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which 10x42 : Nikon HG / GPO Passion HD / Maven B1.2 / Vortex Razor HD ? (2 Viewers)

PatR said:
Bonsoir Choc

I tried some Trinovids last month, albeit the 8 and 10x32's rather than the x42's and was very disappointed from an eye relief and CA perspective. I don't know if the x42's are different from the x32's but the Trinivods were not as good as my Geco/GPO ED's, which are the lower models to the Gold/HD's, and which I took with me to test back to back.

I have both the ED and HD series and frankly the optical difference twixt the two is marginal.

So another vote for GPO binoculars which I have found to be superb. Currently Stealth Birding in the UK have the GPO HD 10x42 on sale for £790 which is an excellent price.

I do not know if you have seen this report on 10x42 binoculars?

backwoodspursuit.com

26 Best Binoculars For Hunting | Side By Side Field Test - Backwoods Pursuit

Looking for the best binoculars on the market and aren't quite sure which ones to purchase? Maybe you are looking for the best binoculars for hunting or the
backwoodspursuit.com backwoodspursuit.com

which is a comprehensive review and rating on many makes. The 2 GPO's do rather well and I used this test to shorten my potential list of 10x42's last year. I eventually purchased the Swarovski NL Pure 10x42's but, were l limited to budgetary constraints, the GPO's based on owning 4 of them, would have been my choice.
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Hello PatR,

Thanks for the link for the Back Wood Pursuit ! I saw the spotting scope comparison they made, but somehow missed the binos one.

You kind of convinced me to try the GPO, I may order both (Monarch HD and the Passion HD) and give them a try. Current price point of the 2 binos allows me to do that, otherwise I wouldnt have enough cashflow .

I may also pay a visit to the near-Leica store. I need to how they adjust to my eyes, given that I have a particularly small IPD !
 
Paultricounty said:
In 10x42 I’d go with the GPO. It’s brighter and has less CA than the MHG in 10x. It’s basically a Zeiss Conquest in a much nicer and better built package. If you just want to save the money go for the HG ( if you found a good deal) you can’t wrong either way. Imo the Viper is an excellent bang for the buck, closer to the Razor than most would like to admit. I have three Vipers, two in 10x42. May sell one, if interested PM me.

Good luck.

Paul
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I see you have pre-2018 and post-2018 Vipers. Have you done any side-by-side comparison? I'm curious if the 2018 update resulted in increased optical performance.
 
My personal ranking would be:

1 Maven by far the best build quality and as good optics as the rest. Bright as all the rest imho and I’ve owned all

2 MHG great optics in a very lightweight package. Wish the build quality was better but it’s not bad

3 GPO Optics and build quality are good but they are Very Heavy. They have been having fire sales on these over here. Makes me nervous about the companies longevity

4 Vortex poorest build quality of the bunch. Good optics except I see lots of reflections in the barrels. Great warranty as do the Mavens and GPO

Standard disclaimer. These are my personal opinions and you should try all of practical. Everyone sees things differently and you very well might rank them quite differently.
 
qwerty5 said:
I see you have pre-2018 and post-2018 Vipers. Have you done any side-by-side comparison? I'm curious if the 2018 update resulted in increased optical performance.
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Yes I’ve done extensive side by side comparisons with these 10x42’s, as well as the Razor HD’s and UHD’s. The two vipers are much closer in optical quality than the difference in the two Razors. The two Vipers are almost the same in CA control, we’ll controlled in both for the price point. Brightness is similar although the pre 2018 are slightly warmer. The post 2018 are a tad sharper, this was confirmed with two of each side by side, but not on a scale that would be noticed without side by side observing. The FOV is clearly larger in the new version, edges are about the same. I like the build and feel of the pre 2018 better, with the checkering on the focuser and diopter ring.
 
Vipers are nowhere in the class of the others imho. Quality control has gone Way down since they moved production to China. When they first came out I compared two side by side at a local store. One had a hinge so loose it wouldn’t stay in place. The other had a focuser so stiff I could barely move it. A pair of pliers would’ve come in handy.

Right now you can buy Raxors for $100 more than the Vipers here. No brainer.
 
Upland said:
Vipers are nowhere in the class of the others imho. Quality control has gone Way down since they moved production to China. When they first came out I compared two side by side at a local store. One had a hinge so loose it wouldn’t stay in place. The other had a focuser so stiff I could barely move it. A pair of pliers would’ve come in handy.

Right now you can buy Raxors for $100 more than the Vipers here. No brainer.
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The Vipers (and the HD Razors) are made in the Philippines now (since 2021), I think the QC is better as a result. Agree they aren't in the same class as the others, they aren't supposed to be, given they retail for ~$500.
 
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qwerty5 said:
The Vipers (and the HD Razors) are made in the Philippines now (since 2021), I think the QC is better as a result. Agree they aren't in the same class as the others, they aren't supposed to be, given they retail for ~$500.
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I confirm this. Viper and up to Razor HD MIP, below Viper I believe still MIC. I also compared an older MIC Viper, and I agree with upland they felt cheap. That’s not to say that China can’t and don’t make excellent quality binoculars, I think the earlier quality issues with MIC versions had more to do with Vortex, but that’s another conversation . The newer MIP are very well made and you can feel the difference, very solid, nice fit and finish, focuser , hinge and diopter are all good.

The Razor UHD their top of the line MIJ models seems to be more solid in construction, but could be it’s bigger and with AK prisms. The UHD’s are clearly on a different level, they’re sharper, have better edges, are substantially brighter, less CA , more true color/neutral, reminds me of my EL‘s a little, oh did I mention they’re very bright. Next to the Zeiss FL’s the UHD’s in 42 are the brightest Binoculars I’ve ever used.
 
qwerty5 said:
The Vipers (and the HD Razors) are made in the Philippines now (since 2021), I think the QC is better as a result. Agree they aren't in the same class as the others, they aren't supposed to be, given they retail for ~$500.
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Yes that was my point. Comparing apples to oranges. Much better options in the Viper price range as well imho. And of course the Razor for $599!is a steal.

GPO Passion ED, Monarch M7, Leupold BX-4 Pro Guide, Opticron BGA VHD are all better choices than the Vipers imho with standard disclaimer attached. Of course you can drive over the Vipers and they’ll send you a new pair. Warranty is built into the price though so the Viper is a $300 binocular in my Opinion. Obviously not a big Vortex fan but they are all the rage with hunters who use the warranty quite often.
 
Just snagged a Razor HD 10x42 from Cabelas at a net cost of $529. They are a steal at that price. After the way Vortex stepped up to the plate to take care of its customers in the wake of the Liberty Optics fiasco, I decided that's a company I can support. I guarantee no other optics company on the planet would have gone to the extreme Vortex did to take care of its customers.
 
jgraider said:
Just snagged a Razor HD 10x42 from Cabelas at a net cost of $529. They are a steal at that price. After the way Vortex stepped up to the plate to take care of its customers in the wake of the Liberty Optics fiasco, I decided that's a company I can support. I guarantee no other optics company on the planet would have gone to the extreme Vortex did to take care of its customers.
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Your not kidding on both , a steal @ $529, and Vortex as a great company.
 
Some guy named Scott owned Liberty Optics. He apparently ran a solid business until recently. Customers placed orders there, paid the bill, and the orders never got turned in to Vortex so the customer got hosed by Liberty. Vortex received numerous complaints about this so they stepped up to the plate and made it right with the paid customers, delivered to them what they paid Liberty for, and will take it up with this Scott/Liberty if they ever find him. I thought it was a very high class move by Vortex.
 

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