Vortex Optics, being a family-owned and family-operated business since its humble beginnings in 1986 in Wisconsin, takes pride in putting the needs of its customers first. It began as a small outdoor retail store with a strong focus on offering personalized services. By banking on a customer-centric approach, it grew tremendously over the years. Today, while relatively young, it is one of the most reputable names in the sports optics industry. Thus when I learned that Vortex was releasing an updated and potentially improved UHD version of the Razor, I was naturally really interested. In fact, before receiving the sample that I used for this review, I did a lot of research into the differences and potential improvements between the Razor HD and these new Razor UHDs, which I go through in detail in my article and video on the 4 Things You Must Know Before You Buy the New Vortex Razor UHD Binoculars. This is not the instrument for you if you require a device that is very lightweight. The extra weight is something that I immediately noticed as I took it out of the box and is confirmed once you take a look at the specifications:

This is the distance between your eye and the focal point of the binoculars’ eyepiece. Go for Binos with diopter adjustments like the Vortex Viper HD 10×42 Roof Prism Binocular. They increase your comfort and allow you to see the entire field of view by helping you secure the focusing system according to your eye prescriptions. Generally, Vortex binoculars are more expensive than other branded models in the market. With all the innovative features and impeccable engineering of these binoculars, it is pretty understandable why. Below are some common features you will find in Vortex binoculars: Abbe-Koenig Prism SystemThe Vortex 10x42 Razor UHD binocular and all other models in this series are 'tripod adaptable'. By this, I mean that you can unscrew the protective dust cap on the front of the hinge and then screw in a standard tripod adapter making it very easy to fix these binoculars onto a tripod should you wish. They can all be adapted to a tripod, monopod, hide or window clamp and, and are the first choice for many nature enthusiasts around the world. The Celestron Nature DX 8x42 punched well above its price class in our clarity testing, particularly in bright light situations. They produced a crisp image rich with detail and only showed slight blurring around the edges. Things became a bit less crisp in low-light situations, but we could still see identifying features on smaller birds during late dawn and early dusk. Brightness

The 10x42 Vortex Razor UHD binocular has an impressive 16.7 mm of eye-relief indicating that they will be suitable for most users who wear glasses or some sort of eye protection. Of course, one of the many things we like the most about these binoculars is the all-new and improved viewing experience with the HD optical system. On sunny days, the exceptional edge-to-edge clarity, contrast, resolution, and sharpness are everything that hunters need to make the most out of every minute they spend outdoors. Glassing on cloudier days creates some blurring at the very edges of the view, but this is not at all terrible for binoculars at this price range. To ensure optimal performance, these binoculars also have fully multi-coated lenses. These lenses have anti-reflective properties, effectively improving light transmission and minimizing light loss. Moreover, the multilayer dielectric prism coatings guarantee true color fidelity and exceptional brightness. These binoculars have phase-correction coating applied on the roof prism, too, delivering optimized contrast and resolution. Now I'll admit that this is a small and to some it may seem like an insignificant feature, but for me it is a definite indicator of quality and shows an excellent attention to detail that you don't see on most instruments.Offering what we believe to be the best balance of performance and price, the Vortex Viper HD 8x42 is the best choice for those looking to invest in a quality pair of optics. Their high-quality glass created some of the brightest and clearest images in our testing. The only models we found to be better than the Viper HD in our image quality testing retail for multiple thousands, not hundreds of dollars. They also boast a 6.3-foot close focus range and are comfortable in hand, with a supple focus knob and an overall weight on the lighter side for a full-sized pair of optics.

On the negative side and one of the main reasons that more binoculars don't use the Abbe Koenig design is that the shape is much longer and the prism is heavier and thus you end up with a longer, less compact instrument, which as we have already spoken about is exactly the case with these. Optical Coatings Whilst you can certainly use it as a standard carry case, it is designed to primarily be used as a fully covered bino harness that sits on your chest, which is a great addition as to buy a good quality one of these separately can be pretty expensive. The gearing of the focus mechanism is an interesting one: To adjust the focus from one extreme to the other takes just short of 3 full turns (approx 1050°) of the wheel. Whilst at this level it is somewhat to be expected, I think it is also important to mention that the main chassis under the armor on the range of Vortex Razor UHD binoculars is made from a magnesium alloy. The size and weight of the binoculars depend on what you intend to use them for. If you will be holding your binos for longer periods when you go hunting, wildlife viewing or for spectator sports, then choose a compact and lightweight pair. If you can’t handle the weight, then go for one that can be mounted on a tripod or car window. Focus system

Product Details

Some instruments will still use aluminium which is not quite as lightweight, whilst others (mostly cheaper binoculars) may opt to use polycarbonate plastic, which is more lightweight and cheaper to produce, but not as robust. On top of staying dry completely, the Bushnell H2O delivers great optics. They feature the Bak4 roof prisms which provide exceptional light gathering capabilities to produce superb images with superior sharpness, clarity and vibrant colors. This comes in handy even in low light conditions. Their lenses are also individually coated to deliver fantastic color clarity. For you to enjoy using a pair of binoculars, you have to ensure you get what suits you best in terms of functionality and budget. This section contains all the key information you need to know about 10×42 binoculars before buying one including what you should expect from them and the must-have features. I also have one of my own personal pairs of the Razor HD that I have enjoyed using for almost a decade now and still feel that it is one of the very best binoculars that I have ever owned.

Materials determine the durability of the binoculars. For the best strength to weight ratio, magnesium is the best but if you plan to carry or hold your binoculars for extended periods then aluminum is the best. Aluminum is lightweight, resistant to corrosion and very affordable. Weather resistance Colors & Contrast Whilst these Vortex binoculars deliver an extremely bright image, it is not at all washed out which can sometimes be the case. The colors are vibrant, but without looking unreal, indeed I would say that the color reproduction was, to my eyes completely true to life without any sort of unnatural tinting. The company boasts cutting-edge engineering in a modern facility, ensuring that every product is worth every penny. Decades after its foundation, Vortex Optics remains true to its commitment to provide a quality experience to its customers. It continues to innovate to make sure that they get what they deserve— the best sports optics gear. Note, that most fogproof binoculars will use Nitrogen gas and whilst the evidence is not 100% conclusive, Argon with its larger molecules seems to be a superior option as there is less chance of it leaking out over time. If you want, you can read more on this here: All About Fogproof and Waterproof Binoculars.RAZOR UHD 8×42 has a magnesium body, delivering exceptional ergonomics while significantly reducing weight. With ArmorTek coating, the exterior of the optics is surely scratch-resistant. The rubber armor grip complements this chassis, with the firm grip offering you a worry-free handling experience, especially when the conditions call for it.