Product Review

Vortex Viper HD Binoculars 8x42

I recently got the Vortex Optics HD Viper 8x42 for my birthday and I thought I would review it.  First, what does the 8x42 mean? The first number means 8 times the magnification of the naked eye and the 42 is the diameter of the light gathering lens(the lens closer to the object) in millimeters.

The first thing, I noticed with these binoculars, is how much brighter everything was than with my older Nikon Action 10x50 binoculars.  The "HD" describes the image really well.  The eye piece and ocular lens or viewing lens is a lot bigger than my Nikon binoculars.  I think the lens technology has advanced since my last pair of binoculars.  It's amazing how well I can see even into darker areas of the woods where I struggled to see anything with my other binoculars.  This is a great pair to use early in the morning and right before sunset.  It did take some time to adjust to the larger eye piece.  I had to experiment with where to rest them on my eyes for the best view. You can also adjust the binocular barrels to fit your face and the diopter setting for your best individual viewing.    
  

The binoculars are about 6-1/2 inches in length with the eyecup screwed out for non glasses wearing viewers and about 6 inches when screwed in.  The compact size makes it easy to carry on birding trips and store when not in use.  The weight is also only about 2 pounds and it feels much lighter than my previous pair.  It comes with a padded strap for wearing around your neck or shoulder, which is very comfortable.

The four lens caps for the binoculars can all be attached or are already attached.  This feature is good for me, because I tend to misplace my caps and can never find them.  The binoculars comes with a nice padded case for  travel and storage.

Though these binoculars are pretty pricey(about $550-$650), I would recommend them.  They are everything a pair of binoculars should be. They perform great while being lightweight, compact and easy to use.  You can check out all the different models here.   Let us know what binoculars you like/use in the comments or if you would like to write a review of any of your gear email me here.