Time to Upgrade Binos

[mrwilsn24]

Hey all! Looking for some opinions on some optics, and maybe someone able to provide their experience/comparison. I've narrowed down to a few options to upgrade my Vortex Viper HD 10x50s.

I'm leaning towards either another pair of Vortex binos or Mavens.
My work makes vortex products readily accessible so I'm not too worried about the price with those, but I'm curious if it's worth paying potentially slightly more for the Mavens. Weight is a secondary concern, I'm more interested in overall optical quality and FOV. The 10x50s I'm currently running have decent glass but terrible FOV.

Currently interested in:
Vortex Razor UHD 8x42
Vortex Razor HD 8x42
Maven B.2 9x45
Maven C.1 8x42

Any experience anyone can provide with these optics is greatly appreciated as well as some ideas as to other optics I should consider and why.
Thanks!

 

[hereinaz]

Each step up will be an upgrade over what you have for clarity with the Vortex. I'd spend as much as you can, and buy used. I don't know about the Mavens...

 

[nnmarcher]

I have a pair of Maven C.1 10x42s and I think they are great! I don't know how much better they will be than your Vipers though.

New B.2s are $1,150 on Maven's website and the Razor HDs are ~$1000 at a few retailers. For those prices, I might hold out for some used Swaro SLCs which I occasionally see in the $1200 range. Leica Trinovids are ~$1,000 new, but I see them used on here and BirdForum for $700 semi-regularly. Zeiss Conquests are another great option and are $530 on Amazon.

Having binos that are comfortable to hold and fit your face is a big part of the equation, so it's really helpful to test out a few pairs to see what feels best. Maven has a great demo program and would be a good way to try out the B series. It should be easy enough to find a Vortex dealer to test out those options. Swaro/Zeiss/Leica may be a little bit more difficult to try out but there should be some Roksliders in the Boise area or you can order a couple pairs to try around the house for a few days and return what doesn't work. Good luck on your search!

 

[IdahoBeav]

You could get into some used ELs for this price range or a little more.

 

[Bugger]

Zeiss Conquests are another great option and are $530 on Amazon.

That’s the best deal on the internet right now. If you’re looking to upgrade to sub-alpha this is the way to go.

 

[NickyD]

The Maven C1 would definitely be a downgrade from the viper

 

[mrwilsn24]

You could get into some used ELs for this price range or a little more.

This is also an option I've been considering, tempted to save the pennies and buy once, cry once by getting some EL 8.5x42s. I just get a pretty good discount on the Vortex stuff so I'm considering my options.

 

[mrwilsn24]

The Maven C1 would definitely be a downgrade from the viper

I assumed that might be the case. Just thought I'd throw them in there and see what people thought.

 

[kodiak725]

Maven B series glass is fantastic for the price. IMO you would not be able to tell between the maven glass and vortex. Another option would be to look for a used pair of Swarovski SLC

 

[lundellhunting7]

I would go look through them all.... BUT also look through a set of Sig Zulu 6... I have been a swaro snob... I sold my Els after they sat for the entire hunting season last year. I couldn't go back to something that is not image stabilized. Ready for other brands to throw there names in the hat of IS binos!

 

[mrwilsn24]

I would go look through them all.... BUT also look through a set of Sig Zulu 6... I have been a swaro snob... I sold my Els after they sat for the entire hunting season last year. I couldn't go back to something that is not image stabilized. Ready for other brands to throw there names in the hat of IS binos!

I've had the chance to look through a few of the Zulu 6's. Only problem I had with them was that they seemed to go dark faster than other binos in the twilight due to the high mag and tiny objective, however they were the 20x42 & 16x42 models so I can't speak on the 12x42 or 10x30s.

 

[nobody]

Razor UHD: Legit Alpha Class binocular, easily, no matter what the nay sayers say. Had a pair for a couple years and never wanted for more optical performance. Sold because I suffer from GAD (gear acquisition disorder) and love trying gear.

Razor HD: step up from your vipers, and can be had on Sierra right now for like $650 shipped. Though that step is admittedly very small.

Maven C1: not sure why people are saying they’re a downgrade from the vipers, but having owned a pair for a few years in the past that isn’t the case. They’re a little sharper and clearer than the vipers with superior color fidelity and pop, but have a narrower field of view. Optical performance is closer to that of the Razor HD (but still with better color through the mavens), except for their narrow FOV.

Maven B2: great optics, alpha class, the 9x is the darling of that line. Maven is having a March madness sale right now and you can get the B2’s for $850 in a bundle with a bunch of other goodies. Worth the price of admission. But be warned, they’re large and heavy, and if you’re sensitive to the field flatteners in binos the B2’s get rolling ball bad. They made me sea sick and gave me a headache while panning, which is why I sold mine. But stationary on a tripod they were unreal.

I would recommend you add the Maven B1.2 to your list if you want an 8x bino. Very compact and great FOV, and lots of guys on here love them. If you are interested in a 10x50 again, the Maven B6 is a fantastic optic that is physically the size of 95% of the x42 binos on the market today. The B6 and B1.2 are the Goldilocks options from maven currently, though that deal on the B2 they’re running is awesome, assuming the field flattener doesn’t mess with you.

 

[mrwilsn24]

Razor UHD: Legit Alpha Class binocular, easily, no matter what the nay sayers say. Had a pair for a couple years and never wanted for more optical performance. Sold because I suffer from GAD (gear acquisition disorder) and love trying gear.

Razor HD: step up from your vipers, and can be had on Sierra right now for like $650 shipped. Though that step is admittedly very small.

Maven C1: not sure why people are saying they’re a downgrade from the vipers, but having owned a pair for a few years in the past that isn’t the case. They’re a little sharper and clearer than the vipers with superior color fidelity and pop, but have a narrower field of view. Optical performance is closer to that of the Razor HD (but still with better color through the mavens), except for their narrow FOV.

Maven B2: great optics, the 9x is the darling of that line. Maven is having a March madness sale right now and you can get the B2’s for $850 in a bundle with a bunch of other goodies. Worth the price of admission. But be warned, they’re large and heavy, and if you’re sensitive to the field flatteners in binos the B2’s get rolling ball bad. They made me sea sick and gave me a headache while panning, which is why I sold mine. But stationary on a tripod they were unreal.

I would recommend you add the Maven B1.2 to your list if you want an 8x bino. Very compact and great FOV, and lots of guys on here love them. If you are interested in a 10x50 again, the Maven B6 is a fantastic optic that is physically the size of 95% of the x42 binos on the market today. The B6 and B1.2 are the Goldilocks options from maven currently, though that deal on the B2 they’re running is awesome, assuming the field flattener doesn’t mess with you.

GAD will get the best of any serious outdoor enthusiast. That's why I'm in the position I'm in now.
Great write up, and I appreciate the info.

 

[Alpine4x4]

At the $1000 price point I'd add just a tad more and hold out for some Swaro SLCs or ELs. I upgraded from the Vipers to SLCs and it was a noticeable jump in clarity among other things.

 

[Spiral Horn]

The Maven B series have noticeably better build quality than the Vortex and to my eyes have better optics. As someone already said the B2 are very sharp but are a bit on the bulky side, and the B6 is a great glass - only limitation is the narrow distance between the barrels make then a bit tricky on a tripod.

The recently discontinued Zeiss HD 10x42 is a wonderful glass and a few can still be found new for ~$700, but they are selling out fast. The new Zeiss Conquest HDX offers offers an even lighter package at about 26oz and at least an equal optic for $999. I’d prefer those over the Vortex.

As far as comparing the Maven and Zeiss - they are both high quality in both build and optics, but are very different in image and handling characteristics. There is just no substitute for handling and looking through binoculars prior to purchase.

 

[rm06]

At the $1000 price point I'd add just a tad more and hold out for some Swaro SLCs or ELs. I upgraded from the Vipers to SLCs and it was a noticeable jump in clarity among other things.

+1

I had similar analysis paralysis several years ago with same manufacturers topping the list. Not a time to try to scrimp and save a buck, especially as your budget is so close to a pair of SLCs or ELs, the performance is a significant notch above

 

[lundellhunting7]

I've had the chance to look through a few of the Zulu 6's. Only problem I had with them was that they seemed to go dark faster than other binos in the twilight due to the high mag and tiny objective, however they were the 20x42 & 16x42 models so I can't speak on the 12x42 or 10x30s.

My dad runs the 16s I have the 12s. I would say I have a couple minutes earlier in the morning and couple min more at night than him.

I have loved stabilization and the advantage I feel it gives me and won't go back.

 

[WRO]

Maven B series glass is fantastic for the price. IMO you would not be able to tell between the maven glass and vortex. Another option would be to look for a used pair of Swarovski SLC

It’s made in the same factory sooo..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mrwilsn24]

My dad runs the 16s I have the 12s. I would say I have a couple minutes earlier in the morning and couple min more at night than him.

I have loved stabilization and the advantage I feel it gives me and won't go back.

The image stabilization is an awesome feature I will admit. Interested in looking through a pair of the Zulu6 HDX Pros. They're about the same weight as the UHD.

 

[mrwilsn24]

+1

I had similar analysis paralysis several years ago with same manufacturers topping the list. Not a time to try to scrimp and save a buck, especially as your budget is so close to a pair of SLCs or ELs, the performance is a significant notch above

Had the chance to compare a pair of 10x42 Razor UHDs to 10x42 NL Pures this morning. Both optics officially ruined my Vipers for me. Hoping to compare the SLCs or ELs side-by-side with the UHDs sometime soon. Something about the 8.5x42 EL is speaking to me, but I guess I might have to save my pennies a little longer.