Vortex Razor HD 10-33X50... If you don't have one yet, get on it!!

squeekieslayer · Nov 25, 2014

Hey guys, Just thought I would share my experience with this piece of equipment. I have a 85mm Zeiss Diascope that I have had for a few years. It has absolutely amazing optics and is functional all the way to 75X. The problem is that it weighs about 7.5 pounds and you need a bit heftier tripod to stabilize it.... so i never pack it far from the truck.

I picked up a Razor HD 10-33X50 and slapped in on a slik sprint mini... weighs around 3 pounds total and is an AWESOME piece of equipment. Also much much smaller to pack than the zeiss. Optics are quite impressive for the size/cost/power. When i set my zeiss at the same power and compare the two they are very hard to tell apart. In fact, with good lighting, they are almost the same except the FOV. Obiviously the 85mm objective does better in low light... but for 1/4 the price I was very impressed.

I have not left the truck without this scope all year. I am very very impressed and consider it my best hunting investment in the last 5 years (except for maybe my horses haha)

Joe

Rizzy · Nov 25, 2014

Good to hear, I have really been thinking hard about selling my Viper 65mm and going with the Razor 50 instead.

Kawabunga · Nov 25, 2014

Have one also, agree very compact and light, fits easily into different pockets.

untouchable · Nov 26, 2014

i have been thinking about getting one. my only worry is it will be under powered . how well do they do out to 1000 yards? do they do good enough or would it be a better idea just to get the 65mm insted?

rodney482 · Nov 27, 2014

The little Razor will handle 95% of your long range glassing needs.

5MilesBack · Nov 27, 2014

I'm on the flip side........downsized to the 50mm Razor and hated it. Then used the 65mm Razor and now going back to something larger.

squeekieslayer · Nov 27, 2014

So the little guy isnt going to count rings on sheep at 2 miles or call your hits on a paper target at 1000 yards... But you need to ask yourself why you are carrying a spotter. I lived 10 years with a fixed power 30x meopta and never felt under powered. I use it to locate game, and determine size of antlers. I can honestly say that you are better off getting this type of spotter for 600 bucks than many larger options in the same price range. If theres one thing certain in optics, its that you get what you pay for. You are better off compromising power and objective size for very crisp, clear, quality optical components. Too many mid range priced, high power options may have higher mag... But who cares if it isnt sharp. Resolution is more important than magnification. If you can save weight and size... Even better.

I tell people that my razor with me in the back country is waaay clearer than my zeiss sitting at home unused. Get something that fits your needs, but for the weight and space conscious, hardcore backcountry crowd... I cant imagine a better package.

Joe

squeekieslayer · Nov 27, 2014

untouchable said:
i have been thinking about getting one. my only worry is it will be under powered . how well do they do out to 1000 yards? do they do good enough or would it be a better idea just to get the 65mm insted?

What are you using it for at 1000 yards? For game id, score estimation, and game location... Its perfect. 1000 yards is not very far in the spotter world. I often find myself scouring ridges well over a mile away. This little guy would be limeted at those ranges.

Joe

dotman · Nov 27, 2014

squeekieslayer said:
So the little guy isnt going to count rings on sheep at 2 miles or call your hits on a paper target at 1000 yards... But you need to ask yourself why you are carrying a spotter. I lived 10 years with a fixed power 30x meopta and never felt under powered. I use it to locate game, and determine size of antlers. I can honestly say that you are better off getting this type of spotter for 600 bucks than many larger options in the same price range. If theres one thing certain in optics, its that you get what you pay for. You are better off compromising power and objective size for very crisp, clear, quality optical components. Too many mid range priced, high power options may have higher mag... But who cares if it isnt sharp. Resolution is more important than magnification. If you can save weight and size... Even better.

I tell people that my razor with me in the back country is waaay clearer than my zeiss sitting at home unused. Get something that fits your needs, but for the weight and space conscious, hardcore backcountry crowd... I cant imagine a better package.

Joe

I can agree with this, really for lower 48 hunting I've found binos on a tripod to be the best tool. I downsized from the 65mm razor to 15x56 and feel I get much more use out of them purely because glassing with two eyes is so much better. I think the little 50mm is a good tool to get out a little further, I had the minox 50mm for a few years and my only complaint was first and last light which the little razor should be much better glass in that area.

untouchable · Nov 27, 2014

thanks guys i currently have the diamondback 80mm but I am not a fan of it. its not as clear as my last scope i was wondering if the loss of power dropping down to the 50mm would be worth it since the razor is a much better glass. with the diamondback anything over 40 power is grainy and not to clear to me so i never really go past the 40 power. thanks for all the input guys.

mtelkkiller · Nov 27, 2014

I love mine. It's a lot of scope for the size

chindits · Nov 27, 2014

It's an easy scope to pack and I only have two complaints. The lens covers suck and they will not stay on so be prepared to fabricate something or go after market. It also doesn't have any optional eye pieces so you are stuck with the 11-33 variable. Vortex's competitior in the little scope market offers fixed wide angle eye pieces. That may matter to some on the digiscope side.

MuleyFever · Nov 28, 2014

I went from a Nikon 65mm to the 50mm Vortex for the weight and size. I was leaving my Nikon at home because I didnt want to carry it. I am not really impressed with the Vortex. I found myself wishing for a bit more power and when zoomed in the FOV is very small making it harder to see.

matt1glenn · Nov 28, 2014

Looking at the vortex too

MuleyFever said:
I went from a Nikon 65mm to the 50mm Vortex for the weight and size. I was leaving my Nikon at home because I didnt want to carry it. I am not really impressed with the Vortex. I found myself wishing for a bit more power and when zoomed in the FOV is very small making it harder to see.

I started another thread early today with similar ? I'm looking at the viper HD 11-33 / 50 . I have older monarch 10 x 42 and a viper skyline 20-60 x 80
But find myself leaving spotter at camp half the time because of weight.
Looking in these options

1. Viper HD 15 x 50 binos and that is it
2. 8x 32 and 15 x 50 binos
3. viper HD 10 x 42 and viper HD 11-33 x 50

Any thoughts

Are these a lot better then my older monarchs and or should i look at the razor HD and just get better binos

Kawabunga · Nov 28, 2014

Matt, I'm running your #3 setup without the HD, just plain Vipers. I found a herd of sheep today with the binos at about 3/4 to 1 mile away, could tell they were sheep but couldn't really make out rams well until I got the spotter on them, was wondering if 15x binos would have been able to make them out. Don't really glass much with the spotter, always wanted to try a pair of Kaibabs as my friend in AZ swears by them and never uses a spotter for deer, until I look at the weight as i do a bit of hiking. Big binos are very comfortable for glassing but like was mentioned depends on your intended use. I think the Monarchs are decent for the price, sold my brother on them as he's not that serious, maybe just get the 11-33x50? if money is a concern.

washingtonalpine · Dec 11, 2014

I used the 50mm razor this year and loved it! a very clear spotter and I always bring it because it's light. I have a heavier spotter but never bring it because it's too heavy. Also I did spot a few bears with it this year that were 4 to 5 miles away.

mtelkkiller · Jan 31, 2015

You can see a lot with the little razor. Love mine. Probably going to just sell my big scope and use the the little razor and upgrade my binos

Vortex Razor HD 10-33X50... If you don't have one yet, get on it!!

squeekieslayer

WKR

Rizzy

WKR

Kawabunga

Lil-Rokslider

untouchable

FNG

rodney482

WKR

5MilesBack

"DADDY"

squeekieslayer

WKR

squeekieslayer

WKR

dotman

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untouchable

FNG

mtelkkiller

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chindits

WKR

MuleyFever

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matt1glenn

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Kawabunga

Lil-Rokslider

washingtonalpine

FNG

mtelkkiller

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