Vortex vs Zen Ray

[JOHUNT]

I am looking to buy a new pair of binoculars and I have narrowed it down to 2.

Vortex Talon HD 10x42-http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-talon-hd-10x42-binocular

Zen Ray ED2 10x43-http://www.zen-ray.com/shop/binoculars/zened2-10x43.html


I have heard alot of good things about ZR but the Vortex warranty is almost too good to pass up.

I really just need some opinions to push me over the edge on either one of these binos.

Thanks,

Jordan

 

[Outdoordan]

Buy the Zen Ray. It has a great warranty as well. You will not be disappointed in the optical clarity and brightness.

The warranty:
Products with Fully Transferable Limited Lifetime Warranty:

- 2009/2010 Model VISTA, ZRS, and ZEN ED/ED2 Binoculars

- SEDONA Spotting Scope

Zen-Ray guarantees your product to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the product. The warranty is fully transferable. As long as you are the current owner of the above Zen-Ray products, you are covered by our warranty. These warranties do not cover consumer caused damages such as misuse, abuse or repairs attempted by someone other than our authorized technicians.


We are a Premier Dealer for Zen Ray and I can make a great deal on a pair.

www.hunthardcorestore.com

[email protected]

 

[never_catch]

After looking through both many times, I would definitely buy the Zen Ray ED2's!! Not a huge difference but for me, the Zen's sure do seem brighter at low light and as far as eye strain they're more confortable to look through for long periods of time.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb37/Feleno/zFix.jpg[/IMG] ~Z~

 

[theox]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-22-11 AT 02:20PM (MST)[p]
Vortex! love mine, i wont buy a different brand until i upgrade to swarovski, zeiss or leica
although i have never looked through zen ray, i am way too happy with my vortex, i have dropped mine and broke them and had a brand no set shipped to me with in two weeks. all it cost was 12 dollars to ship them. also a seal let dust into the eye piece once, i sent them in and they came back perfectly cleaned up.. vortex warranty cannot be any better. no hassels nothing just ship them in with explanatin of the problem and they fix them if possible and send new ones if not. you dont need warranty cards or anything. doesnt matter if your the original buyer or the 10th owner they fix them no questions asked

looks like zen ray only has limited warranty so if you break them you lose! vortex doesnt even ask how they broke.
looking at that alone vortex hands down. i personally think the high end swaro zeiss and lieca are the only ones that can out do vortex. just my opinion from comparing.

i have spotted with guys with high end binos and they dont do any better than i do, they can see a bit better in really low light but the vortex compete well when you consider the price is a fraction of swarovski

i have compared mine to swaro and swaro are better but i would call vortex poor man swarovskis. i love mine and everybody i know has not complained about them.
what ever you choose i am sure they will be great. any set of quality optics usually are pretty awesome.

 

[ASB]

Do a search on the subject....lots of Zen Ray boys promoting their product. Also a lot of Vortex boys doing the same. Both are very good bino's. For what it's worth, try to look through both brands before buying.....probably hard to find a dealer close enough to do that (sux). The glass is so close in comparison you will need to take into account which feels best to your eyes, face, hands, etc. Warranty, price are also something to take into account. It's about what works for you & your eyes (remember, we all see differently), it's not a fashion statement. Like Theox said above, that warranty adds value.....that's coming from someone who had to pay a little to get a different brand fixed before, wasn't too happy about that.

Good luck, neither will disappoint you.

 

[Prism]

Agree with comparing them both and let your eyes be the judge.

Also keep in mind the Vortex VIP warranty is UNLIMITED, UNCONDITIONAL, and FULLY TRANSFERABLE. They will be fixed or replced for free-regarldless of what caused the damage. You can also be confident that it will only take days to get your product back!

One of the best warranties and customer service support teams in the industry. With the resources to see the job is done right... And you get your product fixed or replaced in just a matter of days.

 

[mtmuleys]

after checking through both Vortex Razor HD and Zen-Ray ZEN ED2 spotting scope, I went with ZEN ED2. I can hardly tell a hair difference between these two. Razor is $1600. But when shopping around, i can find someone selling it for $1500. The ZEN ED2 is $500 less expensive.

 

[rcutchen]

Last Fall I bought some Zen Ray 8x43 ED2s and compared them with my dad's Vortex Vipers and my old Nikon Monarchs. I felt like the Zen Rays were the brightest, but also the least comfortable ergonomically in my hands. Nothing is as comfortable to hold as my old Monarchs. I used the Zen Rays on an antelope hunt in WY last year and they performed well.

 

[m_freeman]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-31-11 AT 07:27PM (MST)[p]I have the ZEN ED 10x43 not the ED2, they are indeed very good glass however, if Vortex has a better warranty I would go with them. I emailed ZR about the eye cup falling off (not lens cover), the focus nob getting grindy, the lost lens covers. I asked if I could trade up there was no response, I called left message, no person ever answered back. Save the money and buy a used alpha with superb lifetime transferrable warranty. edited to add I think ZR poor customer service will be the undoing of a potentially good company, just too much competition to have poor warranty and customer service.