That's very good information to know.
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New Viper HD's (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter SportOptics
- Start date
That's very good information to know.
Ditto !!! I feel the same but the world is changing all too quickly and I am not. As I mentioned in another post, wasn't too long ago and an 8.5x42 Swaro EL could be had for $1350.:-C
CG
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 tumbling 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).
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I don't feel that the Vortex reputation is built on it's warranty any more than it is built on offering quality glass for a competitive price. You don't get to carve out a market share the way Vortex has over the last 15 years by selling a poor product. You can spin that any way you'd like but a glass like Viper is a top selling glass year in and year out and the reviews and tests seem to back that claim.
Honestly the lifetime warranty is just icing on the cake. The price, ergonomics, reputation, and optical quality are more than enough for me to spend $400 on a set of Viper HD's even if there were only a 1 year warranty. The no questions asked lifetime warranty makes it a slam dunk.
Some folks may get bent on the decision of the Japanese optics company that Vortex contracts their product from to build a new factory in China, but as long as the same Japanese company is running said factory and maintains the same QA/QC, and that move allows them to stay in business for the long haul, I have no problem with that. Would I prefer them to stay Japanese based? Sure. But if relocating the factory is the difference of them staying in business, then that's they way it has to be.
I have many sets of glass by many manufacturers. I didn't buy my first Vortex product until this year. After shopping and pricing for glass in 6x32 that fit my needs, Vortex Vipers were my choice based on price, quality, reputation, and warranty. Nothing more, nothing less.
When I purchased a Viper HD 6x32 and looked at units made in both Japan and China and after a thorough testing of both, the biggest difference I could find between the two was the tiny sticker on the bottom.
Yes, Sears is gone. Times change and you have to change with them.
Thankfully there are still plenty of options around in quality optics, but bottom line is nobody is twisting your arm to buy Vortex. Nobody hunted you down for an opinion. You just happened to drop into a Vortex specific sub-forum to state how much you don't like them. O.k. then, You don't like them. Fair enough.
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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.
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.
Fanboy? Isn't that the typical sophomoric forum jargon for folks that find someone who doesn't happen to share their opinion. lol
To clarify, I just stated I bought my first singular pair of Vortex glass this year. Hardly qualifies me for whatever label you are blindly attempting to affix onto me.
"Always something better for the same or less money"?
Perhaps you can recommend a 6x32 roof binocular that sports HD/ED glass, dielectric prisms, and has a lifetime warranty that will replace them if i happen to drop them out of my treestand or run over them with my Jeep and said replacement will be shipped to me stateside in a matter of days with a simple phonecall. $350-$400 is the price-point.
I didn't uncover many options fitting those parameters so I went with the Vortex Viper HD that did. And just so happens I love the view through them. Interested in hearing your alternative recommendations.
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Josh Exmoor
Well-known member
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.
It'd be funny to see what % of items labeled as "made in any country other than China" are actually primarily made in China.
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...
I thought there was a law in Germany, or maybe even in Europe, prohibiting doing that?
Bob
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dries1
Member
Mic
This statement sums it up for me, I do not own Vortex, though the 6X32 format is indeed rare to fine from other manufacturers and if I was looking for one, it would likely be from Vortex.
Ask Holger Merlitz about bins made in china, like any where else, you have bad and you have some very good glass, it just depends on how much are you willing to pay. That higher payment includes good consistent management of quality control and materials of construction. If the Zeiss Terras which are made in China, could be made consistent (the glass quality is good) with a bit better mechanical focusing, better more consistent shaped exit pupils they would cost a few hundred more. Apple phones are made in China aren't they.
A.W.
This statement sums it up for me, I do not own Vortex, though the 6X32 format is indeed rare to fine from other manufacturers and if I was looking for one, it would likely be from Vortex.
Ask Holger Merlitz about bins made in china, like any where else, you have bad and you have some very good glass, it just depends on how much are you willing to pay. That higher payment includes good consistent management of quality control and materials of construction. If the Zeiss Terras which are made in China, could be made consistent (the glass quality is good) with a bit better mechanical focusing, better more consistent shaped exit pupils they would cost a few hundred more. Apple phones are made in China aren't they.
A.W.
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.
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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 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. It would be a good upgrade to an old Eagle Optics 6x32 Platinum Raven that I have. 6x32 roof prisms binoculars are hard to find.
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Bob,
Germany in particular is under some pressure from the EU, and indeed it's own courts, to agree to tighter rules on national branding.
https://www.wbs-law.de/eng/commerci...belling-threatens-made-in-germany-seal-44379/
David
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You're right Bob, which is why I didn't answer his question. It has been discontinued for a while now.
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.
I was comparing the prices of the 6x32s with the prices of the 42mm Vipers at Cabelas.
The 3 discontinued 6x32s were selling for over $500.00 on e-bay. At that price I don't want to deal with an e-bay seller. It is far too much, especially when Cabelas is selling 8 and 10x42 Viper HDs that are not discontinued for $489.99 and 499.99.
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