By Johnny Mack
In the spring of 2020 I had the privilege of using Vortex Razor UHD 12×50 binoculars on my bear hunt. I was beyond elated to be able to use them while hunting after looking through them at the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo. The first time I looked through them I was blown away with the quality of glass. Previously I was using Vortex Razor HD binos and even though those were very good, the UHD’s are hands far better and in a class of their own.
ABOUT VORTEX OPTICS
Vortex Optics is a company that has developed quite the cult following in recent years. That following was built upon their “VIP” warranty. It states that no matter what happens, your Vortex product will either be fixed or replaced. In the world of hunting, if your optics fail, you are going to have a slim chance of success. Hopefully you will never have to test their warranty, but it is nice to know it is there.
ABOUT THE BINOCULARS
Not all binoculars are created equal. In the world of optics, you get what you pay for. One thing that sets Vortex apart from other companies, besides their VIP warranty, is their dedication to create quality products for every price level. The Razor UHD binocular line is not cheap, but you definitely get what you pay for. I compared the 12×50 UHD’s head to head with 12×50 Razor HD’s along with 11×45 Maven B.2’s & Swarovki 10×42 SLC’s. What I found was that the HD’s are not even in the same class as the UHD’s. The field of focus was so large within the UHD’s that the Maven’s could not compete and the Maven’s had more chromatic abnormalities. The Swarovski’s were great but did not beat the UHD’s. Especially when you take into consideration the customer service and warranty you get when buying Vortex.
12x binoculars are large and the new UHD’s are bigger than the 12x Razor HD’s because of the different prism used. Knowing this, make sure to use a large bino harness to make sure they fit. I ended up using a T&K harness on the hunt and they fit like a glove. One thing to note is, glassing with 12x binoculars is much easier off of a tripod. The binoculars handle great with two hands, but can become very shaky when using just one.
SPECIFICATIONS
Razor UHD 12×50 (MSRP $2,299 – Retail $1,599)
Magnification – 12x
Objective Lens Diameter – 50mm
Field of View @ 1000 yds – 288 ft.
Eye Relief – 17mm
Near Focus – 6.6 ft.
Dimensions WxH – 5.8″ x 7.6″
Weight – 36.1 ounces
Prisms Type – Abbe-Koenig
Frame Material – Magnesium Chassis
Tripod Adaptable – Yes
Warranty – Lifetime VIP
Origin – Made in Japan
YOUR NEXT BINOCULARS
If you are interested in getting your hands on some Vortex Razor UHD’s, I highly recommend them. The quality of the binoculars are amazing and by far my favorite binos I have ever used.
Thanks for reading this gear review. If you want to know more about the Vortex Razor UHD binoculars and our experience with them, feel free to ask. In the meantime make sure to go and subscribe to the Washington Backcountry YouTube channel as well as follow us on Instagram @Washington_Backcountry. I hope you enjoyed it. Knowledge is power and MENTORSHIP IS CONSERVATION.
(Pictures & Video in collaboration with @RevolEntertainment)