamondback-glass. At small objects at large distances it became clear. For example: branches at 2 miles away are getting vague with the Diamonback and were significant sharper with the Viper.

[@miked2503]

I'd like to remove my eyeglasses or safety glasses at the range for spotting, but we can't take off eye glasses at the shooting range to look thru binoculars.

[@dichotomousblue]

Shocking, those who sell the binos all say to buy themost expensive. WEIRD!

[@huntinfool_official]

If they weren't able to say that, they probably shouldn't be making them!

[@full_metal2452]

Sig zulu vs vortex?

[@readyalready4697]

Copperhead 👍 Yes I'm from the future

[@shootingatshadow]

My Japan made Viper HDs were awesome, the newer Chinese ones are not as good

[@patricj951]

I have not compared the different Vipers side by side. But I have a Viper HD 6x32 from 2012. Japan made and a true keeper I will never will get rid of. And I was dissapointed when I tried Viper HD 8x42 and found it has not sufficient eye relief for eyeglasses for me. Vortex has sacrified eye relief in order to get wider field of view.

[@BobEllis79]

I find the 2nd Gen Viper HD better than the original 1st Gen models, Japanese or otherwise.

[@patricj951]

5 different 10x42 from the same brand! It seems a bit overkill. Is there any other brand with so many options of same configuration?

[@slyfox720]

Sportsman werehouse had the vortex diamondback(non hd) 10x42 $129 Black Friday deal.. they also had the vortex triumph hd for 99.00 would the triumph be an upgrade since they have hd optics?

[@brons5256]

I tried both of them out yesterday With the florescent lighting inside, for me they seem very similar in image quality and brightness in center lens but would say the diamondback (non hd) had a little advantage on the lens being tad sharper/clear on the outer edge lens/off center

[@brons5256]

I do own the diamondback HD and they are definitely brighter and way clear from center lens to off center lens, my eyes feel more relaxed at longer glassing times

[@slyfox720]

thanks for the insight!! Having owned Leupold before,(10 years ago), I decided on the Leupold BX-2 Alpines! But thank you for your input! @@brons5256

[@homsandwitch4488]

No the triumphs are ass, go with the old school DB’s

[@sseni8888]

Too much talking in circles to wear you down to spending the big bucks

[@UnknownUser-fe5zu]

Great presentation, I have a pair of Diamondback 12-50. The thing that sold me the most was their warranty, lost, stolen, dropped off a cliff or fell off the ATV. They will be replaced.

[@aquaman6081]

They'll replace stolen? Lol

[@Draz930]

​@aquaman6081 and probably they gonna send him $100 for stress

[@thomasnunya1438]

Seriously lost? Seriously lost? Because that’s unheard of!

[@robinsok]

Their warranty does not say it will replace a set that's been lost.

[@larbueno]

Vortex WILL NOT replace stolen & lost binoculars! Just think about it a little and you'll realize it would be impossible to honor such a ridiculously loose warranty!

[@andydufresnejr]

I don't understand why there would be information that only talking to a sales rep would you ever find out. How is not everything about the product that a consumer should know to use to differentiate between products not even in the manuals?

[@MrPalmelia]

Why the women are note say everything

[@VRafaZ]

This is a mans sport