New Vortex PRO Binocular Adapter

[ldrathman]

Thanks for the feedback and the thorough review - we really appreciate it! As far as the set screw goes, that is meant to be backed out slightly while threading the the stud in. Once the stud is secure you would tighten the set screw just so it makes contact and keeps it from slipping.

I agree that this isn't very clear in the instructions, so we are looking at revising those and will be putting out a video going over it.

If you have any questions or need any help, don't hesitate to reach out!

Happy to do it. I really think Vortex has created a viable contender to the other adapters on the market given its price point and build quality.

It sounds like the set screw making contact with the hinge of the bino is standard across the adapters that use “studs”, and therefore isn’t as much of an “issue” as I maybe made it seem.

With that in mind, I re-examined the stud and I think the fault is in the fact that the threads of the adapter should line up so that the set screw’s position lands on the side of the binos that are fixed. This way the set screw would still contact the hinge of the binos restricting its movement, but would not “scratch” when the interpupillary distance was adjusted. Maybe that’s how the design was intended to work and I just got one with misaligned threads; I’d have to hear from someone else who buys one to know whether that’s the case.

Happy to hear a product video is in the works as I think that would definitely help potential customers.


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[ldrathman]

Right, we get that. But, with this design (and others with very similar designs) that set screw will scratch the binoculars if the screw is set into the pivot side of the bino when IPD is changed. And IPD is often changed inadvertently. The main stud will be stationary with one side of the bino but not the other, and if the set screw is on the side that moves in relation to the main stud then that set screw will scratch the binos, period.

Missed your reply before replying myself. This is the exact conclusion I came to after looking at the adapter with the knowledge that the set screw is indeed supposed to make contact with the hing of the binos. Per your first reply, you’ve run into the same issue with the Outdoorsman of having the set screw line up on the side of the binos that rotates as opposed to the fixed side?


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[ChrisAU]

Missed your reply before replying myself. This is the exact conclusion I came to after looking at the adapter with the knowledge that the set screw is indeed supposed to make contact with the hing of the binos. Per your first reply, you’ve run into the same issue with the Outdoorsman of having the set screw line up on the side of the binos that rotates as opposed to the fixed side?


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Yes, and I'd bet not all binos are the same in their orientation so there is no way for the stud makers to make everyone happy - unless they went to two set screws 180* apart. Just have a threaded hole on either side and the user can remove and replace the screw into whichever side they please. Also then, when they get complaints about scratched binos they can reply that it is user error.

 

[gcronin]

Where the set screw lines up will depend on thread pitches. I threw one on the Diamondback HDs I have at my desk and you can see it lines up with the stationary barrel. @ChrisAU that is a great idea about having holes 180 degrees apart. I'll definitely pass that along!

 

[Dwight2180]

Nice review. Thanks for sharing, very helpful info!

 

[pc3]

My son needs a bino adapter and I would have bought him the regular vortex adapter but this looks better....I may ditch the set screw however and add a drop of blue loctite be a good idea in place of the set screw ?

He also uses the spch20 head on his sirui tripod (fantastic little tripod T004SK) WAY better than the Vanguard unit he used previously.

 

[ldrathman]

My son needs a bino adapter and I would have bought him the regular vortex adapter but this looks better....I may ditch the set screw however and add a drop of blue loctite be a good idea in place of the set screw ?

He also uses the spch20 head on his sirui tripod (fantastic little tripod T004SK) WAY better than the Vanguard unit he used previously.

Agreed, definently better than the normal
vortex adapter whether you are referring to the Uni adapter or the older fixed version, this one is a huge improvement on both. If I were to do it again, I would ditch the set screw as well. You mitigate the risk of scratching up your binos the thread pitch isn’t right, and honestly with some blue loctite, I don’t see a way that stud would be able to become loose.

I love my SPCH20 head! I can’t believe the performance for the price!


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[snel6424]

I got my Vortex Pro adapter in today, and I thought I would make an initial impressions review, so it here it goes.

Full disclosure: This is my first bino adapter, so I do not have a lot to compare it to.

Initial build quality: The adapter seems really solid and well built. I am not sure how much I was expecting it to way, but its definitely sturdier than I was expecting. It had some kind of weird light blue chalk on it when I first got it out of the package, but it came off very easily.

Fit and finish: The fit and finish are...okay. Could be better, but could also definitely be worse. There are one or two tiny little specs where the black finish is chipped, but really not a big deal at all. The top locking knob tightens and untightens smoothly. There is a solid feeling "locked down" position, i.e. its not mushy when its fully tightened. When the locking knob is fully tighten, the stud has absolutely no movement in the adapter, whatsoever.

Set Screw: I installed the stud onto my Hawke Frontier ED X 8x42 binos, tightened the stud with the 2mm allen key, and then went to tighten the set screw. Due to the way the Frontiers are cut at the adapter slot, the set screw on the Vortex Pro's is completely worthless. I have attached a picture to try to show this. So I guess I am going to just leave the set screw flush in the stud and hope it never works its way out. I think I am going to put a tiny bit of loctite on the threads of the stud to make sure it does not come loose at all.

Inserting the stud into the Adapter Post: When you go to place the stud into the adapter post, there is a very audible and tactile "click" that lets you know when it is inserted. To get the stud out of the adapter, it takes a decent amount of force to "unsnap" it from the adapter. I find this easiest by pushing on the end of the stud that sticks out of the adapter post, while lightly pulling on the binos. With the stud is fully inserted, but not locked down, it can spin freely within the adapter, but it will not come out all that easily, like I said early.

Once you lock down the adapter by tightening the locking knob, there is absolutely no play in the adapter. The binos are locked down very firmly. I have read that some other binos have a slight bit of side to side play (on purpose), but the vortex Pros do not.

Overall, I am happy with my purchase. The adapter assembly seems to be very well built and the tiny amounts of flaws in the finish do not bother me. It locks down tightly and gives me no reason to suspect that my binos are not safe.

 

[gcronin]

I got my Vortex Pro adapter in today, and I thought I would make an initial impressions review, so it here it goes.

Full disclosure: This is my first bino adapter, so I do not have a lot to compare it to.

Initial build quality: The adapter seems really solid and well built. I am not sure how much I was expecting it to way, but its definitely sturdier than I was expecting. It had some kind of weird light blue chalk on it when I first got it out of the package, but it came off very easily.

Fit and finish: The fit and finish are...okay. Could be better, but could also definitely be worse. There are one or two tiny little specs where the black finish is chipped, but really not a big deal at all. The top locking knob tightens and untightens smoothly. There is a solid feeling "locked down" position, i.e. its not mushy when its fully tightened. When the locking knob is fully tighten, the stud has absolutely no movement in the adapter, whatsoever.

Set Screw: I installed the stud onto my Hawke Frontier ED X 8x42 binos, tightened the stud with the 2mm allen key, and then went to tighten the set screw. Due to the way the Frontiers are cut at the adapter slot, the set screw on the Vortex Pro's is completely worthless. I have attached a picture to try to show this. So I guess I am going to just leave the set screw flush in the stud and hope it never works its way out. I think I am going to put a tiny bit of loctite on the threads of the stud to make sure it does not come loose at all.

Inserting the stud into the Adapter Post: When you go to place the stud into the adapter post, there is a very audible and tactile "click" that lets you know when it is inserted. To get the stud out of the adapter, it takes a decent amount of force to "unsnap" it from the adapter. I find this easiest by pushing on the end of the stud that sticks out of the adapter post, while lightly pulling on the binos. With the stud is fully inserted, but not locked down, it can spin freely within the adapter, but it will not come out all that easily, like I said early.

Once you lock down the adapter by tightening the locking knob, there is absolutely no play in the adapter. The binos are locked down very firmly. I have read that some other binos have a slight bit of side to side play (on purpose), but the vortex Pros do not.

Overall, I am happy with my purchase. The adapter assembly seems to be very well built and the tiny amounts of flaws in the finish do not bother me. It locks down tightly and gives me no reason to suspect that my binos are not safe. View attachment 266023View attachment 266024View attachment 266025View attachment 266026View attachment 266027View attachment 266028View attachment 266029View attachment 266030View attachment 266031

Appreciate the review and the feedback, my friend!

 

[Duckduckboom]

I got my Vortex Pro adapter in today, and I thought I would make an initial impressions review, so it here it goes.

Full disclosure: This is my first bino adapter, so I do not have a lot to compare it to.

Initial build quality: The adapter seems really solid and well built. I am not sure how much I was expecting it to way, but its definitely sturdier than I was expecting. It had some kind of weird light blue chalk on it when I first got it out of the package, but it came off very easily.

Fit and finish: The fit and finish are...okay. Could be better, but could also definitely be worse. There are one or two tiny little specs where the black finish is chipped, but really not a big deal at all. The top locking knob tightens and untightens smoothly. There is a solid feeling "locked down" position, i.e. its not mushy when its fully tightened. When the locking knob is fully tighten, the stud has absolutely no movement in the adapter, whatsoever.

Set Screw: I installed the stud onto my Hawke Frontier ED X 8x42 binos, tightened the stud with the 2mm allen key, and then went to tighten the set screw. Due to the way the Frontiers are cut at the adapter slot, the set screw on the Vortex Pro's is completely worthless. I have attached a picture to try to show this. So I guess I am going to just leave the set screw flush in the stud and hope it never works its way out. I think I am going to put a tiny bit of loctite on the threads of the stud to make sure it does not come loose at all.

Inserting the stud into the Adapter Post: When you go to place the stud into the adapter post, there is a very audible and tactile "click" that lets you know when it is inserted. To get the stud out of the adapter, it takes a decent amount of force to "unsnap" it from the adapter. I find this easiest by pushing on the end of the stud that sticks out of the adapter post, while lightly pulling on the binos. With the stud is fully inserted, but not locked down, it can spin freely within the adapter, but it will not come out all that easily, like I said early.

Once you lock down the adapter by tightening the locking knob, there is absolutely no play in the adapter. The binos are locked down very firmly. I have read that some other binos have a slight bit of side to side play (on purpose), but the vortex Pros do not.

Overall, I am happy with my purchase. The adapter assembly seems to be very well built and the tiny amounts of flaws in the finish do not bother me. It locks down tightly and gives me no reason to suspect that my binos are not safe. View attachment 266023View attachment 266024View attachment 266025View attachment 266026View attachment 266027View attachment 266028View attachment 266029View attachment 266030View attachment 266031

Great info and pictures. Thank you!

 

[TheCougar]

Yeah, thanks but no thanks. I think I’ll keep supporting Outdoorsmans, who developed the idea, make a better product, and make it in the USA. Vortex shamelessly copied the Outdoorsmans idea and design. Really pathetic and says a lot about their ethics and ingenuity that ripped off the design.

 

[TravisIN]

Yeah, thanks but no thanks. I think I’ll keep supporting Outdoorsmans, who developed the idea, make a better product, and make it in the USA. Vortex shamelessly copied the Outdoorsmans idea and design. Really pathetic and says a lot about their ethics and ingenuity that ripped off the design.

Funny thing about that, gohunt posted a video about this adapter and the comments were pretty much hammering vortex about copying outdoorsman. Someone got on there and kinda defended vortex or at least gave them the benefit of the doubt and said maybe outdoorsman sold them some licensing rights to the design. Outdoorsmans youtube channel replied and just said “Nah, we didn’t” hahah I thought it was funny at least.


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[renagde]

Yeah, thanks but no thanks. I think I’ll keep supporting Outdoorsmans, who developed the idea, make a better product, and make it in the USA. Vortex shamelessly copied the Outdoorsmans idea and design. Really pathetic and says a lot about their ethics and ingenuity that ripped off the design.

I'm with you there. Any wording on the box specifying where the Vortex one is made? $25 is worth it just to buy US manufacturing...

 

[TheCougar]

I'm with you there. Any wording on the box specifying where the Vortex one is made? $25 is worth it just to buy US manufacturing...

I don’t know, I haven’t seen the box. But as far as I know, with the exception of the Razor rifle scope, none of their gear - binos, clothes, tripods, scopes, are made in the USA. Don’t say that to be a douche, just my knowledge of the pertinent facts.

 

[BigSky]

I'm not trying to get into a pissin' match with other members; but, I'm thankful that all other outdoor product companies have not succumed to the "hey, let's not copy other ideas and/or designs and offer more options". I don't know a single thing about patent law and am a self-proclaimed moron. Having said that, there are reasons we don't have only one scope manufacturer (Leupold only), backpack manufacturer (Kifaru only), rifle manufacturer (Winchester only), boot manufacturer (Lowa only), ad infinitum. None of these were "the original" and all of them copied things from others to provide better products, more options, etc. Just a humble take from a self-proclaimed moron. Oh, and I do use and really like Outdoorsman studs on two sets of binos.

 

[Crazyhog]

I'm with you there. Any wording on the box specifying where the Vortex one is made? $25 is worth it just to buy US manufacturing...

The box says it is made in Thailand. That is for the adapter and the stud. I'm content with mine.

 

[Crazyhog]

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