Meet the Vortex Diamondback 10×42 binoculars—a pair that provides a wide array of features, ranging from high-quality optics, rubber armor and ArmorTek protective coating, fogproof capabilities to a neck strap and included custom-made bag.
The manufacturer, Vortex Optics, is an American-based company founded in Middleton, Wisconsin, now located in Barneveld. It’s been a family-owned company since 1986 and has grown to some 200 team members.
You know Vortex Optics is a reputable company since it managed to expand its trade outside the US and went on to specialize in other optical equipment. Including this pair of high-quality binoculars, it focuses on equipment for hunting, observing wildlife or others of a tactical nature.
So what makes this pair excellent? You’ll find out in the full Vortex Diamondback 10×42 review, but let’s whet your appetite a bit.
They provide excellent magnification with high clarity, as well as being resistant to wear and tear and accidental damage.
Pros
- Provides sharp, clear images.
- Durable.
- Waterproof.
- Not affected by fogging.
- Easy to carry around.
Cons
- Lens cover doesn’t always stay on.
- Very minute amount of chromatic aberration.
What to Keep in Mind When Buying Binoculars
If you’re someone who likes to watch wildlife, a lover of the night sky, an explorer or your profession involves using optical equipment—the coast guard, for example—it’s important to have the best binoculars that get the job done.
The human eye is an amazing organ. However, we aren’t always able to rely on our eyesight for clarity, especially if we need assistance through glasses or contact lenses.
Even with sharp vision, if the distance between you and the target is far enough, you’ll struggle. This is where the magnifying power of binoculars, especially the Vortex Diamondback 10×42, comes in—you no longer have that problem.
Binoculars also solve brightness issues by making objects appear brighter compared to the naked eye since they use a larger lens.
In short, binoculars are awesome! But you should focus on these features when shopping for an ideal pair:
- Prism type.
- Glass quality.
- Durability.
- Water and fogproof.
- Anti-reflective (AR) coating.
- Exit pupil.
- Interpupillary distance (IPD).
- Central focus mechanism.
- Comfort.
Features and Benefits that the Vortex Diamondback 10×42 Has to Offer
Using the Vortex Diamondback will provide you with high-quality optics, however you intend to use it. It comes with the following array of features suited for many different scenarios:
- Optical system.
- Field of view.
- Coating.
- Durability and proofing.
- Exit pupil.
- Adjustable eyecups.
- Interpupillary distance.
- Central focus wheel and diopter.
- Strap attachments.
- GlassPak™ binocular harness.
- Tripod adapter socket.
Optical System
This pair of binoculars features a roof prism design, which makes it more compact, with a 42-millimeter objective lens that provides 10x magnification.
They’re fashioned from select high-quality optical glass to provide great resolution and sharpness as well as color fidelity with almost no spherical or chromatic aberrations.
You won’t have to worry about seeing distorted images, either, in form or color.
Field of View
There are two aspects for a field of view—linear and angular—which essentially describe two sides of the same thing. It’s important that the binoculars combine a good balance between magnification power and field of view, as when one goes up, the other goes down.
With these binoculars, you’ll be able to view areas as wide as 334 feet at a distance of 3,000 feet, which is pretty well-balanced given its 10x magnification power.
Coating
Anti-reflective coating is a known technique of improving a lens’ light transmission, where fewer light rays are reflected off of its surface, which eventually provides a much clearer image at almost the same brightness. This also makes for less glare.
The binoculars’ fully multi-coated lenses and prisms, where having more than one layer of coating covers the whole spectrum of visible light, greatly enhance their light transmission capabilities. This means there’s almost no glare to distort your view while using this pair.
In addition, the product has an extra special coating on its lenses, the ArmorTek®, which protects them from getting scratched or exposed to any oils or dirt. You won’t have to worry as much about maintenance with this extra measure of protection.
Durability and Proofing
It’s very important for high-quality binoculars to not allow any water to leak into its optical system, which would otherwise ruin it.
Whether it rains or you drop your binoculars in a puddle or on the ground, you can put your mind at ease, knowing it’ll still work properly. You won’t find your watching hindered by effects from the cold weather, either.
Internal fogging is also another risk that comes with binoculars, where changes in temperature can cause any water vapor inside the binoculars to condense, which would make things blurry. Think of how your car’s windshield can become foggy when it’s cold.
This product is constructed such that its O-ring seals deter not just water, but also any kind of dust and debris. Also, the inside of the binoculars is purged with argon gas, which means that neither oxygen nor water vapor is inside.
This doesn’t just prevent any condensation from occurring, but it also adds to the binoculars’ waterproof ability—argon gas is much less likely to leak from the ring seals, thanks to its larger molecular structure and being more viscous.
To provide more external protection, the binoculars are made of a sturdy construction with rubber armor, which gives them better resistance against shock from impact. It also provides a secure non-slip grip during use.
Exit Pupil
These binoculars have an exit pupil size of 4.2 millimeters, which is large enough to provide a proper field of view with no fuzzing. It’s also small enough to allow you to see the whole image as it comes through at its maximum brightness.
Adjustable Eyecups
Whether you wear glasses, sunglasses or nothing at all doesn’t matter when it comes to these binoculars—the eyecups can be twisted down to adjust for your sunglasses or glasses. Otherwise, they can be twisted back when no eyewear is involved.
Interpupillary Distance
Defined as the distance between the centers of your eye pupils, these binoculars come with the ability to cover a range of them—55 to 73 millimeters—which allows all kinds of people to use them without constraint.
The distance can be easily adjusted by rotating the barrels either toward or away from each other until you see a single image that doesn’t have any shading.
Central Focus Wheel and Diopter
The binoculars’ combination of both a central focusing system as well as diopters makes it easy to adjust them for your eyes. The process is quick and involves only two steps.
- Close your right eye or cover the right side of the binoculars while using the central focus wheel to adjust the image as you see it through your left eye.
- Leaving the central focus wheel alone, close your left eye, or cover the left side of the binoculars, and then using the diopter to adjust the focus for your right eye.
After this, you’ll only need to use the central focus wheel to adjust the images since the diopter will already be set to accommodate the difference in eye strength.
Strap Attachments
The binoculars also come with strap attachments to the side, where you can thread a padded neck strap and secure it. Not only does this make moving around with it easier, but it also leaves out any possibility of dropping your binoculars while in use.
Lens Cover
The product features tethered covers for the objective lens as well as a rain guard for the ocular ones. Both of which will keep your lens protected while you’re not using the binoculars.
GlassPak™ Binocular Harness
This case, which comes with the binoculars, is custom-molded to fit and carry your binoculars, storing them and keeping them close at hand whenever you need to use them.
It also features tether and harness straps, which will keep the case secured to your chest and prevent it from accidentally falling. Additionally, the straps are adjustable to provide a comfortable fit with your body size.
Tripod Adapter Socket
Sometimes, using binoculars for extended periods can strain your arms. With this pair, however, you won’t have to worry, since it comes with a socket to which you can attach a tripod adapter.
It’s not a small thing being able to mount up your binoculars on a tripod. It can be very convenient for extended periods of use. It also adds to the stability of the image since you remove the natural hand/arm shake when holding binoculars.
Social Proof
Don’t just take my word on how good the Vortex Diamond 10×42 is. I had a hunt around for user reviews and found these for you.
Conclusion
If in the binocular-buying market, the Vortex Diamondback 10×42 provides you with all the essential features, and more. If you are looking for something a bit smaller, check out our list of the best compact hunting binoculars here >>
A lack of detail and brightness are common in lesser-quality binoculars, as well as durability issues. With this pair, you needn’t worry.
With its high-definition optical system, its durable construction and its ease of use and transport, the Vortex Diamondback might just be your go-to for outdoor adventures—no matter if for recreational, vocational or professional purposes.
Don’t hesitate to check out this product by clicking here.
