Vortex Viper HD 8x42 or Maven/ other?

[Csvt99]

I'm new here and looking for some advice on optics. I'm looking to replace my Steiner Predator 8x30s which are broken and deemed unrepairable by Steiner. I've been meaning to upgrade them anyway because they are subpar for hunting.

I have an opportunity to purchase a new pair of Vortex Viper HD 8x42 for $400. They have good reviews, only down side seems to be average field of view. I did look through them at Cabela's but not outside. They seemed similar to the Nikon Monarch 7 and Leupold BX-4 Pro-Guide in the store. Is it worth my time & energy to check out the Maven C.1, Tract Toric or ZR ED3 since I can get the Vipers at a good price? The one feature these other bins don't have that I like is the locking diopter ring and dust/scratch coating.

Most of my hunting is in Pennsylvania. Thank you for your input!

 

[BobbyMac]

PM'd you

 

[Firehawk]

Based on my experience with Zen Ray, don't buy them. Their products are good, but their Customer Service leaves a lot to be desired based on my current experience. I frankly wonder if they are going out of business, or if they have already.

I have both the ZR Summit ZRS HD and the Prime HD. Both are good, but the primes are great. That said, I have a small "fleck" or something inside the left side that appears about 10 o clock in the view. Small, but distracting. I discovered this two weeks ago and have been trying multiple times each week to get hold of them. I have sent emails, left voice mail messages, etc., and have not had a single response. I sure hope that they will eventually call back and make it right. I am a pretty forgiving guy, but expect someone to stand behind their products when I put my hard earned money in their trusted hands.

My buddy's Vipers have been bullet proof. I have the Maven B2 and it is AWESOME!!!. Haven't tried the C1 yet, but they are supposed to be similar to the Viper in a lot of ways.

Good luck and have fun in your search.

FH

 

[Csvt99]

Thanks for the feedback. I was able to try the Viper, Leupold BX3 pro guide in 8x42 and Meopta Meostar 10x32 outdoors at a nice optics shop.

Both the Viper and Meopta had black out issues for me. The Vipers were okay if I held them away from my face about 1/4", so it seems like an eye relief issue. Does anyone know if Vortex makes extended eyecups? I checked some friends optics which included Leupold golden ring (similar to Maven) 10x42 and Vanguard Endeavor II and did not have blackout issues.

Also they told me that the Meopta Meopro is the same glass as Meostar, just in a different case. And they said the meopro 8x32 would be just as good as the Vortex 8x42 in low light. Not sure I buy that.....but if it's true it would be tempting...

 

[Steve C]

"They" don't know what "they" are talking about. The Meostar is the high end Meopta line, also sold as Cabela's Euro and the Meostar is Meopta's mid range binocular. The Viper IMO fits in between the Meostar and the Meopro. The Maven B1 is a superior binocular and is better than the Viper, in my experience. You can get Viper performance in the maven C1 for less money than the Viper.

 

[Csvt99]

I'm thinking about trying the maven C1 to see how they work with my eyes. Has there been any testing done to see if the hydrophobic coatings (Viper has it, I don't believe the C1 does) help with external fogging? My ocular pieces fog up on my Steiners within seconds of putting them to my face on cold mornings which is really annoying. Of the hydrophobic coatings help with this I will definitely need to consider it.

 

[Firehawk]

Based on my Maven experience, I wouldn't hesitate to try the C1.

 

[WoodDuck]

If you're not dead set on an 8x42, you could also throw the Maven B.3 8x30 into the mix. I ordered a pair of C.1 8x42s and the B.3 and am keeping the B.3. Better edge to edge clarity and seemed brighter to my eyes. I do a lot of treestand hunting in Wisconsin and also appreciate the small size and light weight of the B.3.

 

[warrant]

Pm sent


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Csvt99]

How would the B3 in 8x30 compare to the 8x42 C1 in low light? My Steiner 8x30 are great midday but are terrible in the first and last 2 hours.

 

[WoodDuck]

The 8x30 B.3 doesn't give up anything to the 8x42 C.1 in low light. I can't think of a reason to pick the C.1 over the B.3, unless for some reason the B.3 doesn't fit you well.

 

[ckr117]

Dude Meostars are awesome and they definitely are not the same glass as Meopro's. I hear great things about Maven also.

 

[Csvt99]

The 8x30 B.3 doesn't give up anything to the 8x42 C.1 in low light. I can't think of a reason to pick the C.1 over the B.3, unless for some reason the B.3 doesn't fit you well.

I decided to demo both the C1 8x42 and B3 8x30. I will post my thoughts after they come in. So far I'm encouraged by Maven's customer service. I called in two times and was able to speak with someone right away without holding. I've spoken to 2 different people and they were both helpful and very knowledgeable.

 

[JWP58]

I was disappointed in the Viper HD's. Not much better (if at all) compared to a $150 pair of Redfields.

 

[Csvt99]

First impressions. I'm impressed. Both are made very well. The B3 is an obvious step up in quality feel over the C1 but the C1 still feels nicer that the Viper in my opinion. It could benefit from a softer exterior, but I still like it. Neither has a cheap feel like most other binoculars under $600.

The C1 8x42 is noticeably brighter than the B3 8x30 in low light. However I had to look very hard to notice the difference. It was most apparent when viewing stars. It was also apparent at dusk, I could make out a few more details on trees with the C1 8x42. Enough to make or break in a hunting situation? Probably not.

Next step is to compare them in daylight. The B3 is half the size, and has a better field of view. So we will see if that makes up for the smaller objective.

 

[Csvt99]

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for Maven's customer support and ability to demo their binoculars. All my friends and family are quite impressed.

After a day in the tree stand my verdict is that the B.3 optics are not quite good enough to make up for the smaller objective compared to the C.1. They are probably 90% there. During the day the two seem almost identicle. At one point I would have myself convinced that the B.3 were better, but then I would look through the C.1 and think they were a touch stronger. However, for the first and last hour of the day the edge went to the C.1 for better light and detail. The difference was just enough to notice, but no more. However the B.3 8x30 were certainly brighter than my Steiner 8x30 porous.The C.1 were also a bit more comfortable to me due to the larger eye cups and possibly exit pupil. If I could get the B.3 in 8x42 and just a slightly larger frame, it just may be enough for me to take them over the C.1., but that is not currently an option.

Another observation was that it seemed the C.1 had just a bit more magnification, say .25 or .5 more than the B.3. Perhaps it was an optical illusion related to the smaller field of view.

Perhaps the most important thing for me....both pairs DID NOT FOG on the exterior of the ocular lense. This is a HUGE deal for me because I have had serious issues with external fogging on other brands rendering them useless. So I'm very excited about that aspect.

If having a compact binocular is your number one priority, and you are willing to sacrifice just a touch of low light performance, the B.3 is your pair. I'm leaning towards the C.1 because I feel they will do a little better for me all around, even though they are a bit bulkier. The price helps too.