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ranked #197,357 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★★★★
Amazing Budget Friendly Binoculars!
Last year I had purchased a pair of Redfield Rebel 10x50 for about $135 all said and done, and for the price, I will say those are an excellent set of Bino's, and I always got compliments. This year however, I really wanted something a little lighter weight, as I spend a lot of time on my feet, so any weight I could shed on my neck/back was most welcome. I had a hard time choosing between the Leupold BX-2 Acadias and these. And owning Leupold Scopes, and range finders I was originally leaning that direction, but sadly(or not?), Hunting season was here! and Amazon was not offering Prime on the 10x42's in the BX-2, so I decided to bite the Bullet on these new 2016 Model Diamondbacks. So far I absolutely love them! They are light, but not a "cheap" feeling light. They are extremely comfortable in hand, and very sharp glass quality, surpassing my Redfields(note they are a Leupold Company now) by a small margin! One thing that really stood out in comparison to my old pair is the lighting quality, very clear and bright! especially in lower light conditions! I was beyond impressed. The carrying case it comes with is awesome, and a nice change over many other "pouch style" carrying cases form other manufacturers. Overall I am super satisfied with this set of Binoculars especially given the price tag! I really would have liked to compare the BX-2 & Diamond back side by side, however our local Cabelas was out of stock in both in the 10x42 size, so it is what it is! But I can say I strongly do recommend these! This past weekend I was out with my 2 Brother in laws & my father in law, and they were shocked how bright and clear the image was. Says enough for me!
UPDATE 11/3/2016
Went in to Cabelas today now that they have both the Vortex Diamondbacks & Leupold BX2's in stock in the 10x42. Comparing side by side, glass quality was neck and neck, but I would almost favor the Diamondbacks in sheer "crisp image" factor. But honestly to close to really call, especially in store. One thing for sure I can tell you is that the 10x42 Leupold BX-2's were a substantial amount heavier, which to me is a con, also far bulkier feeling in general. The feel if the Diamondbacks in hand is far more comfortable than that of the BX-2's. All while the Diamondbacks are $30-$40 cheaper depending on current market value. Vortex get's my call on this one!
Update: 5/26/2019
Recently picked up a pair of Leupold BX-4 Pro Guide HD's for a price to good to pass up. While edge to edge clarity, and low light conditions are noticeably better, the Diamondbacks are still a crazy good pair of binocular's, especially given the price tag. I was also able to use a pair of Vortex Viper HD's this past 2018 Elk season, they also were a noticeable improvement over the Diamondbacks. Overall this will likely be the last time I update this review. The Diamondback's are probably the best bang for your dollar binocular on the market plain and simple, and really aren't THAT far behind the curve compared to the $600-1000 set's. If you can't successfully spot animals in the field with the Vortex Diamondbacks, you're doing it wrong.
October 2016 · Electronics · verified purchase