Today’s article is a Vortex Diamondback 10×42 review. The Vortex Optics Diamondback is a low-mid price range binocular. Binoculars like these are suitable for hunters and birdwatchers. While professionals look for something more powerful, this is a decent starter for a beginner huntsman or birdwatcher.
A serious hunter will miss rangefinding capabilities on this unit. However, Vortex is a quality binocular manufacturer and if you are not looking to rangefind, this set should be sufficient. If you are trying to find low budget binoculars, this might be the pair for you.
Read our review of the Vortex Diamondback 10×42 below to find out more or check out our picks for the best cheap binoculars or best high quality binoculars.
Technical specifications
The Vortex Diamondback 10×42 packs a nice set of features for a low-mid price range binocular. Here’s what we consider the key features:
The Diamondback provides 10x zoom through a 42mm objective lens. 10x zoom is more than sufficient in most outdoor situations. It gives a clear image from medium to long distances. 42mm is a good size lens for low-light situations like hunting.
The optics of the Vortex Diamondback are multi-coated and the prisms inside are phase corrected. These processes assure that the image quality is as good as possible. Coating protects the lenses from glare. Sun won’t be an issue with the Diamondback.
The binoculars are also waterproof and have fog protection. Outdoor situations often include rain and evenings in the forest can get foggy. These features keep you operational regardless of the weather conditions. The wildlife is not afraid of the weather and with these feature, you don’t have to be either.
For your comfort, there is a neck strap included and an attractive case to carry your binoculars. Accessories also include lens covers and a rainguard to protect your lenses from raindrops. Along with the waterproof feature, this makes the binoculars easy to use in rainy conditions. Rain should be the last thing you worry about on your outdoor adventure.
Although not a technical feature, a notable extra is the Vortex Optics lifetime warranty. The Vortex Diamondback 10×42 comes with an unconditional warranty which means your device will be repaired with no questions asked – forever!
How good are the binoculars?
From our experience, the Vortex Diamondback 10×42 binoculars are surprisingly good for this price range. The low-light functionality was above expectations. Our pair did seem to have a slight issue with the lens covers though. The mechanism that attaches the covers to the lens were a little wobbly.
In our continuous use of the Diamondback, we didn’t notice any other major quality issues. When contacting Vortex, they were more than happy to exchange it for us.
Other than this slight issue, we were happy with the performance. The case it comes in is neat and offers good protection. We also tested the waterproof feature of the binoculars and can’t report any issues. The OutdoorGearPal team took it birdwatching and we saw quite a few birds!
Customer feedback
The Diamondback has mostly positive reviews. They have 87% 5 star reviews on Amazon and customers claim that these are one of the best binoculars in this price range. Key positive feedback is regarding build quality and the warranty system.
The lifetime warranty is something that Vortex is proud of and they really follow through with it. There are countless customer reviews that talk about the great support that they received.
These binoculars seem to be praised equally among birdwatchers and hunters. The great visibility in low light is something that is brought up a lot. This is accompanied by comments regarding the great image clarity that the Diamondback provides.
Wrapping up the Vortex Diamondback 10×42 review
The Vortex Diamondback 10×42 is a combination of good features and great build quality. For this price range, it’s truly a superb pair of binoculars. It lacks rangefinding capabilities and some features that high-end binoculars offer. However, it’s the best in the low-mid range of binoculars.
If you are a beginner hunter or birdwatcher, the Vortex Diamondback 10×42 is a good starting point. You can always upgrade later but it is important to start from a good place. Quality is important and worth it in the end. Don’t waste time and money on cheap plastic binoculars. We suggest the Diamondback.
We hope our Vortex Diamondback 10×42 review was helpful, but if you’re still unsure you can check out our other top binoculars recommendations here.
Our Rating 97/100
- 10x magnification and 42mm objective lenses, these Diamondback binoculars are the workhorse of Vortex lineup; known for impressive optical quality and durability.
- Dielectric, fully multi-coated lenses transmit more light and clearer, brighter images. A field of view that is one of the largest in its class helps you efficiently glass your surroundings and identify your target.
- A sleek, short hinge design with rubber armor and thumb indents leaves more room for your hands creating an easier, secure, non-slip grip.
- Multi-position eyecups twist up for adjustable eye relief. A right eye diopter accomodates for focal differences in your eyes.
- Argon purging and rubber armor provide enhanced waterproof and fogproof performance in extreme weather conditions.Nitrogen gas purging prevents internal fogging over a wide range of temperatures
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