Rangefinder Freezer Test

[mt terry d]

Got my Fury 5000s back from Vortex and the explanation attached below.
(Says they performed the cold weather test. Didn't say if it passed or not.)

I sent it in with no batteries. Came back with one installed and two extras.
A sticker, cleaning cloth.
Looked like it had a day at the spa. Nice.

Left it in the freezer overnight. Pulled it out and Low battery (one bar)
comes on and wouldn't range over 550 yards.
No issue with the brightness of display.

Left it out for a couple hours to warm up and no battery light and ranged to @ 2500

As far as carrying a warm battery in a warm pocket, get real. It's zero, you range
and get nothing, and you're going to change that battery? It's difficult enough
in a warm house, let alone with cold fingers, wind, dropping the cap in the snow.....

It's a tight fit in the Marsupial bino harness but I guess next step is to try to
stuff a handwarmer in with it until someone comes up with a heated bino harness.

 

[Bowfinn]

I tested an Sig 10k gen 1 today. It had been sitting out side the past 3 days with temps ranging from -14F to 6F. This morning it was -16F when I finally tested them and they performed great. I was able to range the furthest object visible at 1400 yards after a few tries, but everything under 1000 yards was instantly ranged. The screen is functioned great with no lagging. The battery did show low battery at this temp, and I don’t know anything about it(brand or age).

 

[Bowfinn]

Got my Fury 5000s back from Vortex and the explanation attached below.
(Says they performed the cold weather test. Didn't say if it passed or not.)

I sent it in with no batteries. Came back with one installed and two extras.
A sticker, cleaning cloth.
Looked like it had a day at the spa. Nice.

Left it in the freezer overnight. Pulled it out and Low battery (one bar)
comes on and wouldn't range over 550 yards.
No issue with the brightness of display.

Left it out for a couple hours to warm up and no battery light and ranged to @ 2500

As far as carrying a warm battery in a warm pocket, get real. It's zero, you range
and get nothing, and you're going to change that battery? It's difficult enough
in a warm house, let alone with cold fingers, wind, dropping the cap in the snow.....

It's a tight fit in the Marsupial bino harness but I guess next step is to try to
stuff a handwarmer in with it until someone comes up with a heated bino harness.

Can you set the temp manually in the Fury’s? If you do the hand warmer in the bino harness you gotta remember that you will likely hit low at distance.

 

[mt terry d]

I don’t use the ballistics.
I’d like them to bino and work when it’s cold
Is that really too much to ask for $1500 ?

 

[Bowfinn]

I don’t use the ballistics.
I’d like them to bino and work when it’s cold
Is that really too much to ask for $1500 ?

That is frustrating, It shouldn’t be too much to ask for in the cheapest RFbino you can buy.

 

[mt terry d]

Did those whose fury 5000s work in the cold pay more for that?

I didn't see that as an option when purchasing.

 

[2buffalo]

Garmin l60i left outside for 42 hrs. First night low of 3 degrees high of 18. Low of -7 degrees this morning furthest reading was 1171 yds. (furthest I had something to range) and multiple closer starting at 150. No issues including display or low batteries.

 

[mt terry d]

Update

I called Vortex and talked to Scott

He said he wasn't surprised that continued use around zero
would cause them to fail. This was not encouraging, though
I added that others with the same binos were having better results.

When I pulled my returned binos out of the freezer to range I did not
wipe the fog off the lenses. That could be why they wouldn't range.
I'll do the test again and wipe off the lenses.
I know this was not the problem with them when
I sent them in. He said let them know and we'll go from there.

Oh, I asked about what their "cold test" consists of :
1/2 hr in the freezer.