NL Pure experience not exactly positive

[madscientist]

Went to bass pro and they had a pair of 10x42 pures on the shelf. Guy hands them to me and the diopter clearly isn't focuses right so i start to adjust it. it just spins around and around.. so i figured out that it basically just needed be tightened, so i tightened it down as much as i could and then when you tried to adjust it you could hear the clicks and the focus changed. No big deal, these have probably been handled by hundreds of people.

So i make some adjustments and find some dark spots in the store and even at 30/40 yards i could absolutely tell a difference over the razors.

So I'm thinking yeah im gonna buy them and i asked if they had a 12x. Guy looks and sure enough he finds a box in the cabinet. He comments "no telling how long these have been in here we never sell them" ....so i took them out box, opened them up to inspect and both objective covers broke off. The rubber/plastic was i guess just old and snapped. they only wanted to give me a 10% discount on them so i passed.

Am i right to question the build quality after the first 2 pairs i picked up had issues?

 

[JJ1179]

I have a pair and absolutely love them. I have had zero issues with mine.

 

[Steve O]

I’d question the quality of the Bass Pro and people working there. Nothing good comes from there, and they put the final nail in the Cabelas going down the toilet process. 10s of 1000s of perfect NLs out there working hard every day…

 

[JJ1179]

I’d question the quality of the Bass Pro and people working there. Nothing good comes from there, and they put the final nail in the Cabelas going down the toilet process. 10s of 1000s of perfect NLs out there working hard every day…

You can say that again about Bass Pro. My last 2 visits ended in horrible customer service. People use to shop Cabela’s because of the quality and warranty’s. Well, that has completely gone away. They now have a 90 day return policy to try out the item and a 1 year warranty return policy if you have a receipt. I’m sure my wording may be off a bit, but that’s the gist of it. So, if you get an item as a gift and don’t use the item until after the initial 90 days and/or don’t have a receipt, you might as well just ask for the store manager or a number to corporate because they won’t want to help out.

 

[jimh406]

I guess the fans of the brand will chime in, but I think people buy them for the glass. My guess is they could get by with a few bad pairs mechanically from time to time.

But, they probably weren't damaged in the box. More likely someone swapped them out.

I don't know how good their warranty is. If it's good, I'd go back and find the store manager. My guess is they'll make you a great deal. Then, send them back to the manufacturer to be repaired.

 

[eltaco]

I guess the fans of the brand will chime in, but I think people buy them for the glass. My guess is they could get by with a few bad pairs mechanically from time to time.

But, they probably weren't damaged in the box. More likely someone swapped them out.

I don't know how good their warranty is. If it's good, I'd go back and find the store manager. My guess is they'll make you a great deal. Then, send them back to the manufacturer to be repaired.

I wouldn’t touch those ones with a 10’ pole. Who knows how many hands have touched and/or dropped them to receive the issues you encountered. To add insult to injury, you’d be sending thousands of dollars back to Swaro for repair to damage you didn’t cause, and that’s not exactly a fast turn time.

NL are fantastic in my experience, and I’ve been hunting with a pair since they first launched. Get yourself a new in box set and feel confident you have made a good decision in optics.

 

[Brianb3]

Swarovski CS and repairs for me have been 9.5 outta ten. Hate they keep east coast time. I’ve sent many things in. Never ever question me. Sent eye cups, turrets, covers repaired range finder, replaced glass replaced strap loops all cleaning etc all free of charge. Sounds like a lot but I use my shit hard. They’ve been great to me.

I bought a pair of 12 by 50s on here from a guy that diopter wasn’t working. Sent them in three weeks later basically had brand new and cleaned perfect condition. No questions asked.

Woulda bought WO hesitation


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wyosteve]

Funny you mention the objective lens covers broke off. I have NL 12's and have the same problem. Swaro sent me new ones and they lasted about one hunt. The design to me is not robust. The small plastic 'clips' that go onto the metal are not sufficient. I'm going to see if covers from older binos that have rubber which goes around the whole objective 'barrel' will work. That's the only thing I'm not happy with. Love them otherwise.

 

[squid-freshprints]

How dare one question the irreproachable optics god Swaro.

 

[CorbLand]

I sold optics for years and yes, we sent back Swaros out of the box for a few issues. They are a manufactured product that can and does have flaws.

What do you mean that you tightened the diopter? Are you saying that you turned to one side to max it all the way out?

For the objective covers. When you say they broke off, did they break or did they come unhooked? They just hold onto a little metal piece on the bottom of the barrel. If you pull hard enough, they will pop off.

As for questioning the build quality. Nope, question it all you can and want. Its how we get better products as consumers. You just have to be realistic in what your questioning and your conclusion. I cant say that I would judge build quality of an optic based on a rubber cover becoming brittle. Especially if they had been sitting in a box for up to 4 years.

If the 12s were sound in operation, I would have taken the 10% off. Swaro will send you new objective covers for free and if they wont, PM me, you can have mine.

 

[wyosteve]

On my covers, the piece that holds the cover onto the metal ring is plastic. The plastic 'clip' part broke.

 

[CorbLand]

On my covers, the piece that holds the cover onto the metal ring is plastic. The plastic 'clip' part broke.

Interesting. I hate the covers and take them off first thing when I get optics.

 

[camelcluch]

I would not place expectations on the demo set. I’m sure more than one knuckle dragging mouth breather torqued on them and that’s just employees.

 

[IdahoBeav]

How dare one question the irreproachable optics god Swaro.

That might even be more blasphemous than being unimpressed by Vortex's warranty.

 

[CorbLand]

That might even be more blasphemous than being unimpressed by Vortex's warranty.

I am pretty open about the how bad I think Vortexs Customer Service is...on multiple occasions.

 

[JohnJohnson]

That might even be more blasphemous than being unimpressed by Vortex's warranty.

Vortex is probably tied with Leupold for the scope company that gets trashed the most on here. It's not a controversial opinion.

 

[jimh406]

Vortex is probably tied with Leupold for the scope company that gets trashed the most on here.

Probably also the two most popular brands by far.

 

[IdahoBeav]

Vortex is probably tied with Leupold for the scope company that gets trashed the most on here. It's not a controversial opinion.

There are still a lot of guys that will ignore any Vortex flaws just because of the warranty.

 

[CorbLand]

There are still a lot of guys that will ignore any Vortex flaws just because of the warranty.

The problem is that people look at failures not failure rates and they dont look at what failed.

If company A produces product A and 99 out 100 are a success and one fails, you have a 99% chance of buying something that will work.

If company B produces product B and 90 out of 100 are a success and ten fail, you have a 90% chance of buying something that will work.

Both companies had failures but one had significantly less than the other and provides a higher level of confidence.

Type of failure needs to be looked at as well. If company A has a catastrophic failure in 1 out 100 (lets say, a diopter not working) and company B has a less severe failure (lets say, objective covers breaking) someone is going to have to decide what they want to do.

If people would accept that ALL products can and will have failures and THEY need to make an educated decision on what fits THEIR level of confidence, preference and needs and then THEY buy what THEY want based on THEIR decision, life would get a lot better for people.

 

[roosiebull]

Funny you mention the objective lens covers broke off. I have NL 12's and have the same problem. Swaro sent me new ones and they lasted about one hunt. The design to me is not robust. The small plastic 'clips' that go onto the metal are not sufficient. I'm going to see if covers from older binos that have rubber which goes around the whole objective 'barrel' will work. That's the only thing I'm not happy with. Love them otherwise.

I pulled mine off as soon as I got them out of the box, I already knew they were not going to hold up at all for me

I have never seen a pair of objective covers that were decent though, they all suck imo, I have never tried using any because I can tell they would be more trouble than they’re worth hunting