Vortex Viper 8x28mm Binoculars

Comments about Vortex Viper 8x28 Binoculars:

I wanted a pair of binoculars I could take with me when hiking, skiing, and cycling in inclement weather: something I could always take with me and rely on. I preferred an exit pupil around 3mm, as I find this easier to use for some length of time, than the 2.5mm pupil of the standard 8x20 binoculars.

I could not be happier. The Vortex Viper 8x28 are sharp, light, waterproof, and have excellent optics. As I don't wear glasses, I tended to disregard eye relief, but I was wrong: I found out that having the large eye relief of the Vortex 8x28 enables me to use them without removing the sky goggles or biking glasses, which is a great convenience when I need to get a quick look.

Now, in truth, the cheaper Olympus Tracker 8x25 reverse porro prisms are a tiny bit sharper -- mainly, they have slightly less chromatic aberrations. The difference is tiny, but is there. However, the Olympus Tracker are not waterproof, and I would have to worry about using them in the rain or under a snowstorm. The beauty of the Vortex is that they are excellent optically, and robust enough that I can just take them anywhere without worries. The unparalleled warranty Viper offers (replacement in case of any trouble) is also a strong point. I am sure these binoculars will serve me very well for many many years.

Service and delivery comments:

I was steered to this purchase by binoculars.com staff, as I was originally looking for advice on another pair of binoculars. I am very very grateful for the advice I received! I could not be happier with binoculars.com service.