Interested in this little guy to use next year. I carried a Vanguard 65mm scope but it was just too big for my needs. I've heard good things about the Vortex Razor HD 11-33x50 but don't have anywhere local to look through it myself.

Is there a question in there?

Oh yeah, anyone have first hand experience?

Just messing with you.

My buddy has one and used it on our CO trip this season. I messed with it a little bit, and I really liked it as well. I think it's a good mix of magnification and weight for most Western hunting. I have the Razor 16-48x65 spotter and the only reason mine would be necessary is to count antler points or something similar at very long distances. For analyzing/spotting animals up to 2 miles or so, I think the 11-33 is a great option, especially because it's so much easier to pack around!

Pretty much echos what I have read on Rokslide. The Vanguard I carried was 65 oz, whereas the Vortex is only 25. I stopped carrying it after day 1 cause I couldn't justify the weight. Where we hunt the max I can view out to is probably 2000 yards.

Before you buy, you might investigate the 50mm Nikon ED with fixed-power eyepiece. This is considered by many to be the best small spotter out there.

C

Useful review here:

https://www.birdwatching.com/optics/vortex/razor50mm_vs_nikon50mm.html

Good comparison, thank you. I always forget to check what the birders have to say even though I know they like optics just as much as hunters.