Are Vortex Razor UHD refurbished the best deal on binoculars?

[Maverick1]

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.

Depends. What are you using them for? Putting on a tripod and glassing for hours on end, looking for trophy animals? Or strapped to your chest in a treestand, used to check on deer a couple of times per evening sit?

 

[S.Clancy]

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.

Same. Mine tumbled down a hill like 50 yards last year as I was chasing a turkey. Came out just fine

 

[Jaegerr]

Depends. What are you using them for? Putting on a tripod and glassing for hours on end, looking for trophy animals? Or strapped to your chest in a treestand, used to check on deer a couple of times per evening sit?

Yes to all the above. I hunt both western, and then Appalachian mountains (tree stands, box blinds, bouncing around from hill top to hill top in the woods and ground hunting, etc.). Either way they'll mainly be on my chest, and if I get a good glassing spot on western hunt i'll throw them on a tripod for the stability.

 

[Maverick1]

Yes to all the above. I hunt both western, and then Appalachian mountains (tree stands, box blinds, bouncing around from hill top to hill top in the woods and ground hunting, etc.). Either way they'll mainly be on my chest, and if I get a good glassing spot on western hunt i'll throw them on a tripod for the stability.

If you are going to beat the piss out of them, go Vortex. If they are going to be used very little, babied, or binocular pouch queens, then I'd buy a used Swarovski SLC - better optically, but any sort of warranty or cleaning work is on your dime.

 

[JGRaider]

My 8x32 UHD is on par optically in every conceivable way to my 8x42 SLC.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

If you are going to beat the piss out of them, go Vortex. If they are going to be used very little, babied, or binocular pouch queens, then I'd buy a used Swarovski SLC - better optically, but any sort of warranty or cleaning work is on your dime.

Am happy that my poor pouch queens, Swaro SLCs and STX, never heard that they would break if they saw any use outside.

 

[Jaegerr]

If you are going to beat the piss out of them, go Vortex. If they are going to be used very little, babied, or binocular pouch queens, then I'd buy a used Swarovski SLC - better optically, but any sort of warranty or cleaning work is on your dime.

I take care of my stuff but I wouldn't say I baby it. I have dropped/knocked a number of things out of stands or took some spills so vortex seems like the winner in that category for me. It seems like at least once a year a rifle, bow, piece of gear, etc takes a good fall or tumble lol

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Refurbished how many times?

 

[JGRaider]

I take care of my stuff but I wouldn't say I baby it. I have dropped/knocked a number of things out of stands or took some spills so vortex seems like the winner in that category for me. It seems like at least once a year a rifle, bow, piece of gear, etc takes a good fall or tumble lol

My gear gets used alot, but I don't beat the piss out of it either. That being said, I've had to send the 10x SLC and my 10x50 ELSV back once for service for collimation issues.
They're not the toughest bino I have by any stretch. That title belongs to the Meostar HD.

 

[Maverick1]

My gear gets used alot, but I don't beat the piss out of it either. That being said, I've had to send the 10x SLC and my 10x50 ELSV back once for service for collimation issues.
They're not the toughest bino I have by any stretch. That title belongs to the Meostar HD.

How much did that cost?

 

[Jaegerr]

Refurbished how many times?

I mean I assume once but it feels like a non-issue. If it doesn’t work/breaks, send it back and they’ll fix it.

 

[Jaegerr]

My gear gets used alot, but I don't beat the piss out of it either. That being said, I've had to send the 10x SLC and my 10x50 ELSV back once for service for collimation issues.
They're not the toughest bino I have by any stretch. That title belongs to the Meostar HD.

So if I get a night force scope and meostar hd’s. If I run out of ammo then I have two blunt weapons at my disposal

 

[lawdogx]

I’ve bought several refurbished Vortex optics (from AA) and they’ve been perfect. Packaged like new, looked like new, and functioned like new. Still, to answer your question directly, I believe these are a better deal: https://www.eurooptic.com/vortex-ra...A2GljxZMYvYg9s6ZIrGUwSQEHEi6B1ZXuNycsbU&gQT=2

 

[lawdogx]

I bought those exact binoculars. They are indeed brand new UHD 8x42’s. The only difference is they come with a different harness than the glasspack pro. As to optical quality, I find them excellent. Eye of the beholder and all but I prefer them to my buddy’s SLC’s and find them wanting for nothing optically.

 

[Bonehammer]

Another vote for the meoptas, love mine

 

[nphunter]

The UHD’s are going to be better glass than the Meostars and you won’t have to worry about warranty. The UHD’s are also better than swaro SLV’s which are almost identical to the Meostar. The UHD is more similar and actually very comparable to the EL’s. The biggest downside is the size of the UHD, Meoptas are also heavy bricks.

I would personally either pick up UHD’s or watch for a good deal on EL’s and save a couple hundred more in the meantime.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

The Kowa Genesis are a much better bino. The glass is phenomenal.

 

[JGRaider]

How much did that cost?

How much did what cost?

 

[eamyrick]

I have access to some solid deals on all of the alpha glass, particularly Swarovski and have looked through most of them in the field. Some of what is “better” is going to be subjective. With that said of all the current binos my favorite is still my 10x42 slc.

 

[Jaegerr]

I have access to some solid deals on all of the alpha glass, particularly Swarovski and have looked through most of them in the field. Some of what is “better” is going to be subjective. With that said of all the current binos my favorite is still my 10x42 slc.

You want to share some deals?