@gcronin isn't kidding, either! Vortex is the only company I can call and know that I'm going to get right through to a customer service rep, and I'm not going to get the "well are you sure you're using it correctly" crap like other companies give you. I remember one time I called and got Jimmy, I was looking at the Strike Eagle 5-25 for a budget bench gun, and I ended up talking to him for over an hour about western elk hunting, long range shooting, and rifle builds. Probably 10 minutes of our conversation was optics, the rest was just as if I had called a friend to B.S. and it was genuinely enjoyable!We appreciate the kind words! As you noted, we hope that you never need to use our VIP Warranty, but we know our optics are being used in extreme conditions and accidents and want to make sure that we have our customer's backs. If you ever have any questions or need any help, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Another time I called and got Ryan. I was calling to ask about how to clean bacon grease residue off my new UHD's before a hunt. I had left them on the kitchen table and my wife had made bacon for breakfast. Bacon particles had aerosolized and condensated on my ocular lenses, and I didn't wanna damage the coatings but I had to get it off. He just laughed when I told him what had happened, told me it wasn't the weirdest thing anybody had gotten on their glass, and told me how to clean it off.
Bottom line, they really do take care of you! Everybody is polite and eager to help, and in today's world, that goes a long way. I've been told I didn't know how to properly use a company's optics before, I've had my experience called into question by other companies. But Vortex just answers my questions and is quick to help however they can.
***EDIT*** Also, it's this kind of attitude that makes me not as worried about babying my glass. I'm careful and everything is always in a case and I don't abuse it, but stuff gets used. In the process sometimes it gets damaged, but knowing these guys have my back on some of their stuff makes me less squeamish about using it in extreme conditions.