Need a first spotter - Vortex Diamondback 20-60x80 thoughts?

[TJT96]

After an elk hunt and multiple pronghorn hunts this last season, I am in the market to purchase a spotting scope. It will be first spotting scope and I have been leaning towards the Vortex Diamondback 20-60x80. It’s within my budget and seems like it would get the job done.

I’m in my twenties still so I’m not sure if I would need the higher-quality image or price point as I plan to eventually upgrade years down the road. Has anybody used/currently use this spotting scope? Is there a better spotting scope out there in the same price range? I just want something to spot game at further distances, I’m not too worried about counting the ticks on a buck at 800 yds. I appreciate any feedback!

 

[MTHunter1321]

I would keep saving your money and get something along the likes of the Viper line or higher. I went with a cheap Vortex on my first spotter and in my opinion it’s not even worth packing. If you can keep saving some and keep an eye out for sales, buy the best piece of glass that’s in your budget.

 

[Brentc]

What's your budget?

 

[TimeOnTarget]

Spotters, more than any other optic need to be high end to even be usable. Keep saving and watch for some used swaro stuff.

 

[TJT96]

What's your budget?

I was thinking around $600-$800

 

[JCW]

If you don't mind buying used look around for the older (yellowish) Nikon 60mm ED scopes. I sold a Viper HD spotter after being a bit underwhelmed and bought the Nikon after reading a bunch of birding forum reviews. The Nikon was usually the gold standard to compare other spotters in the mid price range. I'm very glad I made the switch, sure it is no top end spotter, but its not too far off. There are always couple used ones on Ebay at or below your price range.

 

[ZBB]

I have a vortex diamondback 20-60. The field of view is terrible. The glass is ok but not great. It is kind of a pain in the ass to pack around honestly, a little big, a little heavy, it’s tough to get it stuffed in a pack. I had a leupold gold ring stolen out of my pickup and My wife bought me the vortex. I used a swaro spotter when I was in Afghanistan and it was nice, I used kowa highlanders and I forget what model spotting scope from them at different place while I was in the army. The thing I didn’t like about the swaro or any other 20-60 was at 60x, mirage started to be an issue for me. If I had my pick I’d save a little longer and get a leupold 12-40, but I only use a spotter after I’ve found something with binos. Also it might be smart to check out something other than a hunting forum for optics, hunters can be a little...brand specific. That’s my opinion so ya know, to each their own.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

If you don't mind buying used look around for the older (yellowish) Nikon 60mm ED scopes. I sold a Viper HD spotter after being a bit underwhelmed and bought the Nikon after reading a bunch of birding forum reviews. The Nikon was usually the gold standard to compare other spotters in the mid price range. I'm very glad I made the switch, sure it is no top end spotter, but its not too far off. There are always couple used ones on Ebay at or below your price range.

YES
The older ED Fieldscopes are about the best value I can think of. It seems like non-HD 65mm Swaro's can be found getting down toward $1K but probably not less than that. Same with the 62mm Leica's, should be able to get the non APO around a thousand or a little less.

 

[406LIFE]

Don't be afraid of eBay and the like. The warranty is ironclad and transferable.

 

[Sagebrush1]

The diamondback 20-60 I have is not even worth having. Big mistake to buy that thing.

 

[Sawtooth]

I am in a similar situation to the OP. I have a couple of Cabelas cards and can't justify spending Euro Glass type money. I have been looking at the Athlon Ares 15-45x 65. Heard some good things but don't have any experience with one. Anyone else use this glass? Don't want to hijack thread, but this might work for the OP as well.

 

[nrpate05]

I was thinking around $600-$800

For that price point you can pick up the lower magnification Razor HD or a Viper HD from Cabelas. I don't really have any experience with them but know people who are fond of both. Certainly better glass than the Diamondback.

 

[Irrelevant]

I've had too much warranty work needed on my Vortex binos to ever go with them again. I have a cheaper Minox spotter, but it's basically worthless, I can consistently see more through my HD binos. I was looking at the Leupold Kenai HD, but honestly it really hard for me to throw down on a used spotter I don't get to look through first.

 

[Sask hunter]

I have the 20-60x60. For my purposes of looking at things half mile away usually it works just fine. Never leaves my truck. My regret with it is I wish I got the 80mm zoom. Doesn’t pick up light real well in late evening or early morning and is pretty dark once you zoom in but 99%of the time I just leave mine on 20x

 

[OleRedbeard]

I have the same spotter you are asking about. Its going on Ebay actually after Christmas if I don't convince myself to keep it and use solely for stuff like sighting in or taking to the range. It wont go back out west with me.
It works really well until you start looking at stuff on full power at longer distances. Then it is fuzzy and you really cannot tell too much about what you are looking at.
I wish I would have either saved my money and bought a better one or bought the HD version in a lower power. My binos are the 10x42 HDs and they were significantly more clear at longer distances than the scope. So much so that I used them more than it because it was easier to see something clearly but much smaller than to just look at a larger fuzzy object.
I wish I would have listened before purchasing. I had about the same suggestions you are getting above.

 

[MT_Chad]

Keep an eye out for sales and you can do much, much better for that kind of money. Camofire has had the old generation razors for 800 fairly regularly. Other websites would be eurooptic, b and h camera, cameralandny, and midway. Also check with schmaltz on here, he might be able to get you into a gold ring for a little more. Shop used too, check craigslist regularly to watch for sweet deals and be ready to pull the trigger. Do lots of research on brands and models, don't get stuck on one brand and you can get a lot of scope for 800 bucks. Check birding forums, there isnt near the brand loyalty and the analysis between scopes is much more detailed. The brands I look for in spotting scopes in your price range used would be leupold, zeiss, meopta, and kowa. Kowa especially, they dont have the brand recognition but are very good, birders love them. Sorry for the rambling disjointed post, I'm an engineer and have difficulties putting together a coherent statement most of the time.

 

[mtmuley]

Don't do it. I settled for lower end (Viper HD), because I wasn't patient. The Razor isn't much better. I researched and looked and read and read some more. If not for an appliance malfunction at the time, (or if I had been patient), I would be looking through a Kowa instead of hating a Vortex. mtmuley

 

[Bulldog0156]

Use that money for better binos or keep saving. Anything other than a top shelf spotter will leave something to be desired. Even the top shelf spotters from 25 years ago are better than the less expensive options nowadays in my experience.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I would pass on anything vortex for a spotter, unless it's the Razor line. Even then, your almost to a swaro at the razor price point. Leupold makes good spotters and binos, but I've had tracking issues with their scopes. Swarovski is by far the best that I have looked through. Save your pennies, do it right, and you'll only do it once.

 

[rustednuts]

I have the same spotter you are asking about. Its going on Ebay actually after Christmas if I don't convince myself to keep it and use solely for stuff like sighting in or taking to the range. It wont go back out west with me.
It works really well until you start looking at stuff on full power at longer distances. Then it is fuzzy and you really cannot tell too much about what you are looking at.
I wish I would have either saved my money and bought a better one or bought the HD version in a lower power. My binos are the 10x42 HDs and they were significantly more clear at longer distances than the scope. So much so that I used them more than it because it was easier to see something clearly but much smaller than to just look at a larger fuzzy object.
I wish I would have listened before purchasing. I had about the same suggestions you are getting above.

Same situation here. I'm planning on selling mine and upgrading my binos. It is almost always in my pack but I rarely take it out.