Are Vortex Razor UHD refurbished the best deal on binoculars?

[Jaegerr]

I’ve been shopping for binoculars for a while. I have $1000 budgeted in this section of my kit, I wish I had more but NL pures arent in my future anytime soon. Sierra has Razor UHD’s for $900, sometimes less. Considering they “retail” for much higher, does any binocular beat it for the money? Maybe a pair of SLC’s but I’ve found one pair close on the classifieds but they’re 21 year old pair of SLC’s for $950. Does anything else provide the same optical quality in an 8 or 10 power for the same and/or less? Disregarding weight in this situation for now.

 

[hereinaz]

The UHD are excellent for that price. I ran the 12x HD and later the 18x UHD. They were a huge step up and to get another step it takes you a few hundred to make it.

Budget, get the UHD and go forth.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Used meoptas are less than that and probably better glass and build than anything vortex

 

[WormSportsman]

If I had $900 firm to spend on a pair of binos those UHD’s would be it. I think they are a great value with good glass for under a grand.

 

[waspocrew]

For $900, the UHD is a great bino.

 

[JLH3]

I have a set of 10x42’s. I love them.

 

[Agross]

Slc’s can be gotten for a grand, with a little patience

 

[Jaegerr]

Used meoptas are less than that and probably better glass and build than anything vortex

Any model in particular? Meostar?

 

[Fatcamp]

Any model in particular? Meostar?

Yes. They are a fantastic tool. The Cabelas branded ones are the same.

 

[Fatcamp]

Sold Thread 'Meopta Meostar (Cabelas Euro) B1.10x42'

Apr 28, 2025

Awesome binos with the locking diopter and knurled focus wheel. A little dusty and if you shine a light or look super close some very faint marks on glass being particular.

Good shape overall. $625 TYD plus fees

Near Denver if you want to meet up

• Kyle Wheeler
• Replies: 23
• Forum: Optics Classifieds

I don't know this person but those are a bomb proof pair of binocular. I would bet I've dropped mine 20 or 30 times. Still work perfect.

Come to think of it you might not want to take advice from a guy that regularly drops his stuff.

 

[Bugger]

You could sidestep into a set of new trinovids or HG’s at that price, but I don’t know that there’s anything gained over the UHD other than weight savings.

 

[JGRaider]

I've got an 8x and 10x SLC, 10x Meostar HD, Gold Ring Hd, and a few others. The UHD's are right there with all of them, have great build quality, everything works smoothly as it should. GIven Meopta doesn't even have a US repair or service facility anymore, I wouldn't touch a pair today, especially the Cabelas version which has no warranty at all. If you don't mind the larger footprint of the UHD, they are superb. Mine happen to be 8x32's.

 

[flyfisher117]

Watch for a used pair of Maven B5s. They pop up in here for right at sometimes below your budget too.

Guarantee the Vortex haters would hate them less and probably sing praises if someone slapped a different logo on them.

 

[Shooter45]

I got the refurbished 12x50 UHD’s from Sierra few years ago and have been more than impressed. They came looking like a factory new item with all the included accessories.

 

[NDGuy]

Torn on this myself. I think I will hold out and save for Pures

 

[cafemike]

There are some very good deals on demo's or refurbs if you are patient and look around for Zeiss, Swaro, and Vortex.
I could have picked up a pair of demo Zeiss HDX 8x32 Conquest or demo UHDs for the same amount (Midway). I went with the UHD's ( they were brand new imo)
Really great glass regardless and can hold their own imo.
Full disclosure - I have a predisposed bias towards UHD and own 3 pair (8x32,10x42,.18x56). Really wish they would come out with a pocket 8x25.

 

[chrisdixon1]

I recently picked up a used pair of 10x UHds for $750. I was planning on getting some el’s but at around 6-700 more used, I didn’t think I would notice that much of a difference.

 

[Jaegerr]

Torn on this myself. I think I will hold out and save for Pures

I have a hard time justifying 3+ times the cost. It might be different if I had any bino's in general to hold me over, but also thats a whole lot of ammo to practice with, that's two more general tags in Montana, or even 2k will get you a hell of a spotting scope in my opinion. Any forum or video will tell you NL's are the top dog (never looked through a pair) and I would wager those people are correct, but unless I just had money to burn I'd personally have a real hard time spending that money on a set of binoculars UNLESS I was guiding or just had infinite time to hunt and spend that amount of time behind glass.

 

[JGRaider]

The point of diminishing returns really shows itself at the $1000 price point. NL's are awesome, but hardly necessary for success nowadays.

 

[JNDEER]

A little out dated- but I believe most of the same coatings are on the UHD, just improved. In case you were looking for something more along the lines of an EL view as opposed to a SLC view.

J

Thread 'My quest for "the one"'

May 7, 2013

During last year’s deer season I had a chance to watch 7 bucks at the last of last light come out below me in a small bowl at 186 yards. Of the 7 bucks I could actually only tell that one had antlers while my hunting partner could see that 7 of the 11 deer below us had antlers on their head. It was at this time that I realized that had I not had already filled both of my tags this would have meant that a potential legal buck could have walked just because of my glass, so a new pair of binoculars where in order.

Like some I started out with what I could afford. Coming from a “road hunting...

• JNDEER
• Replies: 73
• Forum: Optics