Swarovski ATS vs Vortex Razor

[Bloomscorners]

Headed out to Wyoming for spot and stalk whitetails. Deliberating on the Swarovski ATS 65mm vs the Vortex Razor 65 mm.
Seems from what I’ve read not a notable difference for this type of hunting and the Vortex price and warranty are far better.
Appreciate any advice of input.
thanks

 

[RussDXT]

For spot and stalk whitetail I I’d not run a spotter.

Vortex makes good stuff, but you will not regret Swaro purchases.

I’d make sure you have good tripod mounted binos first.

 

[Bloomscorners]

Thanks never considered that option as I’m new to Western Longer range hunting.

 

[LaHunter]

Headed out to Wyoming for spot and stalk whitetails. Deliberating on the Swarovski ATS 65mm vs the Vortex Razor 65 mm.
Seems from what I’ve read not a notable difference for this type of hunting and the Vortex price and warranty are far better.
Appreciate any advice of input.
thanks

What you have read about ‘not a notable difference’ is not at all what my experience is. I have compared a new gen 1 razor to an STS Swaro spotter, and there is a noticeable difference, especially as the lighting gets less and less towards sunset. In good lighting, the razor is solid up to about 35-40x. The razor is a good value, but does not compete with Swaro in any way

 

[Mdfowlman2]

Currently selling my razor to upgrade to a swaro or kowa. Razor is nice but jumping from slc binos to the razor spotter I see a big clarity difference

 

[PathFinder]

They're not in the same league. The Razor I had was so bad I decided to sell it after the first five minutes looking through it, and this was back when I was still willing to drink the Vortex Kool Aid.
I have the 65mm STS now and it's excellent, especially with a 30x wide angle eyepiece. Takes a very pricy piece of glass to show it up.

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[cmahoney]

Not a notable difference is BS. I had a Razor spotter for years and now have a swaro. Huge difference. I’d spend the money on some good binos before the spotter though.


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[cmahoney]

As far as the warranty and CS, I lost the eyepiece cap for my Swaro 15’s 2 years ago during deer season. They were around $20 on eBay but a long wait to get them. I called Swaro, they sent a cap overnight for free.


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[BWB]

Get the Swav and you'll never regret it, promise.

 

[TheGrayRider]

You will eventually devise your Swaro glass to your descendants. The Vortex items will end up in the landfill.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

not a notable difference for this type of hunting and the Vortex price and warranty are far better.

said nobody ever

 

[fatrascal]

Swarovski warranty is very good. I once was climbing over a cliff and my pack got away from me and rolled down the mountain making my Swarovski spotter egg shaped and the eyepiece was wiggling around. Not Swarovski's fault but they did not bat an eye and fixed it for free. Fatrascal

 

[Lwing]

Little late, I had the vortex size by side with a guides SwarovskI, glassing small island bucks at 1200 yds, not a lot of difference, we were in good conditions, guide ended up buying my vortex for his son, and I’m saving for swaro atx system lol, if the Vortex is in your budget it’ll get the job done

 

[TylerS]

They're not in the same league. The Razor I had was so bad I decided to sell it after the first five minutes looking through it, and this was back when I was still willing to drink the Vortex Kool Aid.
I have the 65mm STS now and it's excellent, especially with a 30x wide angle eyepiece. Takes a very pricy piece of glass to show it up.

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Is your STS HD or non-HD?

 

[PathFinder]

It's pre HD, 2012 I think. An X series scope with an 85+mm objective will humble the 65mm STS, but nothing I've looked through from Vortex is close.

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[TylerS]

It's pre HD, 2012 I think. An X series scope with an 85+mm objective will humble the 65mm STS, but nothing I've looked through from Vortex is close.

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Thank you! I am upgrading my spotting scope from a Viper and there is a non-HD ATS on the classified and I'm debating if I should hold out and keep looking for a HD. I would love to get an X series and someday I might but right now I'm looking for a 65mm spotter that isn't too heavy and under the $2K mark.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Headed out to Wyoming for spot and stalk whitetails. Deliberating on the Swarovski ATS 65mm vs the Vortex Razor 65 mm.
Seems from what I’ve read not a notable difference for this type of hunting and the Vortex price and warranty are far better.
Appreciate any advice of input.
thanks

Swaro is a solid 4-5x better spotter between those two. There are other options like the kowa 66 that will be much closer to the swaro and not as expensive, but that razor is not great I have owned a gen 1 and gen 2 they are okay at the used price point of 6-700 bucks but really they leave a lot to be desired

 

[Hnthrdr]

Thank you! I am upgrading my spotting scope from a Viper and there is a non-HD ATS on the classified and I'm debating if I should hold out and keep looking for a HD. I would love to get an X series and someday I might but right now I'm looking for a 65mm spotter that isn't too heavy and under the $2K mark.

Check out kowa, can find a 66 or even a 77 for 2k or under used and the glass is fantastic

 

[PathFinder]

Thank you! I am upgrading my spotting scope from a Viper and there is a non-HD ATS on the classified and I'm debating if I should hold out and keep looking for a HD. I would love to get an X series and someday I might but right now I'm looking for a 65mm spotter that isn't too heavy and under the $2K mark.

That's a worthwhile upgrade. The 25-50 and 30x eyepieces bring out the best in the ATS, but the 20-60 isn't bad.

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