Help me decide on binos

[sethroe]

I am looking at buying a new pair of 10x42 bino in the $1000 region. I have been doing a lot of research on the Vortex Razor HD and Zeiss Conquest HD and have compared them at the store. I really like both of these binos but for the life of me, I can not decide which one is better. Please give me your thoughts on these two and which one u would buy? My hunting is open to backpack elk hunting & spot&stalk or tree stand hunt deer in SD. Thanks!

 

[Matt Cashell]

Those are two great options. I would give the Vortex the edge in warranty and customer service, and the Zeiss the slight edge in performance.

I would add that you might want to add the Meopta Meostar HD to your list, as it is my favorite in that price range.

 

[Screamrider]

I have never looked through Razors, but I have conquest HDs and Swarovision ELs. At less than half the price the Zeiss are neck and neck with the swarovski, they're great glass.

 

[bbrown]

Look on S&S Archery's website - Steve did a comparison of the 2. The warranty and past customer service would sway me towards vortex personally but I am biased. Also heard good things about cabelas euros/meoptas like BB said.

 

[NaturalJon]

I'm very happy with my vortex razor

 

[ltlacorn]

I have a pair of Vortex Razor HD 10x42 and love them. It'll be hard to find a nicer glass for the $$. You can find them for about $950.

 

[dotman]

Cameralandny has had great demo prices on both.

 

[duchntr]

I used the conquest hd's last season and the razor hd's since this spring bear season. They are both quite nice and I will second BB's comments wholeheartedly. Cant go wrong with either imo

 

[teflonhunter]

Swarovski has the 75 th Anniversary sale going on right now with $100 off the CL's . Use a 10 percent off card from Cabelas and they are very reasonably priced

 

[sethroe]

I always hear that Vortex warranty is top notch and everybody has been taken care of right away.. Being the "glass half full" kinda guy, it seems like a lot of people have put their warranty to test... Does that mean Vortex binos seem to break a lot and use cheaper components? Cause I never hear of people talking about Zeiss warranty, which they seem to stand behind there product too. Idk, maybe I'm over thinking this hole thing.

 

[voidecho]

I always hear that Vortex warranty is top notch and everybody has been taken care of right away.. Being the "glass half full" kinda guy, it seems like a lot of people have put their warranty to test... Does that mean Vortex binos seem to break a lot and use cheaper components? Cause I never hear of people talking about Zeiss warranty, which they seem to stand behind there product too. Idk, maybe I'm over thinking this hole thing.

I was kind of thinking the same thing. How often are people using these warranties?

I have the Conquest HD's and love them. Light, compact, and awesome to look through. I have never held the Vortex, so I can't compare the two and can't say anything good or bad about Vortex.

 

[dotman]

I always hear that Vortex warranty is top notch and everybody has been taken care of right away.. Being the "glass half full" kinda guy, it seems like a lot of people have put their warranty to test... Does that mean Vortex binos seem to break a lot and use cheaper components? Cause I never hear of people talking about Zeiss warranty, which they seem to stand behind there product too. Idk, maybe I'm over thinking this hole thing.

Plenty use the swaro and zeiss warranty, you just get more people posting up their experience with vortex I think because it is a newer company. Plus some items vortex warranties no other company would. I remember the pics elknut posted that were fully warrantied no questions asked, one a guy shot a hole thru his razor spotting scope, another had a bear chew on his Binos and one guy had a horse fall on his rifle trashing the stock and breaking his scope in half which only the scope was fully covered.

I'm a Zeiss/Vortex owner, haven't had to use their warranty on optics for either company. Zeiss Binos and scope, Vortex spotter and rangefinder.

I'll add that I baby my Zeiss much more then my Vortex items.

 

[Shrek]

I always hear that Vortex warranty is top notch and everybody has been taken care of right away.. Being the "glass half full" kinda guy, it seems like a lot of people have put their warranty to test... Does that mean Vortex binos seem to break a lot and use cheaper components? Cause I never hear of people talking about Zeiss warranty, which they seem to stand behind there product too. Idk, maybe I'm over thinking this hole thing.

I've had to use the Zeiss warranty twice myself and my friends have also. They stood behind their conquest scopes but they took their sweet time doing it. 10 weeksthe first time and 8 weeks the second. I'm buying swarovski , meopta , and minox theses days. Vortex razors are Japanese glass as I understand it and the rest is straight Chinese. Everyone raves about them but everything I've looked through I've set right back down and moved on. Meopta impresses me for the money and top swarovski is stunning imo. I love the Zeiss I've looked through but the warranty thing has turned me off. 10 weeks to fix my scope was ridiculous.

 

[bbrown]

Not their fault at all - I bought a pair of used vipers off flebay that were supposed to be in good shape but they came in rough. Sent them in and came back like new.

Second time , my wife knocked them off the top of an camper in Yellowstone while we were watching a grizzly and a couple cubs. They laughed and said it was the first time they heard that one. Ended up replacing them without hesitation. Glad it was my binos and not my swaro spotter.

 

[tipsntails7]

People talk about vortex because no matter what they are going to warranty them. It's exceptional.

 

[hntnnut]

I've sent in one pair of viper HD binos I goofed up the eye piece. Came back good as new in 10 days that included shipping both ways. All my viper and Kaibab stuff say made in Japan.

Richard

 

[Mtnboy]

I've had to use the Zeiss warranty twice myself and my friends have also. They stood behind their conquest scopes but they took their sweet time doing it. 10 weeksthe first time and 8 weeks the second. I'm buying swarovski , meopta , and minox theses days. Vortex razors are Japanese glass as I understand it and the rest is straight Chinese. Everyone raves about them but everything I've looked through I've set right back down and moved on. Meopta impresses me for the money and top swarovski is stunning imo. I love the Zeiss I've looked through but the warranty thing has turned me off. 10 weeks to fix my scope was ridiculous.

You picked up Razors and set them right back down because the Meopta were that much better? Really? Seriously? How many times have you had Vortex out on the mountain? Do you feel you've spotted a lot more game with your Meopta than you would have Vortex? I find it funny that you mention it's Japanese glass and then bash it all in one thought. Do you not like the quality or do you just hate on it for personal reasons, like you're growing notorious for doing to other companies?

I've spent a lot of time behind Razors, Swaro, Leica & Cabelas HD (Meopta). Admittingly the Swaro and Leica were too rich for my blood (I'd go leica given the choice) however, all 4 are VERY good glass and surprisingly comparable given the wide range of prices. My money went to Vortex, top notch optics, great warranty, and THEY SUPPORT HUNTING! They put a lot of money back in to organizations that are helping to keep us on the mountain chasing animals, any company that does that gets my vote, same reason a lot of my gear purchases gravitate towards Sitka. (Sorry I didn't help much between Zeiss/Vortex)

Edit: I do have a Zeiss Terra rifle scope that I'm more than happy with and feel that it was the best option for my list of wants in my price range.

 

[sethroe]

Cameralandny has had great demo prices on both.

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a demo?

 

[dotman]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a demo?

Trade show items etc, demo is a demonstration unit. Most never are hardly touched and some never even leave the box but they cannot be sold as new. They have the same warranty as new that starts when purchased by the customer. I have bought many demos and never been disappointed.

 

[dotman]

You picked up Razors and set them right back down because the Meopta were that much better? Really? Seriously? How many times have you had Vortex out on the mountain? Do you feel you've spotted a lot more game with your Meopta than you would have Vortex? I find it funny that you mention it's Japanese glass and then bash it all in one thought. Do you not like the quality or do you just hate on it for personal reasons, like you're growing notorious for doing to other companies?

I've spent a lot of time behind Razors, Swaro, Leica & Cabelas HD (Meopta). Admittingly the Swaro and Leica were too rich for my blood (I'd go leica given the choice) however, all 4 are VERY good glass and surprisingly comparable given the wide range of prices. My money went to Vortex, top notch optics, great warranty, and THEY SUPPORT HUNTING! They put a lot of money back in to organizations that are helping to keep us on the mountain chasing animals, any company that does that gets my vote, same reason a lot of my gear purchases gravitate towards Sitka. (Sorry I didn't help much between Zeiss/Vortex)

I have spent a little time behind both the razor and Meopta hd, I like my zeiss conquest hd's and really they all seem very equal but overall anyone would be happy with any of the three. Between the three I think fit is what one should look for and warranty which overall all three have a great warranty.