Pretty hard to beat! - Vanguard Endeavor 20-60x82mm HD 82A Spotting Scope

I wanted to purchase a spotting scope for hunting in the West (mule deer, elk, antelope). Not having $2000/$3000 + to purchase a Swarovski, Leica or Zeiss and wanting something new and HD, my search for a mid level spotting scope brought me to the Vanguard HD 82A. After purchasing this spotting scope and using it for a week in the mountains, I have been nothing but pleased with this spotting scope. The price was incredible and came with a free Vanguard tripod with the purchase.

My purchase for a new spotting scope came down between a Vortex Razor HD 20x60x85, Vortex Viper HD 20x60x80 and the Vanguard HD 20x60x82A. I was able to take all three outside the store and look at an object 700 yards away at mid day on a sunny day. All three scopes were very close in image quality and would be exceptional in the field. Trying to say there was a clear winner would be impossible. What made the decision easy for me was price and a $179 tripod included in the deal. At $1599 for the Razor, $799 for the Viper and $545 (with coupon) for the Vanguard HD 82A with tripod, $50 mail in rebate for the scope, $25 mail in rebate for the tripod, the decision was simple to make.

Warranty: Vortex has one of the best in the industry...no questions asked. The Vanguard came with their Premium Lifetime Warranty. As Vanguard says: The Premium Lifetime Warranty does not cover theft, loss of product, deliberate damage, unauthorized repair damage, modification or disassembly of the product. In other words, dont use the product for stunt purposes. Dont attempt repair on your own or take it apart. Leave that to Vanguard.

So how does the warranty work? Well when I took the scope out in the field, I noticed that at 30-35 power on the eye piece, It had a small speck on the outside edge of the scope. I cleaned all the lenses and it was still there, but only at 30-35 power. Needless to say, I still loved how the spotting scope performed in the field and was in the middle of a week long Mule Deer hunting trip. Sending it back for an exchange within the 30 day return period wasn't an option with shipping and return shipping. I wrote Vanguard an e-mail explaining my issue and asking what they could do to help. I received a reply e-mail the same day saying they would send a replacement 20x60 eye piece the same day if I provided my address and simply send back the original when I received the new one in the mail. All I can say is Vanguard has a new loyal fan in their line of optics.

Performance: The scope is armored, has a built in sun screen, 20x60 adjustable eyepiece included, dual adjustment dials and a protective carrying case included with the scope. The dual adjust dials worked great and micro adjust brought the image in clear even at 60 power. The Vanguard will accept Vortex Razor eye pieces and the Vortex 30 power wide angle eye piece is listed as a must have for the scope. My favorite feature if the adjustable retaining ring on the spotting scope that allows your to rotate the angle of the spotting scope on the tripod. Great for when you are looking up the hill and want to turn and look downhill and can't move your body position.

Spending a week in the field with the Vanguard and my hunting partners Swarovski HD ATS 65, I can say that the Vanguard held its own. Not knocking Swarovski's, as they are amazing, but for most guys who hunt a few weeks out of the year, probably overkill for most of us. The Vanguard may not be as clear to the edges as a Swarovski, but unless your looking through them side by side, you'll never even notice it. I can live with that and the extra money in my pocket that purchased a ton of addition hunting gear.

We spent more time on the Vanguard than the Swaro's. I think the eye piece on the Vanguard is much more comfortable. The angled eyepiece was incredibly comfortable on the eye, the view was spectacular and clear and I had no problem finding deer at first light. I found mule deer over mile away with ease, in shadows, heavy brush and at the end of the day. I was impressed to say the least.

Long story short, I am not an optics rep, don't work for Vanguard and absolutely love my purchase. I am tough on my gear packing in/out and I expect it to perform in the field. The spotting scope worked excellent and the company stands behind their product. It's light, feels durable and comes with a great warranty. For the price of the scope I'm not sure it can be beat.

Pros: Clarity, functions, view, finish...exceptional value!
Cons: If anything, the protective case that came with the scope. Could be better quality.

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.