Vortex Razor HD 10×42

Superb in every way! I am a retired, experienced, mechanical engineer so I know quality when I see, feel and use it! My wife and I travel quite a bit for pleasure and I must tell you that I’ve compared these with the much more expensive “Euro” brands, specifically the Swarovski 10×42 SLC’s and from my experience (old enough to be on medicare) and having owned and tested many brands of high end glass THESE CANNOT BE BEAT! Superb balance and super lightweight (forget all that nonsense that you read about the finer the glass the heavier it should weigh; as I said, I am a recently retired mechanical engineer with a special interest in optics of every kind and weight is not necessarily an indicator of superior optical quality but usually, inferior design), with INCREDIBLY sharp optics! I literally compared these side x side w/the same model Swarovski whilst staying in a resort close to Mt. Etna in Sicily looking out at the Aegean sea and at Etna’s summit and I tell you not an iota of difference! In point of fact, I thought the focusing wheel on the Swaros was far too “loosey-goosey” when trying to bear down on sharp focusing, especially if you’re a birder or wildlife watcher. No way to stay focused on any moving object with a focusing mechanism with that much travel as the Swaros. I know the Razors are now made in the Celestial Kingdom (and I’m pissed at that, especially since my pair of Vortex Vipers in 8×32, which I bought only a year ago are made in Japan), but no matter how much one does not enjoy seeing China dominate everything these days, in all honesty, the world has become a “market” economy and the market dictates folks!I believe these to be the best on the market ESPECIALLY considering the no questions asked, transferrable, lifetime warranty! Go find that in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, or any where else for that matter! I really researched this purchase because though I can afford it, …who needs or wants to spend an extra $1K or so (depending on brand) for the same or inferior performance glass? It was great having the center focusing wheel on the Swaros as the diopter focusing mechanism as well,…but to be honest, once you’ve set your diopter setting on the lockable wheel on the barrel of the Razor, there is no difference, other than the previously stated “mushy” feel of the Swaro SLC center focusing wheel. The Swaros are not only heavier but the close focusing only allows you to 11 feet or so. The Razor’s, just like the Viper’s are at 5 foot or even a little less. Talk about superb optics and quality craftsmanship! I’ve tried or owned every brand of looking glasses out there and these are, IMHO the best without any reservation OR exception!UPDATE: 3/20/20…..These are by far the best glass for the money that I HAVE EVER SPENT! I’ve been extremely active with some local and regional (Northeast USA) birding organizations and I have used/borrowed/tried out and compared every other major (expensive) brand of glass that exists (inclusive of some extremely expensive spotting scopes and I am still FLOORED by the performance/ build quality and ease of use of the Vortex brand overall but specifically the Razors and the Vipers. As a former mechanical engineer (and I hare to repeat myself) these are PHENOMENALLY INCREDIBLE for the money spent!Speaking of which folks,….I spend a small fortune in time, energy and coin on stuff that I buy and use here on amazon so if this review was HELPFUL,….well you know what to do! Many thanks!

I just returned a pair of the viper HD binoculars…. don’t get me wrong…. they were really good… but they were a little blurry at the edges… so I bought the Razors… they are double the price but WOW! They are ultra clear… no blur at the edges at all… no purple fringes…. none! I was just looking through a fellow birders Swarovski’s binos and I was taken back by how good they were… I mean they just blew the vipers out of the water! Then I got the Razors and I can tell you this… the Swarovski’s have NOTHING ON THEM AT ALL! Could not be more happy with the Razors…. just skip the cheap $500.00 vipers and get the Razors! Buy once cry once!

Love this bino! It’s less than half the price of “alpha” glass and weighs a few ounces less. The Razor rivals that of the alphas. I’ll gladly settle for 95% quality of the alphas for 45% of the cost. Except maybe in very low light or very lousy conditions, this bino provides as clear and vibrant a view as the big boys. I’ve been birding for 20 years – this is probably my last pair.

Wow! This is the last set of binoculars you will ever need. The quality is outstanding. My husband never puts them down!

The image seen through this binocular is simply amazing. It is extremely bright and clear. Objects viewed against a very light background still register colours clearly. Focusing is very smooth and the long eye relief make it easily used even when wearing spectacles. It is extremely sharp; objects seem to snap into focus in a way I have not seen with other binoculars. This and the wide field of view give the sense of actually being present in the view.The dioptre adjustment seemed to work in the opposite direction to normal – normally I am -0.75 dioptre but on this binocular I was +0.75. No matter, once set, everything was OK.There was a downside, to at least to the binocular I received, and that was chromatic aberrations. They seemed to be much greater than I expected. I have used a Zeiss Trinovid 10×25 binocular for many years and, whilst present, CAs are minimal even to the edge of the FOV and are largely unnoticeable. The Razor has noticeable CA from quite close to the centre of FOV. Looking at birds against a bright grey sky or across water on a sunny day it became a little irritating. This may have been an issue with the pair that I received as all the reviews that I have read suggest that CAs shouldn’t have been a problem at all.Other than CAs, I can wholeheartedly recommend these binoculars.