Vortex reached out to me this a.m. and indicated that the new 2018 Viper HD's will be made by the same Japanese company as the previous versions, at their new Chinese factory.
That's very good information to know.
Vortex reached out to me this a.m. and indicated that the new 2018 Viper HD's will be made by the same Japanese company as the previous versions, at their new Chinese factory.
Still bothers me a little that only a short time ago it was a MIJ product for the same price and touted as such.
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-Vortex warranty and customer service is second to none and just so happens to be located in the heartland of the U.S. which also happens to be in the middle of some of the best hunting ground in the U.S. You get zero hassles and extreme quick replacement so your rut-hunting vacation doesn't become a complete waste in the event of an optical failure or accidental breakage.
F
Sorry but I've never been one to wave the Vortex flag. I tend to have issues with companies with reputations based on lifetime warranties which is nothing more than building a house of cards. It will come down sometime. This is just hearsay now but I am sitting back and waiting for the day to come when I get to say "I hate to say I told you so... but I told you so"! I would highly recommend that your decision to purchase Vortex optics be based on something other than warranty. For example, let's say my Vortex HD made in Japan 8x32 's just crapped out on me... what are they going to get replaced with??? Peanut gallery says "oh we have stock of these in our warehouse for just this purpose". I say " oh, so you have put one in stock for everyone you have sold for when the day comes to call upon a replacement"? Peanut gallery says " oh, we will replace with our latest and greatest version, you should be so Happy"! Sorry, I've been burned on lifetime warranties to often to buy into it anymore. Sorry again, can someone give me an example of a company that has been around for decades and is still honoring lifetime warranties with like for like product replacement??? I'm all ears.
Again, my Craftsman USA wrenches are being replaced with Craftsman China wrenches, and all the nearby Sears are being closed down. As I recall, Sears was the heartland of the USA. Now it isn't...
CG
P.S. FWIW - I am a hunter. My rifle scopes are Leupold (3), Sightron (2), Zeiss (1, and the best of the bunch and yes more money with the exception of the Leupold with illuminated reticle); Rangefinder Leica (1, the Bushnell was lost or stolen and is the forerunner that set the vertical design standard everyone is copying today); Spotting Scope Nikon (1); Binoculars Leica (1), Swarovski (1), Zeiss (1), Nikon (1), Maven (1), Bushnell (2).
Looks like a new Vortex fanboy has arrived, and that's fine of course. However, don't piss down our legs and tell us it's raining. Vortex used to make many products in Japan, and recently moved everything to China except the Razor riflescopes. The latest Razor spotters I saw had "Made in china" right on the box, as do the Razor binocs. That is a huge turn off for me. Optics are the easy part....high quality build quality is another, and that's where Chinese glass suffers.
My Zen ED3 had great glass, mediocre build. After 3 years the rubber armor started loosening up, the eyecups wouldn't move, the focus wheel got more difficult to use, etc.
I agree with Jerry. There's always something better than Vortex for the same or less money, and often times the competition isn't made in China.
Anytime I see someone complaining about the quality of something made in China, I wonder if they know that they're doing so on a piece of electronics with tolerances measured in billionths of a meter, most of which was undoubtedly made in China. There's nothing inherently keeping China from producing a product of the same (or better) quality than Japan, the USA, or Germany.
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Similar in my opinion to the Conquest HD series which is labeled as Made in Germany but in all likelihood is mostly primarily made in Japan and other countries...
Anytime I see someone complaining about the quality of something made in China, I wonder if they know that they're doing so on a piece of electronics with tolerances measured in billionths of a meter, most of which was undoubtedly made in China. There's nothing inherently keeping China from producing a product of the same (or better) quality than Japan, the USA, or Germany.
Anytime I see someone complaining about the quality of something made in China, I wonder if they know that they're doing so on a piece of electronics with tolerances measured in billionths of a meter, most of which was undoubtedly made in China. There's nothing inherently keeping China from producing a product of the same (or better) quality than Japan, the USA, or Germany.
Not buying it. A $3 per day Chinese day worker doesn't really care about quality of work. They're trying not to starve to death. In contrast, Japanese may, and sometimes do commit suicide if they turn out bad quality. The Chinese care about one thing.....money.
If you think that all products being made are equal just because the specs are the same, then you are naive.
I see while carrying on your 'anti-China' rant you skipped over my question.
You stated with Vortex "there is always something better for less money".
This "fanboy" is still waiting for your recommendations of a 6x32 roof that is better optically for less money than the Vortex Viper HD I bought.
I thought there was a law in Germany, or maybe even in Europe, prohibiting doing that?
Bob
I don't see a Vortex Viper HD 6x32 on the current Vortex web site.
http://www.vortexoptics.com/category/viper_hd_binoculars
Bob
PS: Apparently it is not being made anymore. I have an old, long in the tooth, Eagle Optics 6x32 Platinum Raven that I would upgrade to this Vortex Viper HD 6x32 if it was still being sold.
fwiw, there are still plenty of brand new units available on the market for anyone looking for a Viper HD in 6x32.
Ebay alone has 3 different vendors with multiple sets :t:
Too much money. Cabelas sells the 42mm versions for less.
https://www.cabelas.com/product/hun...rtex-viper-hd-binoculars/1632187.uts?slotId=0
I didn't realize Vortex made a 6x42 glass? Or are you comparing the 6x32 to a 8x42? Not the same class of glass from my perspective. I have a couple quality full size 8x42's already. 6x32 is midsize.
I picked my Viper HD 6x32 new on ebay for $450 last week, which I believe is cheaper than the 8x42's at Cabelas. :t: I've seen them sell as low as $370 brand new on ebay.
It also seems the prices on the 6x are closer to retail than the 8x32 in the left over Viper's as there aren't many alternatives in 6x roof glass.