Budget binos

[Taff]

Votex you cannot go wrong

Not sure, have two pairs on the way back to them cloudy, coatings like rainbows, and moisture inside, mind you people here take them to the extremes. Warranty here is crap as we have to deal with Australia ( there warranty team are like Aussie rugby players always winging) .

 

[Koenig]

Always found Diamondbacks very good.

 

[lksopener1]

Vortex diamondbacks 8x42

 

[sammuz75]

Not sure, have two pairs on the way back to them cloudy, coatings like rainbows, and moisture inside, mind you people here take them to the extremes. Warranty here is crap as we have to deal with Australia ( there warranty team are like Aussie rugby players always winging) .

Sounds like you got super unlucky and have had a very different experience to me. I’ve had a pair of 10x50 Vortex Diamondbacks for 4/5 years that have been used in horrific conditions across Africa, two years in Australia’s Northern Territory, New Zealand and stalking in the UK. They got daily use, never leaving my person as I worked as a Field Guide so needed them for birding etc. They’re showing signs of wear but are fundamentally solid. The front rubber lens covers broke, largely due to being in the extremes of heat (35+ most days) in Australia and then returning to the UK winter. I contacted Vortex in the US and they instantly sent me out replacements from the US free of charge. Arrived 3 days later. OP - their warranty and customer service alone (in my experience) knock most other budget-mid range products out the park and the glass is pretty decent. My 10x50s are also really quite good in low light, granted most would complain about them being a bit bulky, but I’m not exactly frail myself!

 

[Warrenton]

Im after some 8x binos for woodland stalking. Budget of 250. They dont have to be new. What do we suggest i look for?

Vortex diamondback 10x42 for me, which seem a great product at the price

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Vortex Diamondback 8x42 will be the answer that most will give

Or even 8x32 - slip in any pocket. I've just experienced the excellent warranty at first hand too - amazing service for a minor issue - top class.

 

[Jagged77]

Very happy with the Vortex Diamondback 8x42, they do a job and that’s all I can ask of them.

 

[Greenmist]

One thing I have noticed while reading threads like this, while vortex appear to have an amazing warranty, a high number of people seem to have used it.

 

[willie_gunn]

One thing I have noticed while reading threads like this, while vortex appear to have an amazing warranty, a high number of people seem to have used it.

To be fair, I’ve read exactly the same comment about Swarovski when people talk about their exemplary service, so it would be interesting to see the comparative statistics for both companies on the proportion of owners who make a claim against the respective warranties.

 

[Scarpa]

Just to throw another name in, about 7 years ago I saw a pair of Vanguard binos down from £300 to £150. They are still going strong although they haven't had very tough use, and the light transmission is not that far behind my old Kahles scope.

 

[Taff]

Sounds like you got super unlucky and have had a very different experience to me. I’ve had a pair of 10x50 Vortex Diamondbacks for 4/5 years that have been used in horrific conditions across Africa, two years in Australia’s Northern Territory, New Zealand and stalking in the UK. They got daily use, never leaving my person as I worked as a Field Guide so needed them for birding etc. They’re showing signs of wear but are fundamentally solid. The front rubber lens covers broke, largely due to being in the extremes of heat (35+ most days) in Australia and then returning to the UK winter. I contacted Vortex in the US and they instantly sent me out replacements from the US free of charge. Arrived 3 days later. OP - their warranty and customer service alone (in my experience) knock most other budget-mid range products out the park and the glass is pretty decent. My 10x50s are also really quite good in low light, granted most would complain about them being a bit bulky, but I’m not exactly frail myself!

Not me getting unlucky, these are customers, I would say though they have a better longevity than Leupold BX 1, but we do sell more Leupold s than vortex, but the Leupold dealer is better.

 

[disco_ike]

Another for the 8x42 Diamondbacks vortex. Love mine and no issue with them at all yet.