Upgrading from Vortex to Swaro - Why?

[NiteQwill]

If your eyes are that bad you need surgery, not Swarovski.

Surgery is not always the answer.

 

[WillyP-AZ]

Hunting elk I never felt like I needed better glass than vortex. Coues deer are a different story. I really feel like the benefits of expensive glass aren’t a true or false thing. Looking for tiny deer in the heat of the day with mirage and distortion is different than looking for giant animals in terrain where they pop. Hope that helps.

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

Hunting elk I never felt like I needed better glass than vortex. Coues deer are a different story. I really feel like the benefits of expensive glass aren’t a true or false thing. Looking for tiny deer in the heat of the day with mirage and distortion is different than looking for giant animals in terrain where they pop. Hope that helps.

I’m kind of the opposite mindset on elk but mostly because where I hunt, they stick to deep, dark timber. If I’m going to locate them in there I need to catch the flick of an ear or a head movement, etc in the mess of trees, downfall, and brush. Plus with the lack of consistent light, I figure getting as much light gathered as possible a bonus.

Can totally agree that in open terrain, a 1985 pair of $12 tasco would be fine. Those bodies almost glow on a hillside.

 

[JMac23]

I went from 2013ish vortex viper hd to swaro slc about 5 years ago. I was working as a packer on my way to getting a guide license in AK and I found a used like new set for 1300$

To my eyes, they are definitely better but I’d have a hard time pushing someone to make a switch. I’ve looked through els also

If I was primarily planning on hunting elk and was in a position where that money could be better used somewhere else, no way I’d be buying $3k nl pures even though they are $500 off.

If money is no issue and you like the best of the best go for it.


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Hi mate, can you give me a heads up on where they are on sale for $500 less?

I’d like a set too.

Cheers John

 

[sndmn11]

@Fever Buck I think glass is the most important thing for success, by a lot. People have mentioned, "elk are big you don't need food glass", I think they are talking about upright animals in the clear. I've had regular instances where elk are bedded on the edge of dark timber and take a long time to pick out. Many of those instances within rifle range as others drive right on by. Same with deer. They don't hide in places that they can't be hidden.

Since you were at the AFA optics shootout, do you remember when those deer bedded down to our right across that ravine at like 80yds? There were close to a dozen, but when I looked for them my count varied based on glass quality, and then magnification.

This is about 700yds through the Kowa 88, there's a bunch of deer laying in that little strip of aspen, one is dead now, but there were far more then were initially glasses up.



I can attribute our killing success directly to our growth at glassing.

 

[Fever Buck]

@Fever Buck I think glass is the most important thing for success, by a lot. People have mentioned, "elk are big you don't need food glass", I think they are talking about upright animals in the clear. I've had regular instances where elk are bedded on the edge of dark timber and take a long time to pick out. Many of those instances within rifle range as others drive right on by. Same with deer. They don't hide in places that they can't be hidden.

Since you were at the AFA optics shootout, do you remember when those deer bedded down to our right across that ravine at like 80yds? There were close to a dozen, but when I looked for them my count varied based on glass quality, and then magnification.

This is about 700yds through the Kowa 88, there's a bunch of deer laying in that little strip of aspen, one is dead now, but there were far more then were initially glasses up.

View attachment 732128

I can attribute our killing success directly to our growth at glassing.

That’s a great point. I actually wasn’t able to make it to the AFA event due to my wife getting sick the night before. That’s probably why I posted this question as I wasn’t able to come down with y’all to compare how optics are able to pick up different things in different distances and lighting. I bet if I had attended I’d have already picked up some better glass as I recall that the group had a pretty sweet variety of higher end optics.

Thanks for the insight; just ordered some NL Pures.

 

[Ucsdryder]

@Fever Buck I think glass is the most important thing for success, by a lot. People have mentioned, "elk are big you don't need food glass", I think they are talking about upright animals in the clear. I've had regular instances where elk are bedded on the edge of dark timber and take a long time to pick out. Many of those instances within rifle range as others drive right on by. Same with deer. They don't hide in places that they can't be hidden.

Since you were at the AFA optics shootout, do you remember when those deer bedded down to our right across that ravine at like 80yds? There were close to a dozen, but when I looked for them my count varied based on glass quality, and then magnification.

This is about 700yds through the Kowa 88, there's a bunch of deer laying in that little strip of aspen, one is dead now, but there were far more then were initially glasses up.

View attachment 732128

I can attribute our killing success directly to our growth at glassing.

I think deer are MUCH harder to spot than elk. The tan elk sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

[idahomuleys]

Hi mate, can you give me a heads up on where they are on sale for $500 less?

I’d like a set too.

Cheers John

Swarovski has the NL 42s on sale just about everywhere

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[Fever Buck]

Hi mate, can you give me a heads up on where they are on sale for $500 less?

I’d like a set too.

Cheers John

Swarovski NL Pure Binocular | S&S Archery

Simply the best binoculars you can buy with the largest field of view. Swarovski NL Pure. Free Shipping. Expert Advice. VIP Customer Service.

sandsarchery.com

 

[NiteQwill]

Swarovski has the NL 42s on sale just about everywhere

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Lots on the classifieds, too

 

[PredatorSlayer]

NEGATIVE. Not everyone's eyes are the same, and given that some may have terrible eyesight to begin with, they may need every edge I can get. I'm sure you also believe Swaro BTXs are also incremental gains, too.

I think Swaro and Kowa make the best glass - just my opinion. And I own both. My point is, $3k Swaros are not 3x better than $1000 Vortex Razors. The law of diminishing returns applies here. I bought my 16yr old son Vortex Viper 12x50s. They are great. I picked them up used for less than $300. Are the NL Pures 10x better than the Vipers? No. Are they 2x better than the vipers? I don’t think so. If you have a bunch of disposable income, buy whatever you want. But the NL Pures are’t going to help you kill anymore animals than the Vortex Vipers will.

 

[NiteQwill]

I think Swaro and Kowa make the best glass - just my opinion. And I own both. My point is, $3k Swaros are not 3x better than $1000 Vortex Razors. The law of diminishing returns applies here. I bought my 16yr old son Vortex Viper 12x50s. They are great. I picked them up used for less than $300. Are the NL Pures 10x better than the Vipers? No. Are they 2x better than the vipers? I don’t think so. If you have a bunch of disposable income, buy whatever you want. But the NL Pures are’t going to help you kill anymore animals than the Vortex Vipers will.

Of course. A Ferrari still gets you from A to B like a Honda Civic. One is just nicer.

To clarify my position, nothing wrong with Vortex. I have had products since their beginning. Heck, their warranty alone is why I would recommend them to anyone. But both pieces of glass are not a fair apples to apples comparison.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Of course. A Ferrari still gets you from A to B like a Honda Civic. One is just nicer.

To clarify my position, nothing wrong with Vortex. I have had products since their beginning. Heck, their warranty alone is why I would recommend them to anyone. But both pieces of glass are not a fair apples to apples comparison.

We never talk about the downsides of Kowa and Swaro which is service/repairs. Vortex - best in the business. My son had a horse run off with his gun in the scabbard and smack it on a tree busting the HST on his gun. Vortex was willing to overnight a new one so he could keep hunting and allow us to ship the busted one back at our convenience. Anything swaro or kowa has to go back to the mother land and it can take months, and if it is being repaired due to negligence, its going to cost you $$. I am at a point in my life where I am cool with that and if the timing is bad, I can go buy another spotter for a hunt or something. I recognize not everybody can or is willing to do that. So companies like vortex makes sense.

 

[EricBender208]

I just upgraded to 12x50 ELs. I feel like I do messing with my focus dial.

 

[Reed104R]

Of course. A Ferrari still gets you from A to B like a Honda Civic. One is just nicer.

To clarify my position, nothing wrong with Vortex. I have had products since their beginning. Heck, their warranty alone is why I would recommend them to anyone. But both pieces of glass are not a fair apples to apples comparison.

This will depend on which Vortex optic you are comparing. Razor UHD'S are comparable optically to most any Swarovski, but Vortex makes alot of lower quality optics that should not even be in this discussion. I always say you get what you pay for in this business. I am a dealer and routinely use/sell Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica, and Vortex binoculars. Razor UHD's hang in there well against the alpha brands. Their warranty is the best in the business. I should add I am not a Vortex dealer, but routinely take in pre-owned Vortex.

 

[Fever Buck]

Well, I backpedaled on my earlier thoughts and got a blemished set of NL Pure 10x42 from Natchez for $2500 plus tax. Will compare them to the Vipers and if I’m not blown away I’ll return them. Seemed to be a really good price though.

 

[WRO]

I think Swaro and Kowa make the best glass - just my opinion. And I own both. My point is, $3k Swaros are not 3x better than $1000 Vortex Razors. The law of diminishing returns applies here. I bought my 16yr old son Vortex Viper 12x50s. They are great. I picked them up used for less than $300. Are the NL Pures 10x better than the Vipers? No. Are they 2x better than the vipers? I don’t think so. If you have a bunch of disposable income, buy whatever you want. But the NL Pures are’t going to help you kill anymore animals than the Vortex Vipers will.

I’ve used my STX right next to a razor and could pick out the pieces of the elk in a mohagany patch that you couldn’t distinguish though the razor. Yes they were side by side looking at the exact same elk in reasonable light.

Definitely made a difference in that bull getting harvested..


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[cmahoney]

Whoever made the Vortex clown meme needs to post it in this thread


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[LoH]

Well, I backpedaled on my earlier thoughts and got a blemished set of NL Pure 10x42 from Natchez for $2500 plus tax. Will compare them to the Vipers and if I’m not blown away I’ll return them. Seemed to be a really good price though.

Report back!

 

[cmahoney]

I’ve used my STX right next to a razor and could pick out the pieces of the elk in a mohagany patch that you couldn’t distinguish though the razor. Yes they were side by side looking at the exact same elk in reasonable light.

Definitely made a difference in that bull getting harvested..


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I went from a Razor to an STX, it’s night and day. The razor had to go back for warranty too during the 6 or 7 years I had it.


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