Vortex Viper HD 10×42 – Review
The Vortex Viper HD is perfect for my style of hunting…
I normally use my 10×42 binoculars for deer hunting, either in tight bush country, where I move slow and quiet, glassing every few minutes looking for any movement, even an ear twitching – anything, that gives away the deer’s position… or I use them on a tripod in open tussock country, where the plan is to spot the deer and stalk in closer to take the shot…
The quality glass in these binoculars and the image clarity they offer make the job of spotting deer before they spot me, so much easier!
Vortex Viper HD
There seem to be two types of hunters that I meet, those that own Vortex Binoculars, and those who wish they did…?
The 10×42 Viper HD is no exception, Last updated in 2018, they are one of the most popular Roof Prism Binoculars among deer hunters, these rugged compact binos are packed with superior features, especially the outstanding glass and lens coatings… you would expect to find quality lens glass like this on “Top German Binoculars” costing 3x the price.
- Magnesium Chassis
- Sealed With O-Rings
- Argon Gas Purged
- Rubber Armor
- Waterproof & Fogproof
- HD Lens Elements
- XR Lens Coatings
- Phase Correction
- ArmorTek
- Twist Eyecups
- Center Focus Wheel
- Locking Diopter
I wouldn’t go as far as saying they are cheap, they are not!
But Vortex Viper HD is excellent value, with the best warranty you will find…
Available in 4 magnifications:
- Viper HD 8×42,
- Viper HD 10×42,
- Viper HD 10×50,
- Viper HD 12×50.
The hunting I do at the moment suits the Viper HD 10×42, with its 341 feet/1000 yards field of view, but occasionally I would prefer to be hunting with the 8×42 for its lower magnification and a wider field of view – 409 feet/1000 yards, using a lower magnification with a wider field of view, on occasion makes good sense, especially when the animals are close to me or they are nervous and moving a lot.
Also, I have to be careful to keep the shakes to a minimum when handholding the 10×42, but it was not a problem with the 8x magnification binoculars that I have used in the past.
Despite this, I still use and recommend, the Viper HD 10×42 rather than Viper HD 8×42.
The Viper HD 10×42 are just so much more versatile and powerful.
Vortex Binoculars…
Dan and Margie Hamilton, are the owners of Vortex Optics, working alongside, their dedicated staff of 200 American team members based in Barneveld, Wisconsin since 1986.
Wisconsin is where all Vortex Optics products are designed, engineered, quality controlled or serviced.
Vortex Optics has a diverse range of binoculars with different features and corresponding price points.
The entire range of binoculars is manufactured in 3 countries, either in Japan, the Philippines or China, depending on the product line.
Vortex Optics – Glass Quality
HD Lens Elements: more commonly known as Extra-Low Dispersion Glass, which reduces chromatic aberration sometimes referred to as purple fringing… Extra-Low Dispersion Glass helps to deliver the ultimate resolution and colour fidelity, resulting in high-definition images. (HD)
XR Fully Multi-Coated: XR Plus anti-reflective coatings maximize brightness in low-light conditions, as well, they use Armor Tek Coating, this optical coating is applied to protect against scratches, oil and dirt, there are multiple anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces.
Dielectric Coating: These types of coatings are used on roof prism binoculars to increase light reflectivity – Multi-layer prism coatings provide bright, clear, colour-accurate images.
Phase Correction: quality binoculars like the Vortex Viper HD have special multilayer phase-correction coatings applied to a prism surface to enhance resolution and contrast.
Summary
Vortex Viper HD 10×42 is a compact, rugged, but powerful set of binoculars…
They are very capable of delivering the goods even in less than ideal conditions…
Freezing Snow or Humid Summer Rain? They Will Not Fog…
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Vortex Viper HD 10×42 – FAQ…
Where are Vortex Binoculars made?
Vortex Optics currently has 200 American team members based in Barneveld, Wisconsin, this is where all their products are designed, engineered, pre-inspected or serviced if needed. The Vortex range of binoculars is manufactured in 3 countries, either in Japan, Philippines or China, depending on the product line.
Where are Vortex Viper HD Binoculars made?
Viper HD Binoculars from Vortex Optics are made in the Philippines.
Is the Vortex Optics Warranty any good?
Unlimited Lifetime Warranty, Fully Transferable, No Receipt Needed…
– sounds like a pretty good warranty to me!
They will repair or replace your genuine Vortex® product if it is damaged or develops a fault, at no charge to you.
If they can’t repair your binoculars for any reason, they will replace them with an equivalent pair that are in perfect working order.
