It’s a no-brainer that you need a quality pair of binocular for daily activities. Whether it is sporting, hunting, birding, or just sightseeing, a good pair of binoculars will give you a superior viewing experience beyond what the naked eye can see.
With hundreds of binoculars in the market, you will easily get overwhelmed with the information. But picking one without much consideration would be similar to gambling. You could be getting an inferior pair with low-quality optics made from similar quality housing and no warranty when it breaks.
So how to make an informed decision and buy a pair with a superior value compared with other alternatives in your price range?
We’re here to assist you. First, we select binoculars based on their overall value, optical quality, warranty, and build design. Then we field test them ourselves. So you get that sweet value and utility.
We help you to make an informed decision which you will appreciate over the long run. The binoculars will continue to provide the same optical quality over a long period if invested wisely.
Today, let’s have a look at Vortex Diamondback Binoculars, which we thought will be a fantastic addition to your hunting gear, as well as its increasing popularity.
Vortex Diamondback Binoculars Review
- 10x magnification & 50mm objective lenses
- Fully multi-coated lenses increase light transmission with anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces
- Adjustable eyecups twist up and down for comfortable viewing with or without eyeglasses
- Rubber armor provides a secure, non-slip grip, and durable external protection
- Argon purging and o-ring seals provide water and fogproof performance in all environments
Vortex Diamondbacks are the entry-level binoculars into the Vortex binoculars. If you have simple binoculars, then these are the ones to get. Vortex Diamondbacks is aimed at everyday users and delivers solid value binoculars without breaking the bank.
Vortex is known for its high-quality binoculars with durable chassis, crystal clear images, and warranty. You get the best features packed into a compact unit with the Vortex Diamondback. Compared with other optics in a similar price range, the specs look very promising. Let’s get into what comes in the box.
The Unboxing Experience and Accessories
Included in the box is a decently long neck strap. It is a good quality Vortex strap with which you can carry the binoculars. It fits perfectly around the neck, and the soft cushion makes it feel good. The binoculars are super lightweight so, you can use the included neck strap to hold these binoculars when not in use.
The carrying case looks good, and it has a strap to it as well. Its harness allows you to mount it around the chest, giving it a stable residing place. During a long hunting or hiking trip, the neck strap may feel not so good, with different activities by keeping it in the case as a harness. You can also use this case to store binoculars.
It supports a tripod adapter. Although it doesn’t come with one included, we highly suggest getting a tripod mount to enable image stabilization at 10x or 12x magnification levels. It also comes with a soft cleaning cloth and some instruction papers as every other binocular does.
Overall Design and Build Quality
Vortex Diamondback comes with an elegant and lightweight chassis. It has a roof prism design which keeps the binocular streamlined. These are compact, lightweight, and look stunning.
The chassis has an indent where thumbs rest naturally and sort of textured sidelines for additional grip. The grip mostly comes from the rubber armor layered on top of the binocular chassis. It has no flex and can tank a lot of damage before giving in.
The rain guard and objective lens cover fit perfectly onto the rubber armor and locks it in place. The soft rubber texture on the inside goes lightly against the lens. It has two purposes. Firstly, it protects the lens from dust and dirt as scratches or dust on the external lens will give a terrible viewing experience. It also keeps the lens dry.
It is multi-coated but additional protection to avoid rain splashes is a good addition. It helps to prevent external fogging as well. The bridge has some flex to it, so it will cause no issues while mounting the covers.
Testing the Optical Performance
Diamondback binoculars have fully multi-coated optics and phase-corrected BaK-4 prisms. We found these compact binoculars packs an extensive list of features.
Vortex optics are known for their high-quality lenses with large objective lenses. Vortex Diamondback is no exception and performs exceptionally.
No other binocular in this price range provides the clarity, brightness, color accuracy as these. It is surprising how polished these optics are. The focusing is also tuned, so you get a decent focus.
It has a quick focus seen in much more expensive binoculars. The close focus range is also impressive to watch close by birds and tree leaves. The generously wide field of view is suitable to scale large land areas and scouting far distance activity.
The image quality remains the same even in low-light conditions. The images are bright and vivid, and the resolution is pretty high. During the dawn and dusk time, we could effortlessly identify the musk deer hiding behind the bushes. Color accuracy and good low light performance make it suitable for dense forests as well.
On a bright and sunny day, there wasn’t much chromatic aberration. We tested tree branches against the bright background light. It is good at this price range, but there was some fading off at the edges.
This phenomenon is similar to most binoculars, but its large sweet spot covers it. The images were crystal clear, details and object edges were super sharp, colors were right on point, and there was not much glare.
The twist-up eyecups on the right have a diopter adjustment ring on them. Despite not having a lock for the diopter, it holds its place securely without sliding off. The eye relief ranges from 16 mm to 20.9 mm that is quite good for any binocular.
These binoculars handle the stray light quite well with the inside coated barrels and well-aligned optics. The barrel comes coated with black paint to absorb any stray light.
We performed extensive tests of these pair of binoculars and found it meets all the required criteria so, it is a versatile pair of binocular. These are the must-have binoculars for the outdoor enthusiast.
Waterproof and Fog-proof Binoculars
Vortex Diamondback series is fully waterproof as well as fog-proof. Fog-proof refers to the moisture-filled air purging process inside the barrels that ensure that the optics won’t fog up due to temperature differences. The external lens rarely fogs up but, it is easy to clean with the soft cloth included in the box.
Waterproof is the new standard. It keeps binoculars safe from any fungal and microbial growth while keeps the housing and lens protected from moisture. You can use these binoculars in any weather condition, whether it is raining or in extreme climates.
Vortex’s VIP Warranty
The Vortex Diamondback binocular comes with a VIP warranty. It stands for the Very Important Promise that Vortex will fix your binoculars no matter what broke them. It is the best warranty we have seen in any binocular.
Usually, there is a purchase receipt, limited warranty cards, ownership status, the cause of its breaking, and similar criteria that have to be met for the binocular to fall into the warranty category. But Vortex will repair the binoculars or straight up provide you with a brand new binocular if anything happens to your old ones.
It could be accidental damage, broken by your fault, or negligence, or some other factors. In any situation, it is nice to have the option, to get a new pair or have it repaired when it gets broken. They will ask no questions like ‘is it accidental’ or ‘are you the real owner?’
You don’t have to provide any cards or receipts. After filling a basic form, you send it to the Vortex, and it is that simple. Vortex VIP warranty extends to any country, whether you buy it from a dealer or a shady friend. And all of this, at no charge to you.
Our Verdict and Recommendation
Diamondback binocular by the Vortex symbolizes the premium luxury feel, high-quality optics, and the solid warranty backed by Vortex’s brand name packed into a compact and lightweight package. These pair of binos have solid construction, ample light, and crystal-clear optics.
The included VIP warranty will give you peace of mind and a new level of freedom where you want to take it. The Vortex Diamondback binoculars come at an affordable price setting up a new benchmark for quality. There are an array of binoculars you can check and purchase the one that meets all your needs.
You can purchase Vortex Diamondback binocular from Amazon.com.