Spotting scopes

[Bcoonce117]

So my brother just got a vanguard endeavor hd 82a. And I own a vortex razor gen 2 65mm when comparing side by side on a scouting trip, I almost felt like his was better. Is this just because the bigger objective letting more light in. Or is vortex really just that overpriced?
After that I’m considering dumping the razor after this season and saving up for something better. Am I wrong about this?

 

[IrkedCitizen]

I am not a fan of vortex optics. They are hyped pretty heavily. You will end up using their warranty at some point. If someone was to give me a vortex product I would sell it and buy something else.

Vanguard are not bad optics but they are boat anchors. I used a 65mm Endeavor hd for a while and it served it's purpose for the time I needed it to.

If I was looking for a "budget" spotting scope I would look at the Athlon Ares HD that Cameraland stocks. The reviews seem to hold them in high regard. So they would be on my short list to check out.

Otherwise go for a Swarovski either used or new you cannot go wrong.

 

[Bcoonce117]

I have read a lot of people saying it’s overly hyped. But it’s what I own and haven’t ever been able to compare until recently.

 

[nphunter]

Everyone’s eyes are different. I have a Meopta S2 which is a great piece of fluoride glass, better than sworo sts glass and has an 82mm objective. I also owned a Gen 1, Razor 65mm and they honestly weren’t super far off optically at mid range power. I have a Vortex 80mm Viper at work and is not comparable to either of the other two.

IMO a Razor 65mm is a great piece of glass, I carried one for years, compared side by side multiple times with Swaro 65mm spotters and they are comparable for sure. If buying new i believe that Razors are over priced, that doesn’t take away from the fact that they are good glass and in the used market they are hard to beat and there isn’t much under $800 that will compete with a Razor and they can be found for $6-800 often.

As far as warranty I’ve packed Razor binos and Scopes 100’s if miles and looked thousands of animals and I’ve never had a single issue with them.

My Meopta is a better spotter no doubt, it also cost 3x used what a razor would.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

I have read a lot of people saying it’s overly hyped. But it’s what I own and haven’t ever been able to compare until recently.

Options are to use it and upgrade to something else later if you deem necessary. Or sell it and upgrade now.

 

[Bcoonce117]

Yeah I’m now considering trading with money/ selling to get the 85mm razor til I can afford something more expensive. And then It will be a better comparison between the two spotters as well

 

[PathFinder]

The Razor is really that bad. I decided to dump mine the first time I looked through it.

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[Bcoonce117]

The Razor is really that bad. I decided to dump mine the first time I looked through it.

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That’s terrible news for me. I was hoping it was just the 65 not letting as much light in as the other scope due to smaller objective. Curious what you upgraded to.

 

[PathFinder]

For the longest time after that, I thought all spotting scopes were trash. After a few years I bought an STS 65 and it's excellent. Used, I think it cost about the same as a new Razor 65.

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[Jimss]

I would buy a nearly new Swaro or Leica. I bought an almost new swaro a couple years ago for the price of some of the new ones you mentioned.

 

[Bcoonce117]

I got my razor for 850 bucks new plus tax though

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Honestly, the tripod setup plays a larger role than people think. What tripod and head are you using?

Personally I see no purpose of selling your current Vortex and buying same model Vortex with larger objective. Larger objective does not mean better optical quality. There are plenty of 65mm spotters that are great in low light conditions.

Realistically it is likely you got a defective one from factory. Contact them with your complaint and send it back for warranty work. See what they do.

 

[Bcoonce117]

Honestly, the tripod setup plays a larger role than people think. What tripod and head are you using?

Personally I see no purpose of selling your current Vortex and buying same model Vortex with larger objective. Larger objective does not mean better optical quality. There are plenty of 65mm spotters that are great in low light conditions.

Realistically it is likely you got a defective one from factory. Contact them with your complaint and send it back for warranty work. See what they do.

Outdoorsmans medium with a pan head.

 

[68Plexi]

Playing the “better glass” chase can be a really expensive game. It’s worth considering how much you use your spotter and in what capacity.

Is a Swaro spotter better than your Razor? Of course it is, it’s 3-4x’s as expensive. If you’ve got the cash, go for it. It will keep its resale value far better than most any other brand.

I started with a cheap spotter and that was a waste of money because it made me not want to use it. I bought a a Gen 1 85mm Razor for $700 and it looks great to me out to 50 power. Would a Swaro look better? I’m sure it would, but at what percent? Not 100% better, and it’s at least 3x the price used.

For reference, I live and hunt in Northern CA and Western NV. Everything from thick timber to miles of big open country and having a spotter is nice, but I spend far more time behind my binos. I’d get the best binos you can afford before dropping more $$$ on your spotter. Just my 2 cents.

Also worth talking with Vortex about your Razor. Every time I’ve talked to them they’ve gone above and beyond and been super helpful.


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[tdhanses]

So my brother just got a vanguard endeavor hd 82a. And I own a vortex razor gen 2 65mm when comparing side by side on a scouting trip, I almost felt like his was better. Is this just because the bigger objective letting more light in. Or is vortex really just that overpriced?
After that I’m considering dumping the razor after this season and saving up for something better. Am I wrong about this?

I had both of those back in the day, well a gen 1 razor which is supposedly better then the gen 2, to me the 82a was better.

Now I have a Kowa 55 and Kowa 77 which are far superior then both of the ones you have/looked through.

But personally if you don’t have alpha binos I’d keep that razor and get alpha binos way before upgrading a spotter, 90% of my glassing is through my binos.

 

[hayes202]

Thats not what I wanted to read I was look at a vortex.

 

[CApighunter]

I think the 85mm vortex is decent at best. For $850 it’s not a terrible deal. But it’s still a sub $1k spotter, and spotters are not the place to save money. Plan on spending closer to $2k for something quality. The 77mm kowa is a great spotter at the 17-1800ish price point.

 

[NCStaccato]

Why are there not Kowa 773's around anywhere? I know they have a new line up but normally you'll find a year or two old optic on secondary market somewhere.

 

[JO.]

As someone mentioned the Meopta glass is really good. I had two vortex spotters before purchasing my S2 82. I also bought the Meopta after comparing the Swaro ATS 80. When dealing with spotters the shortcomings in glass surfaces, coatings, tolerances, etc are all magnified on a much larger scale. You are essentially magnifying the deficiencies of a piece of glass at 60x or more. If you really use a spotter a lot then get as much as you can afford even that means getting a used Swaro or something similar.

 

[NCStaccato]

I’ve been down the spotting scope rabbit hole for a few weeks now. I focused in on a 773 but like I said there are none to be found. I have however found many 774’s one on this forum that I’d like to purchase but I have to have more post’s . What’s the main difference between an angled and straight body scope? I understand higher in the tripod and can be more in the way of shooting angle.