Why can't Vortex match Swarovski ?

aggieland

aggieland

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
891
Location
N.E. Texas....
This is probably a very uneducated optic question, but why with today's technology can Vortex not match Swarovski on their top of the line optics.. It seems like once making glass and housing etc on optics would be pretty standard.. I'm guessing it has more to do with the coatings??
 
Its the coatings, quality of raw materials, and time spent manufacturing and in quality control from what I have been able to research. I have yet to buy a vortex product that did not have to be sent in for warranty at some point. Optically I find my $500 zeiss terra superior to my $1200 viper ( which is currently broken ). live and learn.
 
I have an old pair of Vortex Fury binos that have been nothing but horrible. I have sent them in three times due to diopter and alignment issues and I get them back they are soon in the same condition they were before. I will likely never buy a Vortex product based on this experience. The Fury binos I have are for work and they came with the job. My personal binos are about 8 year old leica ultravids (non HD). They are great but I recently got a pair of Trinovid HDs to replace my vortex binos for work and am blown away by the quality. I think I like them better than my ultravids! For $1000 they seem to be a great value. The lack of a locking diopter is a bummer but a little electrical tape fixes it.
 
aggieland-- I'm sure they could create an optic that matches swaro and the pricetag would as well. I think you need to look at it in terms of a ration of price to quality if you are getting what you pay for... and if what you pay for will work for your hunt. Personally I think Vortex makes a fine product for the price and for the time and conditions where I hunt they work perfectly. If I were a guide, professional hunter, videographer, digiscoper then maybe I could justify 2-3x the price for the added clarity needed to determine a 190" buck from a 200".

I have owned their HS-T and HSLR rifle scopes, viper HD and kaibab HD binos, Venom and SPARC red dots and Razor HD spotter and never had a warranty issue with anything except when I stepped on my 10x42HDs and crushed the eyepieces..... I mailed them back and they were totally repaired, good as new within two weeks.
 
duckhunter175 said:
aggieland-- I'm sure they could create an optic that matches swaro and the pricetag would as well. I think you need to look at it in terms of a ration of price to quality if you are getting what you pay for... and if what you pay for will work for your hunt. Personally I think Vortex makes a fine product for the price and for the time and conditions where I hunt they work perfectly. If I were a guide, professional hunter, videographer, digiscoper then maybe I could justify 2-3x the price for the added clarity needed to determine a 190" buck from a 200".

I have owned their HS-T and HSLR rifle scopes, viper HD and kaibab HD binos, Venom and SPARC red dots and Razor HD spotter and never had a warranty issue with anything except when I stepped on my 10x42HDs and crushed the eyepieces..... I mailed them back and they were totally repaired, good as new within two weeks.
Click to expand...


I'm not knocking their products I own one of their spotters and I am Happy with it for the price I paid. I just wonder why they either don't or can't match the Swaro by making some on Par type optics for both quality of view and price.. Not trying to bash them at all, they have a great warranty and great to deal with. I just wish their was an american optics company that could hang with swarovski.
 
They don't make anything, they're a branding company no different from Bushnell.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
You hear a lot of people say Vortex is 90% of what Swarovski is and its simply not the truth and I'm not talking about optic quality. Vortex has a Asian glass company design and build products for them. Swarovski researches, designs and builds there own products in house with a staff of over 900 people. It is quite apparent when looking through Swaro glass compared to any Asain glass that they are the bar and everyone is still a long ways off. I'm not running down Vortex in any way, they offer great products with an even better warranty. Just pointing out these two companies are entirely different business models.
 
Ah! WRO is a thinking man!

If everything was the same, from the materials, processes, and specs, they would be the same product.

The simple facts are that each company uses different processes and builds to different specifications.
Its very difficult to compare spotting scopes and understand what you are comparing.

There is a long list of things that are different about the two brands in the original post.

I just like WRO.
Chevrolet has all the tools and knowledge to build a car. These days they pay Canadians to build them.
Its a totally different thing to build a Bugatti.
Both are cars. One is a Bugatti.
 
I don't think there would be much of a market for them honestly. If the price was the same I cant see many people reaching for the Vortex. Look at the Nikon EDG series for an example. Awesome optics but you don't hear much about them or see many guys with them.

I just think that guys who are putting down that kinda of hard earned cash on Binos are gonna chose Swarovski, Zeiss or Leica.

I think it's hard to compare Swarovski to Vortex, one builds high end optics, the other stamps their name on products, backs it with a great warranty and has a VERY good marketing team.
 
Cindy said:
Ah! WRO is a thinking man!

If everything was the same, from the materials, processes, and specs, they would be the same product.

The simple facts are that each company uses different processes and builds to different specifications.
Its very difficult to compare spotting scopes and understand what you are comparing.

There is a long list of things that are different about the two brands in the original post.

I just like WRO.
Chevrolet has all the tools and knowledge to build a car. These days they pay Canadians to build them.
Its a totally different thing to build a Bugatti.
Both are cars. One is a Bugatti.
Click to expand...

Major difference, chevy owns the factory in Canada, vortex doesn't own a factory.

Its no difference than tract, bushnell, low end leupold (non gold ring), low end nikon, zen ray, and Zeiss Terras.
 
Last edited:
Besides the already listed points (Vortex doesn't build their own bino's and the lack of a need from the consumers) Vortex couldn't possibly build an optic in the same quality realm of Swaro and keep their unconditional lifetime guarantee. Margins on Asian made products are twice as high as European.
 
It comes down to business. Sure they could start making their own stuff w/ the quality of swaro, but you'll pay for it. They aren't necessarily trying to compete against swaro, they are appealing to the bulk of hunters and offering serviceable optics that fit a working man's budget. Along with an incredibly successful marketing plan. If I'm gonna pay 2 grand for glass it's gonna be swaro zeiss or leica, and I think Vortex knows that.
 
After reading and absorbing all the posts here I come to the conclusion that my "plan" has and will continue to work fine .... Leica binoculars and Leupold VX3 (now VX3i) scopes and I'm good no matter where I hunt or how nasty it gets
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

iflyskyhigh
New Binoculars, spotting scope, or both...
7 8 9
Replies
167
Views
7K
4863nick
4
gr8fuldoug
New Swarovski Z5+ Series Riflescopes
Replies
19
Views
2K
Dave Chilson
D
4
Vortex (mini) Razor HD 13-39 Big Eyes
Replies
7
Views
1K
willfrye027
willfrye027
gr8fuldoug
GPO Centuri Riflescope Special Offer
Replies
0
Views
225
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
devious303
  • Locked
Sold Primary Arms SLx 3X MicroPrism™ Scope - Green Illuminated ACSS Raptor Reticle - 7.62x39 / .300 BLK
Replies
0
Views
196
devious303
devious303

Latest posts

Featured Video

Latest Articles

Back
Top