Vortex Viper HD 10 x 42 Binos

[Ratdog68]

I've been pining for a pair of these ever since I bought a Viper 2-7 x 32 rifle scope. The Viper series binos run (on average) $120 MORE than the "Talon" HD 10 x42. A good friend of mine has the Talons, and challenged me to be able to tell the difference between them.

Today, I was at a local box store for men's toys. I was able to compare them side by side. To be honest, the glass performance between them was (for all intent and purposes) the same. The Vipers are more compact in size, they open 2mm wider than the Talons, they are 2 oz. lighter than the Talons. Japanese glass used for both, same descriptions for the "HD" and coatings, and prism. The Vipers will focus at 5.1 feet, the Talons at 6 feet. The field of view at 1000 yds. is a slightly less with the Vipers (probably due to the overall length difference between the two models). The other difference is a locking diopter adjustment ring on the Vipers, no locking feature with the Talons.

For the money savings, the Talons are NOT an inferior optic (that I can discern). The compactness, the locking diopter ring, and the fact I'm using these for hours on end (daily) at work, I shed a tear for the extra expense for the Vipers. Sportsman's Warehouse price today was $599 for the Vipers and $479 for the Talons.

http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-viper-hd-10x42-binocular

http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-talon-hd-10x42-binocular

Work supplied me with two pair to use, a pair of Leupold (garbage), and a pair of Nikon. Both are 10 x 42, the Nikon are better than the Leupold, but do not begin to compare to these Vortex. I'll try to post up model names of the these when I return to work.

 

[FrankT]

Nice RD, have a safe trip!!

 

[Ratdog68]

Don't head back until Sunday.

 

[FrankT]

you could use those here for bikini watching!

 

[Ratdog68]

And WOULD ! LOL

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

I am very impressed with Vortex glass. The Razor HD II 1-6x is my first from them and it is extremely clear and bright. So far I have not been able to film through the scope and do it any justice.

 

[Ratdog68]

I am very impressed with Vortex glass. The Razor HD II 1-6x is my first from them and it is extremely clear and bright. So far I have not been able to film through the scope and do it any justice.

I've been eyeballing that very scope, as well as the Viper PST unit.

 

[DaveABQ]

I've got the 15x-50 Vortex HD bino's for use during deer season here in New Mexico, they work great.

They don't have the clarity of my Leica bino's that I use for my elk hunt, but still a bargain and much cheaper.

 

[Ratdog68]

Always been curious how good that Leica glass is.

 

[madppcs]

I have the exact pair you posted. (Viper 10x HD) and I love them. They are a little heavy. The glass is very crisp. Id buy them all over again if I had to.

 

[DaveABQ]

Always been curious how good that Leica glass is.

The reason I went with Leica because my friend is the owner of a gun store, I took the Leica's, Swarovski's and others side by side and I felt the Leica's had the best clarity side by side. I have the Leica Trinovid 8x32's for elk hunting, work great because that's all I need since it is bow hunting. Amazing in low light conditions.

 

[Ratdog68]

Cheap binos still have a use though... remove the lenses and give three of them as gifts... as part of a fire starting kit.

 

[Delta4-3]

I have a pair of Vortex bino's from each price point. Obviously each one's image quality correlates directly with it's price, but if you compare a Vortex unit to another manufacturer of the same pricepoint, I think the Vortex looks better. The best thing about Vortex is the warranty. No matter how you break something, even you shoot your spotting scope, they will replace it with no questions asked.