big10hunter
WKR
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Is the vortex 11-33 HD too small of power to even consider as a backcountry scope? I like how light it is.
Vortex 11-33
- Thread starter big10hunter
- Start date
Solitude
WKR
What type of game and hunter are you? Elk, any legal animal, great little scope. Sheep, goat, etc might want to reconsider IMO.
midwest_gearhead
FNG
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- Sep 29, 2014
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- 31
The Nomad is a great spotting scope for what it is. You just have to understand what you're buying and consider how you're going to use it. There are certainly better options for magnification, clarity and light transmission. Are you going to be glassing side hills/mountains a quarter or half mile away? Are you going to be Glassing mountains/side hills 4 miles away? Are you sitting and glassing all morning, then going back to camp to come out later that afternoon and pull a stock on something you saw bedded down? There are many different scenarios that will make this decision.
Personally, I found that if I actually need a spotting scope I'd prefer to take the Swaro ATX. If its not something i want to carry, then the chances are I probably don't want to carry the nomad either.
This all just depends on what game you are after and how you want to hunt them.
GibsonKuenzi
WKR
Scope
Nomad?
Pretty sure his question was about a vortex razor hd 11-33x50
It's great glass for the money. For the reasons these guys have said, figure out what you need to use it for and then choose your size.
Nomad?
Pretty sure his question was about a vortex razor hd 11-33x50
It's great glass for the money. For the reasons these guys have said, figure out what you need to use it for and then choose your size.
midwest_gearhead
FNG
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I believe the razor 11-33 is what replaced the nomad, I just keep calling it the nomad out of habit. Nomad was supposed to represent the lighter more compact spotting scopes.
The Nomad was replaced with the Diamondback Series. The Razor line is a whole different animal. The 11-33X50 is one awesome spotter to two miles out. Yes you can view farther than that with it but two miles & in it's incredible! It's my goto spotter & I own & use all 3. As a dealer that's easy for me to do! (grin) I would highly recommend it with zero concerns!
ElkNut1
ElkNut1
midwest_gearhead
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I spoke to vortex about and they said they split the nomad into 2 scopes. For someone who was after the lighter weight, compact aspect of the nomad they would want the razor 11-33 and for the person who wanted the lightweight high magnification option they would go to the viper series. They said the diamondback series was a completely different thinking in spotting scope design and was solely targeted after the lower cost market.
Sounds like you talked to an uninformed individual. No way can you compare the flagship high end vortex line (razor) to their bottom of the line (budget) products (old nomad and diamondback).
Comparing the nomad to any of the razor line is like saying the Nikon monarchs are the same/comparable to the new swaro hd el's.
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midwest_gearhead
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well like I stated, I dont think it is meant to "compare" directly to a razor series. As the Vortex sales rep and the individual from the corporate office both said, the nomad was intended to be a lighter, more compact spotting scope. That market was very popular so they decided to make discontinue the nomad and split that "light/compact" scope into two different scopes. The razor 11-33 which would be the ultimate HD light and compact scope, which would be more expensive and the Diamondback (I said viper in my previous post but I meant diamondback) series which was not as light/compact as the razor 11-33, nor did it have the opitcal quality, but it was still after the light/compact market.
midwest_gearhead
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by specs and price alone the nomad certainly compares more to the diamondback. But according to vortex the nomad and the light/compact idea is the reason they created the 11-33. I suppose since neither person I talked to was in the R and D department maybe they are misinformed...but..who are we to argue with them.
So the thread starter is not confused let's look at the weights of the Spotters mentioned here that are still produced. This is what the thread starter was asking about.
DiamondBack 20-60X60 Spotter - 33.8 -oz
Viper HD 15-45X65 Spotter - 53.3-oz
Razor HD 11-33X50 Spotter - 25-oz
Between these 3 Spotters there is no real world comparison, the Razor line will beat them hands down!
p.s. I too will have to agree with dotman, plus the Nomad was replaced with the DiamondBack series. Not saying the Viper HD did not come into play here but I too have discussed this with Vortex as well & the DiamondBack is the more affordable line that compares closest to the now discontinued Nomad.
ElkNut1
DiamondBack 20-60X60 Spotter - 33.8 -oz
Viper HD 15-45X65 Spotter - 53.3-oz
Razor HD 11-33X50 Spotter - 25-oz
Between these 3 Spotters there is no real world comparison, the Razor line will beat them hands down!
p.s. I too will have to agree with dotman, plus the Nomad was replaced with the DiamondBack series. Not saying the Viper HD did not come into play here but I too have discussed this with Vortex as well & the DiamondBack is the more affordable line that compares closest to the now discontinued Nomad.
ElkNut1
stephen b
WKR
Vortex Razor is a great spotting scope line that competes well with the big dogs. And the 11-33x50 is a great little spotter for it's intended purpose. It competes well with the high thought of Nikon 50mm ED scope and those 2 are a better comparison than anything else in the Vortex line up.
The Razor series is as Paul said a whole different animal than any of the other spotting scopes in their line up. They are NOT a Nomad or a Diamondback, or a Viper.
My guess ( just a hunch)- midwest_gearhead has not looked through a Razor 11-33x50 scope.
The Razor series is as Paul said a whole different animal than any of the other spotting scopes in their line up. They are NOT a Nomad or a Diamondback, or a Viper.
My guess ( just a hunch)- midwest_gearhead has not looked through a Razor 11-33x50 scope.
midwest_gearhead
FNG
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I actually have. Nice little spotting scope. Don't own one but have a buddy who has one. Light transmission was nothing to write home about but with a 50 mm objective I wouldn't expect it to be.
My guess (just a hunch) stephen b doesn't even actually know what the optical differences are between the razor and viper series. But ya never know he could surprise me.
For the sake of making my life easier and ackowledging that the discussions I had with two vortex representitives was a waste of time. I'm also tired of trying to explain that I am not making a direct comparison of 2 vortex spotters of different prices and optical qualities, but instead having simply stated what two models replaced an older model (according to 2 vortex reps and I believe I tried to clarify that at least twice).......soooo you guys win. The diamondback is the same thing as the nomad they just switched the name, I was trying to confuse big10hunter so he would go off looking to buy a nomad and not a 11-33 razor because obviously I was purposely trying to give false information.
Stephen and Midwest gear head, check your pm's
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stephen b
WKR
To OP (big10hunter). If you want a lightweight backcountry spotter- the Razor 11-33x50 is IMO an excellent one
Drhorsepower- Message received.
I am sure all of this back and forth ( which I made the mistake of contributing to myself) is super helpful to the OP's post.
Not trying to surprise you, and really do not need to. I am not an optical expert - not my exact field. But, I actually do know a few things and have a lot of experience with optics. Have even have posted a couple of reviews/ amateur observations before- not a real big deal, since it is something really anyone could do. Not that, that really would, or should not make any difference to you. After all- I am not trying to surprise or impress you.
Drhorsepower- Message received.
I am sure all of this back and forth ( which I made the mistake of contributing to myself) is super helpful to the OP's post.
Not trying to surprise you, and really do not need to. I am not an optical expert - not my exact field. But, I actually do know a few things and have a lot of experience with optics. Have even have posted a couple of reviews/ amateur observations before- not a real big deal, since it is something really anyone could do. Not that, that really would, or should not make any difference to you. After all- I am not trying to surprise or impress you.
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MuleyFever
WKR
I got the 11-33 this year because I wanted a smaller scope. I had a 65mm Nikon and never carried it because I didnt want to carry the weight. I took the Vortex on one scouting trip and left it home after that. I guess I discovered I just dont want to carry a scope. That said I also have decided I dont really need one where I hunt. I can see what I need to with my binos.
On the trip I used it I found myself wishing for more magnification. I also took it on a Mt Goat watching trip and again wished I had something bigger. We had a goat about a mile out on a ridge and I could tell it had horns but that is about it. Buy this scope if you want a compact spotter that can be used to identify the sex of a far off animal or tell you if that blob is a deer or a log. If you want to know how big the animal is you will want a bigger scope.
On the trip I used it I found myself wishing for more magnification. I also took it on a Mt Goat watching trip and again wished I had something bigger. We had a goat about a mile out on a ridge and I could tell it had horns but that is about it. Buy this scope if you want a compact spotter that can be used to identify the sex of a far off animal or tell you if that blob is a deer or a log. If you want to know how big the animal is you will want a bigger scope.
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