Spotting scope question, need unbiased opinion

[Alaska_Guy]

Hey everyone, so I am in the market for a mid tier/higher end spotting scope. I recently looked through the vortex razor 20-60x85mm outside and I was really impressed. This is around the 2016 model. I like the angled eye design, the FOV and the clarity seems there.

Here is my delimma, my old man no longer hunts and he has a 2001 swaro ST-80 in mint condition he wants to sell me for a real fair price. I really am not a huge fan of straight eye peices. I want to use this scope for digiscoping purposes as well as spotting game.

What would you do? I haven't looked through his swaro in years so I have no idea how the older swaro's compare to glass these days.

 

[dok7mm]

I would offer an opinion, but it would be biased, as all opinions are.

 

[Alaska_Guy]

Well, I guess what I meant by not being biased, he is my father so I want to help him out, so an outside view would be appreciated.

 

[dok7mm]

Fair enough, I'd check the Swaro glass against the Vortex and go with the best glass/best deal as YOU see it.

I have used both the straight and angled 85 Razors. The straight seems a little easier to get on target and is easier to fit a pack. The angled is better for sitting position glassing and digiscoping. My current Razor 85 is angled. The glass is great at the price point, but the current Swaros are superior. JMO

 

[eklarsen]

I would bet the 2001 swarvo would be inferior to a 2016 Vortex razor due to technological advancements in lens coatings. Only you can judge because you aren't telling us the price your pop's offered it to you at..

 

[Alaska_Guy]

$850 for the swaro, I can get a Razor 20-60x85mm for $850 as well. He was basically matching the price.

 

[Jjeffhunter]

I have two Swarovski spotting scopes currently I have a ats65 and a sts 80
The straight eye piece 80 gets more use than the angled I feel the straight eyepiece is easier to mount a camera/phone skope on and not have an awkward angle and if you ever use your spotter from the truck window a straight eye piece is much easier to manipulate if most of your time will be just purely spotting from a tripod a angled is nice just for the fact you don't have to use a taller tripod while glassing there are many benefits to both angled and straight manly personal preference. I honestly couldn't tell you weather vortex razor or a non HD Swarovski has better glass one thing I can though is that build quality on a swaro is very hard to beat and that swaro glass will deliver little too no eye strain compared to other high end competition and edge to edge clarity is awesome

 

[Jjeffhunter]

$850 for the swaro is a no brainer personally you won't regret it

 

[Rflamm250]

The Swarovski will continue to increase in value and the vortex will continue to drop. I bought a Swarovski in 2002 and sold it in 2009 for more than I paid for it new. If that matters to you at all.

 

[cummins cowboy]

used meopta S2 from ebay, about 1300 ish when they come up. vortex and alot of those class spotter are all chinese build. vortex also blows out their product lines and you end up taking a bath with resale. buy once cry once.

 

[gunaddict]

$850 for the swaro, I can get a Razor 20-60x85mm for $850 as well. He was basically matching the price.

You will have a hard time reselling the Razor. You won't with the Swaro.

 

[eklarsen]

No question the Vortex is a better deal. Non-HD swarvo isnt worth it.

 

[Wedgy]

I'm pretty sure the Swaro will beat the Vortex in low light. Call and talk to swaro about the advancements in HD vs non HD glass (800)426-3089, pretty much only the coatings had changed. They are very knowledgeable about their products. If you were birding/photographing I would worry more about the color, but if hunting then worry about the low light capability. Personally I would go with the Swarovski, I am not totally sold on their scopes but I am on their binos and spotters. Once you own one you will know why.

 

[Alaska_Guy]

Well, I talked to my old man and it made the decision easy. He said I could borrow it for a 2 week hunt I have planned here shortly. He said if I liked it, then I could buy it. Sounds like a win/win.