With a few minutes to kill before a meeting and a mandate from the bossman to find optically related things, I took the opportunity to check out Vanguard and their line of optics and accessories.
New for 2017 is their Endeavor ED IV line of binoculars that Vanguard considers a value based line of binos. While definitely not cheap (MSRP is $620 for the 8X and 10X models), the glass quality is definitely there and the inclusion of a center mounted diopter and a tripod mount mean that the Endeavor series isn’t “just another pair of binos.” Advertised weight is 28 oz, and you can feel it. These are not the flyweight binoculars you’re looking for. That said, looking around the SHOT floor, the image was crystal clear and free of distortion or weird colors. If we get a pair to test, I look forward to seeing how they do in low light.
On the accessory side, they were happy to show off their VEO shooting stick which features a three legged foot that allows the stick to stand upright on its own. Using collapsible sections, it can be reduced to backpack length, and the yoke is removable for use with a camera or spotting scope. Real world pricing on the VEO is about $80 which seems to be in line with the level of fit, finish, and design I saw. We’ve asked Vanguard for some products to test out, so watch this space.
Ostensibly, operator optics are optimized to offer optically optimal operation.
Unless you opt-ical out.
My wife and I have been using a pair of Vanguard binos for a few years to bird watch in our back yard. I can’t speak to their durability as they are not handled that roughly, but the glass is clear with good color rendering, very important when watching Peach Faced Lovebirds.
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