(UPDATE)Optic dilemma need advice

JHDoritos

FNG
Joined
Dec 1, 2019
Messages
13
Hello roksliders welcome to my current “struggle”. I’ve come into an optics negotiation on a different listing forum. I’m currently running vortex razor 12x50s and have been very pleased with them for a couple years now. I’ve had on 2 ocassions been able to look through swaros and have been very impressed but not to the tune of 1500 or 2 grand plus out of pocket, I usually sell a bunch of gear to get one piece of better gear and that’s how I happens upon my razors. So heres the details:

My Razor HD 12x50s which I like a lot and have come accustom the 12 power.
My Vortex Viper HD 15-45x65 which I hardly use cause I feel I can see better with the razors. Not attached to the spotter at all.

For his Swarovski 10x42 ELs with a tripod adapter

I feel this seems to be a fair trade value wise, thoughts? I’m also worried I will regret going from 12s to 10s but with my lack of experience with Swarovski I don’t know if the power trade off for the better glass is worth it? Hopefully some experienced guys with both glass can give me some schooling, thanks for the time and all your advice guys!

AZspot&stalk

I am in a similar position. I have the razor 12x50s and want to upgrade to swaros but like you I don’t want to drop to slc 10x42s and lose the additional power of the razors. But at the same time the swaro 15s are huge. Does anyone here pack the Swaro 15x’s on a chest rig or is everyone running 10’s and a spotter if they have swaro glass?

Right now I just run the 12x binos on a tripod like you and feel like I don’t need the spotter. I’m really interested in what you have learned and what you decide on going with.
 
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svillalobos

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
129
Location
Mesa, Az
I haven’t come to a clear decision just yet, but getting closer. If we were talking about newer ELs then I sounds like a definite upgrade in light and clarity

I run my 12s in a harness and tripod but I think 15s would probably be to much for a harness weight wise and also having any stability trying to glass free hand.
 
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svillalobos

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
129
Location
Mesa, Az
I’m gonna try to get the guy to come over and get a side by side look at the binos, let the optics speak for themselves
 

lif

WKR
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
731
I’m gonna try to get the guy to come over and get a side by side look at the binos, let the optics speak for themselves
Smart move. No one can tell you what your eyes will actually see when looking through glass. Make sure you test them in the evening at low light. Push your comparison all the way until it’s too dark to see. Also find decent distances to compare them at. Glass performs differently at different distances. Good luck.
 
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svillalobos

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
129
Location
Mesa, Az
I have a couse whitetail hunt that starts Friday, what’s the chances this guy let’s me demo them ha ha
 

tdhanses

WKR
Joined
Sep 26, 2018
Messages
5,721
This is a hard one, if it was me and I did the trade I’d first contact swaro to see who they are registered with, if not this guy so they can transfer it I’d pass as you’ll have a hard time getting warranty work. If they are close to what you have after looking, verified if they were ever registered or are registered to current owner, I’d then send them to swaro for a cleaning and tune up.

First check with swaro, all you have to do is give them the serial number.
 
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svillalobos

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
129
Location
Mesa, Az
This is a hard one, if it was me and I did the trade I’d first contact swaro to see who they are registered with, if not this guy so they can transfer it I’d pass as you’ll have a hard time getting warranty work. If they are close to what you have after looking, verified if they were ever registered or are registered to current owner, I’d then send them to swaro for a cleaning and tune up.

First check with swaro, all you have to do is give them the serial number.
Copy that! Check if and who they are registered to for warranty purposes
 

Broomd

WKR
Joined
Sep 29, 2014
Messages
4,210
Location
North Idaho
The Swarovskis are better glass even in the older Swarobright format. They have a profound clarity and brightness advantage over any Razors.
If that guy is willing to trade, I'd do so in a minute.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
738
Location
Utah
The swaros are heirloom quality glass that will forever hold their value and provide spectacular viewing for decades to come. The razors are pretty good but make me feel like I’m looking through a tunnel and the sweet spot is small compared to alpha glass.
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2019
Messages
2,956
I am in a similar position. I have the razor 12x50s and want to upgrade to swaros but like you I don’t want to drop to slc 10x42s and lose the additional power of the razors. But at the same time the swaro 15s are huge. Does anyone here pack the Swaro 15x’s on a chest rig or is everyone running 10’s and a spotter if they have swaro glass?

Right now I just run the 12x binos on a tripod like you and feel like I don’t need the spotter. I’m really interested in what you have learned and what you decide on going with.
For most of my hunts, I use Swaro SLC 15s in an Alaska Guide chest harness. No issues with the weight. Depending on what I am hunting, I may or may not bring along my Swaro STX spotter. For quick looks, I just pull out my Sig range finder or place the SLC 15s on a trekking pole.

For all other hunts, I use Swaro SLC 10s in an Alaska Guide. Depending on what I am hunting, I may or may not bring along my Swaro STX spotter.
 

JHDoritos

FNG
Joined
Dec 1, 2019
Messages
13
For most of my hunts, I use Swaro SLC 15s in an Alaska Guide chest harness. No issues with the weight. Depending on what I am hunting, I may or may not bring along my Swaro STX spotter. For quick looks, I just pull out my Sig range finder or place the SLC 15s on a trekking pole.

For all other hunts, I use Swaro SLC 10s in an Alaska Guide. Depending on what I am hunting, I may or may not bring along my Swaro STX spotter.

thank you for the insight on this.
 
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svillalobos

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
129
Location
Mesa, Az
So I have an update on my optics delima. The seller was kind enough to make a 45 minute drive to my area so that I could look at the 2 binos together. Can’t say enough good thing about the seller, good guy! as most hunters are! I’m in the city so the best option we had for glassing was a bundle of trees with some doves tucked inside 300 yards off. The day was partly cloudy which was good with it going from very bright to dark clouds rolling in and giving us low light. Seemed to be the best conditions for comparing the optics other then out in the field waiting till dark. So my findings when glassing(In my unprofessional OPINION)

looking through the 2 I could not see a huge difference between them(which in my opinion is very impressive given the age of the swaros compared to the razors) and I would actually give a very slight advantage to the swaro glass as far as clarity and light. Again wether that is due to the difference in magnification? Or quality in glass? is above my pay grade but for my eyes I’d say a slight advantage for swaros. Field of view was harder to compare as we were only 300 yards from what we were glassing but as the specs on the 2 says The swaros will have somewhere around 60 feet advantage. Eye relief specs are very similar but I felt a little more comfortable with my razors When trying to hit that sweet spot! I did like the smoothness of the diopter focus on the swaros but I felt like it could easily pop out and get pushed out of Focus, razors would be much harder for something like that to happen and I like knowing I can pick up the binos with no worries of focusing issues. This is obviously a minor “issue”but worth noting in my opinion.

my conclusion:
After an hour of glassing and talking I decided to do the trade and take the Swarovski 10x42 ELs for my Razor 12x50 HDs and Viper spotter. The viper spotter was solely a $400 value(maybe) in the acquisition due to the fact that it NEVER got used.As far as the binos I felt like it was a very slight step up in optics and I wasn’t loosing much in magnification, but a better investment more then anything, come time to sell/trade I felt the swaros would hold value better. Everyone knows Swarovski and the name itself holds value, so at the least for myself a comparable optic trade and long term investment(at least until I’m ready to upgrade). The binoculars have now been transferred to my name after a very pleasant email exchange with a Swarovski Rep, and will be going in for servicing after this December rifle hunt and January archery hunts. Let me know what you guys think about it all and thanks for chiming in with the opinions and help!
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
738
Location
Utah
i think you made a great choice. since you're in Mesa i'd recommend running up to Fountain hills and having outdoorsmens put a tripod stud on them and you're good to go. enjoy the new glass.
 
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svillalobos

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
129
Location
Mesa, Az
i think you made a great choice. since you're in Mesa i'd recommend running up to Fountain hills and having outdoorsmens put a tripod stud on them and you're good to go. enjoy the new glass.
So the seller did give me a universal tripod mount for the time being, I have a post but I’ll have to have Outdoorsmans press a stud in. Fortunately for me my coworkers wife works for Wilderness Athlete and she’s kind enough to take them up for me when I’m ready! Awesome lady!
 
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