Vortex Kaibab Binoculars And Outdoorsmans Tripod Review By Len Backus

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Best lightweight spotting equipment setup for mobile long range hunting?

When I am hunting from a truck and walking only a few hundred yards to a mile or so, it's easy to take along everything but the kitchen sink. This means an 80mm spotting scope, a set of binoculars, a mid-weight tripod and plenty of other stuff. But when I go off for the whole day with a pack large and sturdy enough to carry back my heavy rifle and the meat from a deer or antelope, I always struggle over which gear to leave behind. Read More...

This is a thread for discussion of the article, Vortex Kaibab Binoculars And Outdoorsmans Tripod Review, By Len Backus. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

 

[HUAINAMACHERO]

Len,
Good tip to use a good tripod to maximize the capacities of your scopes.
Nice pictures you posted there. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Iowaboy]

Thanks for the write up Len. I see in the pic with the Kaibab sitting next to a set of swaros and the resolution chart. So how did the Vortex binos stack up in resolutino to the Swaros?

 

[Chas1]

Good information. Well written, kept my interest. 30K in photo equip-WOW.

 

[Len Backus]

Iowaboy, Swaro was a little better but not by enough to matter to most people.

 

[Iowaboy]

Wow thats good to hear, thanks Len.

 

[sp6x6]

Good info Len, I use similar set up for my mountain hunting, depending on hunt, terrain, etc. Sometimes Leupy 12-40x60, 10-20-x40, or my 10x32 el w/ doubler, I also use a ultra small window mnt for small spotter and jab my knife in stump or tree for the mount. Im getting older and have to cut wght. on those big hikes. Snipepod @ 6oz. manly to get me out of snow for longer shots, used in conjunction w/ back to tree, arms on knee or log, everthing to get stable. The pod is nice when I amin a high basin, timberline and a muley is heading out the top, with deep snow the pod keeps my gun up and out of snow when I FLOP DOWN prone, my last 4 muleys averaged 180, have arrowed 160-170 whiteys before I got muley bug

 

[Qrachel]

Len: I dabble in backyard astronomy and agree the mount and head are at least as important as the optics. I also find that I can outspend my maturing eyesight with great optics that I'm incapable taking full advantage of now. I've never used the Kaibab's but have looked through some great Fuji and Swaro glass, but for the life of me the mid-priced glasses are where my seeing is maximized now. (I have a pair of used Fuji 15x80s for star gazing, and they are simply drop dead beautiful to gaze at the sky with.)

I'm not disagreeing that the Vortex's aren't a great alternative to the Swaro's; they are and review after review says so. I'm thinking of going the same route you did only with the Vortex Viper 15x50HD for about $699ish. My guess is the edge distortion and color aberration between the the Kaibab and Viper HD in low light won't be noticeable to me, unless I spend my time looking for the difference and not at game.

If I were younger, I'd jump on the Kaibabs. Thanks for the article; it helped push me over the one glass/light/stable tripod decision.

Rachel