Please advise... Vortex Razor HD spotter or Vortex Kaibab HD bino?

[wilkup]

I'm trying to decide between these two options and doubt there's really a poor choice between them but would appreciate some input before throwing down my cash.
I'll be using this product primarily for hunting in the northwest, more specifically - the Cascades of Washington state, where there's quite a bit of hiking involved and no scouting from a vehicle or sitting over bait involved.
I'm slightly weight conscious because I have to pack in all my gear and lord-willing, my game on the way back out.
I'm leaning towards the Kaibab HD 15x56 weighing in at 43.5oz because it can pull double duty as spotter and bino which possibly saves on weight/space.
My other thought is to scoop up the Razor HD 11-33X50 spotter which only weighs 25oz and pairing them with a set of Viper HD 8X32 binos for a combined weight of 45oz and costing about the same price as the Kaibabs.
The last option I'm kicking around is to go BIG and spend the money on the Razor HD 16-48X65 and keep my low-end Nikon binos for now. This spotter costs about the same as the Kaibabs and real close to what the spotter/bino combo would be, but will weigh significantly more and take up a lot more space.
Looking forward to what everyone has to say on this and hopefully get it figured out pretty quick

 

[406precision]

We use them all and if it was me I'd go with the smaller spotter and HD binos best all around combo

Jordan@406

 

[Browninglover1]

I use the 15x56 Kaibab exclusively and I love them from about 1k yards out to a mile. At the mile range the extra magnification of the spotter definitely helps with detail. Anything under 1k yards can get tiresome to glass because of the limited field of view.

That being said, I decided the pros outweighed the cons and I sold my 10x binos and Nikon ED scope to move to the Kaibabs and upgrade my rangefinder to a Leica 1600 and I haven't regretted that decision.

 

[timberbuck]

I would go the Razor 50mm spotter and up it a notch to a 8 or 10x42 binocular in the price /quality range of the Viper HD or better.

 

[wilkup]

****! The consensus seems split right where I am.

Browning - How do they pack when you're out making those Kaibabs pull double duty?

Since posting this I've also read the full article on the Kaibab that was written up.

Now I'm still stuck with my problem, but it would appear there's not really a bad choice here, which is comforting.

 

[Browninglover1]

I keep the Kaibabs in my pack until I'm ready to glass. Once I've started glassing I just leave them attached to my tripod and carry them around as a unit. I have a buddy that just bought some as well and he keeps his in a badlands bino pouch and he loves carrying them around that way. The 15s work great when handheld as long as you only need a quick look so the badlands pouch might be the most convenient way to carry them if you have the need to quickly glass something up.

 

[Tikkamike]

I have a nice set of high end Binos and a vortex razor 16-48x65 spotter I love both but If I am going to pack only one it will be the Binos for sure. a set of nice binos are priceless

 

[backcountryguide]

I spend more time behind a set of 15's in a week than most do in a entire fall guiding elk and deer clients and can tell you hands down you will find more critters with a good tripod and binos then you will with any other combo. I use my scope to video through and it rarely leaves the truck on any given hunt. Go with the 15's and learn to use them on a tripod. You are sacrificing nothing on this one but the added wieght of carring around a scope you dont need.

 

[wilkup]

Adding another option to the mix after reading every review available to me.
How do the 15X56 Vulture HDs stack up against my other options? I read there's not a major difference between them but it would appear there has to be with a $1,000 price difference.
They're both HD, come with the same mag and objective. The Vulture looks to be slightly lighter.
Any other information you might be able to provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Browninglover1]

I looked through a vulture hd and a Kaibab side by side and the vulture definitely fell short. However the Minox 15x56 from cameraland is a great bino for under $600. My buddies pair has a darker image than my Kaibab but it's very close in optical quality. I wouldn't feel cheated if I bought the minox and put the extra money towards something else.

 

[wilkup]

I looked through a vulture hd and a Kaibab side by side and the vulture definitely fell short. However the Minox 15x56 from cameraland is a great bino for under $600. My buddies pair has a darker image than my Kaibab but it's very close in optical quality. I wouldn't feel cheated if I bought the minox and put the extra money towards something else.

Thanks for the info on that. Now my next question...
I can get a pretty good deal on the Vulture - $350. With that in mind, how would that impact your decision?