Vortex Viper HD and Bushnell Trophy - A noob’s review (7 Viewers)

[Yoni]

Hi everyone,

I’m new here and I just wanted to share with you guys my experience with both of these binoculars, hoping someone will find it helpful.

Im pretty new to the binoculars business but my dad has a collection of binoculars (mostly entry level ones but some are really nice for their price).

At first I didn’t think of buying my own pair of binoculars since he has quite a few of them and I could always take one when I visit him, but when I tried his Bushnell Trophy 8x32, I really enjoyed them and decided to get my self a pair! They are compact, light weight, have excellent optic quality and are very comfortable to use with nice and thick rounded eye cups, smooth focus wheel and firm eye cup mechanism that feels very well built. And all of that for 75$ from Amazon!!! GREAT binoculars for a hike or as spare binoculars in the car.

So, after I got to try them out for some time, i started to like using binoculars and have decided to invest in a second pair of binoculars, a more expensive one with 10x magnification because I felt I wanted more reach.
So after I did some research and was debating between the Vortex Diamondback HD and Viper HD, I decided to go with the Viper HD 10x42 (2018 edition) and the moment I got them, the first thing I noticed was the magnification difference (duh), better sharpness and detail, build quality and wide FOV (very similar if not the same as the 8x32 Trophy).
I noticed I see a lot more details when observing close-mid range objects, and I’m able to read signs from hundreds of meters and even couple km away.
Their eye cups have a smooth and quick mechanism with 4 positions and a soft rubber lip, they have a good grip and are comfortable to hold.
They objective lens covers are hard to take on and off, the ocular lens covers are great, the strap is nice and the bag is nice as well, although the rubber band latch is not the easiest to close and sometimes requires two hands. But the optics are super sharp and crisp and I enjoy them a lot! CA is not an issue with these. There is some on specific conditions but not a lot.

All that said, the performance of the Bushnell Trophy is not bad at all and frankly it is not drastically far away from the Vipers. Don’t get me wrong, the difference is there and it is noticeable, but for a 75$ pair that is being compared with an almost 500$ one, they have an outstanding performance and huge value for their price.

Another thing is the focus wheel on the Vipers, it is quite stiff compared to the Trophy which has a much smoother one which I prefer.
My Vipers also came with a messed up locking diopter mechanism that doesn’t lock, but Vortex customer support is excellent and they will take it for repair(hopefully they will be able to loosen the focus wheel too)

I will keep them both and I think these two binoculars should serve me well for a long time, the Vipers will be my main pair and the Trophy will be my spare one for a friend, at the car, or on a hike when I want less weight.

So in conclusion to this long post, the Trophy binoculars are excellent value for money, probably a great choice for kids/teens too, and/or as a spare set.
The Vipers have amazing optics, great build and design and awesome warranty.

P.s: I have done an eye laser surgery a year and a half ago, so I have a brand new 20/20 vision so that might affect my judgement on optics.

Enjoy glassing everyone!

 

[giosblue]

Hi everyone,

I’m new here and I just wanted to share with you guys my experience with both of these binoculars, hoping someone will find it helpful.

Im pretty new to the binoculars business but my dad has a collection of binoculars (mostly entry level ones but some are really nice for their price).

At first I didn’t think of buying my own pair of binoculars since he has quite a few of them and I could always take one when I visit him, but when I tried his Bushnell Trophy 8x32, I really enjoyed them and decided to get my self a pair! They are compact, light weight, have excellent optic quality and are very comfortable to use with nice and thick rounded eye cups, smooth focus wheel and firm eye cup mechanism that feels very well built. And all of that for 75$ from Amazon!!! GREAT binoculars for a hike or as spare binoculars in the car.

So, after I got to try them out for some time, i started to like using binoculars and have decided to invest in a second pair of binoculars, a more expensive one with 10x magnification because I felt I wanted more reach.
So after I did some research and was debating between the Vortex Diamondback HD and Viper HD, I decided to go with the Viper HD 10x42 (2018 edition) and the moment I got them, the first thing I noticed was the magnification difference (duh), better sharpness and detail, build quality and wide FOV (very similar if not the same as the 8x32 Trophy).
I noticed I see a lot more details when observing close-mid range objects, and I’m able to read signs from hundreds of meters and even couple km away.
Their eye cups have a smooth and quick mechanism with 4 positions and a soft rubber lip, they have a good grip and are comfortable to hold.
They objective lens covers are hard to take on and off, the ocular lens covers are great, the strap is nice and the bag is nice as well, although the rubber band latch is not the easiest to close and sometimes requires two hands. But the optics are super sharp and crisp and I enjoy them a lot! CA is not an issue with these. There is some on specific conditions but not a lot.

All that said, the performance of the Bushnell Trophy is not bad at all and frankly it is not drastically far away from the Vipers. Don’t get me wrong, the difference is there and it is noticeable, but for a 75$ pair that is being compared with an almost 500$ one, they have an outstanding performance and huge value for their price.

Another thing is the focus wheel on the Vipers, it is quite stiff compared to the Trophy which has a much smoother one which I prefer.
My Vipers also came with a messed up locking diopter mechanism that doesn’t lock, but Vortex customer support is excellent and they will take it for repair(hopefully they will be able to loosen the focus wheel too)

I will keep them both and I think these two binoculars should serve me well for a long time, the Vipers will be my main pair and the Trophy will be my spare one for a friend, at the car, or on a hike when I want less weight.

So in conclusion to this long post, the Trophy binoculars are excellent value for money, probably a great choice for kids/teens too, and/or as a spare set.
The Vipers have amazing optics, great build and design and awesome warranty.

P.s: I have done an eye laser surgery a year and a half ago, so I have a brand new 20/20 vision so that might affect my judgement on optics.

Enjoy glassing everyone!

Vortex makes great binoculars.

 

[Yoni]

Okay so a quick follow up to this:

I realized it takes some time of use to appreciate the quality and features of binoculars, and now it’s super clear to me. The difference between the Viper(Vortex) and the Trophy(Bushnell) is huge, the viper of course is very high quality glass compared to the trophy.
The clarity, and crisp view, the light gathering, the overall feel of the binoculars is just better in the vipers.

With that said, the trophy is still an amazing glass for 70$!
Brought it with me to a trip abroad with my spouse who wasn’t interested much in glassing but ended up giving it to my spouse since she was very pleased with them and told me it completely elevated her experience in our trip.
Who knows, maybe she will also get into binoculars 😎 🦜

I also purchased a set of Diamondback HD 10x32 and they are a brilliant set of binoculars, they were perfect for my trip abroad, very easy to carry and with a 6.5 degree FOV which is similar to my Vipers, I didn’t feel I missed a ton by bringing the diamondback instead of the vipers.

 

[winginit]

Okay so a quick follow up to this:

I realized it takes some time of use to appreciate the quality and features of binoculars, and now it’s super clear to me. The difference between the Viper(Vortex) and the Trophy(Bushnell) is huge, the viper of course is very high quality glass compared to the trophy.
The clarity, and crisp view, the light gathering, the overall feel of the binoculars is just better in the vipers.

With that said, the trophy is still an amazing glass for 70$!
Brought it with me to a trip abroad with my spouse who wasn’t interested much in glassing but ended up giving it to my spouse since she was very pleased with them and told me it completely elevated her experience in our trip.
Who knows, maybe she will also get into binoculars 😎 🦜

I also purchased a set of Diamondback HD 10x32 and they are a brilliant set of binoculars, they were perfect for my trip abroad, very easy to carry and with a 6.5 degree FOV which is similar to my Vipers, I didn’t feel I missed a ton by bringing the diamondback instead of the vipers.

I used the Trophy 8x32 as my car binocular for a while. Very impressed with the build quality! They were unaffected by temperature changes and vibration.

 

[Yoni]

I used the Trophy 8x32 as my car binocular for a while. Very impressed with the build quality! They were unaffected by temperature changes and vibration

Ahh yes, I also like that the warmth of the car makes the focus wheel even smoother because of the grease getting less viscous.
A really nice pair, but I’ve got spoiled from the Vipers and Diamondbacks, which obviously perform better.

 

[winginit]

Ahh yes, I also like that the warmth of the car makes the focus wheel even smoother because of the grease getting less viscous.
A really nice pair, but I’ve got spoiled from the Vipers and Diamondbacks, which obviously perform better.

Yes, it's much more satisfying to use better bins! But when I would unexpectedly be driving near a interesting bird habitat I was always glad I had the Trophys with me. I eventually gave them to a relative and put better bins in the car. But after about 6-8 weeks the focus stopped working. So there's something to be said for a lesser quality optic that's sturdy and reliable!

 

[aix123]

I've been more of a 8x binocular user. But I'm currently trying out a Vortex Viper 10x42. The focus wheel is indeed pretty stiff, but I think I'll get used to it. Apart from the bright, sharp image, the stand out thing for me is the FOV - or rather how I experience it. On paper the FOV of course doesn't look impressive (naturally, it's a 10x) but it feels pretty wide for a 10x when using it. I'm very impressed by the binocular, as an amateur.

I tried a NL Pure 10x32, a month or two ago. Great binocular, but the Viper 10x42 FOV feels better (though I didn't try then side-by-side). I simply can't explain why it feels better. And I'm fairly sure that holding the 10x Viper to maintain a steady image felt easier than holding the NL Pure 10x32. That's not because of the wasp waist of the NL Pure, which I find very comfortable to use. I'm not sure why the Viper felt better in this way.

 

[Trinovid]

I've been more of a 8x binocular user. But I'm currently trying out a Vortex Viper 10x42. The focus wheel is indeed pretty stiff, but I think I'll get used to it. Apart from the bright, sharp image, the stand out thing for me is the FOV - or rather how I experience it. On paper the FOV of course doesn't look impressive (naturally, it's a 10x) but it feels pretty wide for a 10x when using it. I'm very impressed by the binocular, as an amateur.

One thing about Vortex, and I found this out when I bought my first one (Viper 10x42 HD), is some totally painless customer support. The focus wheel on mine is great and I daresay they'll remedy your if you send it in for a service check.

I also thought of myself as an 8x user, but now have three 10x binoculars with the other two both being Ultravids, and also one 12x, which coincidentally is also a Vortex Viper.

 

[Yoni]

One thing about Vortex, and I found this out when I bought my first one (Viper 10x42 HD), is some totally painless customer support. The focus wheel on mine is great and I daresay they'll remedy your if you send it in for a service check.

I also thought of myself as an 8x user, but now have three 10x binoculars with the other two both being Ultravids, and also one 12x, which coincidentally is also a Vortex Viper.

I've been more of a 8x binocular user. But I'm currently trying out a Vortex Viper 10x42. The focus wheel is indeed pretty stiff, but I think I'll get used to it. Apart from the bright, sharp image, the stand out thing for me is the FOV - or rather how I experience it. On paper the FOV of course doesn't look impressive (naturally, it's a 10x) but it feels pretty wide for a 10x when using it. I'm very impressed by the binocular, as an amateur.

I tried a NL Pure 10x32, a month or two ago. Great binocular, but the Viper 10x42 FOV feels better (though I didn't try then side-by-side). I simply can't explain why it feels better. And I'm fairly sure that holding the 10x Viper to maintain a steady image felt easier than holding the NL Pure 10x32. That's not because of the wasp waist of the NL Pure, which I find very comfortable to use. I'm not sure why the Viper felt better in this way.

I’m definitely a 10x guy, 8x is not enough reach for me..
I also must praise the quality of the Diamondback HD 10x32, they are a fantastic pair of binos which I find I use more frequently due to their compactness and ease of use, their focus wheel is super smooth, exactly how I like it, way smoother than the Vipers.
BTW I contacted Vortex about the focus wheel on the Vipers and they said I can send it over to them which is great.
Can’t say enough good things about their products.

I also had the chance to try out Swarovski binos, the CL companion 10x30 and EL Range 8x42, it didn’t wow me, especially for the price, I expected a much better visuals, but maybe I need more time with them to appreciate them more..
The only pair that I really want to try is the NL Pure 10x42, but unfortunately it’s not available for testing in my country so, maybe one day abroad

 

[aix123]

I’m definitely a 10x guy, 8x is not enough reach for me..
I also must praise the quality of the Diamondback HD 10x32, they are a fantastic pair of binos which I find I use more frequently due to their compactness and ease of use, their focus wheel is super smooth, exactly how I like it, way smoother than the Vipers.
BTW I contacted Vortex about the focus wheel on the Vipers and they said I can send it over to them which is great.
Can’t say enough good things about their products.

I also had the chance to try out Swarovski binos, the CL companion 10x30 and EL Range 8x42, it didn’t wow me, especially for the price, I expected a much better visuals, but maybe I need more time with them to appreciate them more..
The only pair that I really want to try is the NL Pure 10x42, but unfortunately it’s not available for testing in my country so, maybe one day abroad

I briefly tried a Diamondback 8x32 a few years ago, and it was very good.

I've had a Vortex Crossfire II for over ten years. Good for the price, but my recent purchases have put it in the shade somewhat, unsurprisingly.

I've just emailed Vortex, who are always very helpful, to ask them about the focus wheel on the Viper 10x42 - but by email it's impossible to know whether it's too stiff or how all the Vipers are. I have a chance to return it as a standard return to the online retailer, but really don't want to, because I like it. I'll be happy to send it to Vortex, and may well end up doing that. I'm in the UK, so it wouldn't be too cheap to send, but I'm prepared to do it if they confirm they could make the wheel slightly less firm. I shouldn't focus (no joke intended) too much on what I see as a possible negative, because otherwise it's a great binocular.

 

[aix123]

At the risk of going off topic and/or hijacking this thread, I noticed an odd thing today, when comparing an NL Pure 8x32 with a Vortex Viper 10x42. At least it's odd to me, someone with relatively little experience or knowledge of optics.

Ultimately it doesn't matter - but when looking through double-glazed glass, at a fairly sharp angle, at the neighbour's bird feeder with two European goldfinches on it, I noticed the NL Pure produced what appeared to be a sharp image, but the Viper didn't. The Viper's image wasn't awful, but it wasn't sharp. This is not a complaint about the Viper, just an observation. The birds were in the centre of the image in both cases.

 

[Yoni]

I briefly tried a Diamondback 8x32 a few years ago, and it was very good.

I've had a Vortex Crossfire II for over ten years. Good for the price, but my recent purchases have put it in the shade somewhat, unsurprisingly.

I've just emailed Vortex, who are always very helpful, to ask them about the focus wheel on the Viper 10x42 - but by email it's impossible to know whether it's too stiff or how all the Vipers are. I have a chance to return it as a standard return to the online retailer, but really don't want to, because I like it. I'll be happy to send it to Vortex, and may well end up doing that. I'm in the UK, so it wouldn't be too cheap to send, but I'm prepared to do it if they confirm they could make the wheel slightly less firm. I shouldn't focus (no joke intended) too much on what I see as a possible negative, because otherwise it's a great binocular.

Vortex has a lab in the UK! you don’t need to send it to the US

About comparing the Viper to the NL Pure, I am sure the NL Pure will outperform the Vipers, but I’m also pretty sure that it’s in very specific conditions and that for most amateurs, the Vipers are a fantastic pair that provides excellent image quality.

BTW, for an even cheaper price than the Vipers, I can highly recommend the Kowas BD II XD 10x42. I bought them as a gift to my dad and he was blown away, I was also very impressed by their quality, their FOV is slightly bigger than the Vipers, at 7.2 vs 6.5, the optical performance is superb and their build quality is excellent, the only thing I struggled with is the opposite direction of focus (infinity is clockwise on the Kowas, on Vortex it’s anti clockwise).

 

[aix123]

Vortex has a lab in the UK! you don’t need to send it to the US

About comparing the Viper to the NL Pure, I am sure the NL Pure will outperform the Vipers, but I’m also pretty sure that it’s in very specific conditions and that for most amateurs, the Vipers are a fantastic pair that provides excellent image quality.

BTW, for an even cheaper price than the Vipers, I can highly recommend the Kowas BD II XD 10x42. I bought them as a gift to my dad and he was blown away, I was also very impressed by their quality, their FOV is slightly bigger than the Vipers, at 7.2 vs 6.5, the optical performance is superb and their build quality is excellent, the only thing I struggled with is the opposite direction of focus (infinity is clockwise on the Kowas, on Vortex it’s anti clockwise).

Thanks, that's great news. I'll see what Vortex say in reply to my email and then consider sending it to the UK lab.

I've seen the Kowa mentioned a fair few times here, so - depending on what I do with the Viper - I think I might order it to have a look. I find the FOV feels pretty wide on the Viper, but a little more wouldn't go amiss. I too have got used to anti-clockwise to infinity (having owned the Crossfire II for many years) so sometimes struggle with the NL Pure. It's even worse if you swap between the two within a few minutes.