The Kaibab binoculars from Vortex Optics are to the binocular industry what the one-ton truck is to the automobile industry. Think big and powerful and you will be on the right track. Weighing in at 43.5 oz. these 56 mm lens binoculars are nearly double the size of a regular binocular such as the Vortex Razor HD binoculars at a standard 24.8 oz. The Kaibabs overall length of 7.7 in. dwarfs the Razors at only 5.9 in.

The extra light, view, clarity and strength of the Kaibabs create the ultimate long range binocular. Little is left to the imagination. Every detail is easily made out allowing thorough dissection of the countryside revealing the wildlife otherwise hidden through the lens of common binoculars. Maximum brightness and low light performance help you take advantage of those golden hours. No need to worry about that cold wet weather, the waterproof and fog proof protection ensures your view clear and bright.

My husband and I do our fair share of long range hunting, spending hours on the hillsides glassing and trying to spot game in their beds. We decided that the Kaibab HD binoculars would be an important addition to our Vortex collection. After a season of use we have some insights to better portray how they performed in the field.

Knowing the weight and size of these binoculars we knew we needed to be set up to use them primarily on a tripod. We started out using the Vortex Uni-Daptor that comes with the binoculars to allow easy transition between using them by hand or with the tripod.

We loved how simple it was and the fact that it was flush with the bottom of the binoculars. This made them easy to carry and fit into the protective carry bag. We did, however, switch to the Vortex Optics tripod adapter after losing the little base piece from the Uni-Daptor. The tripod adapter works well but is larger than the Uni-Daptor. This prevents us from using the protective bag or carrying the binoculars on a neck lanyard with the adapter attached. It is also not a quick switch on and off of the tripod like the Uni-Daptor was.

During long use, a tripod is the only practical way to utilize the Kaibabs. It helps to sit comfortably and adjust the tripod so that it is perfectly lined up with your eyes to eliminate any neck strain from trying to align your head with the binoculars. The only caution I would make in the use of the tripod adapter is that it limits the adjustment for eye width. My eyes are a lot closer together than my husband’s and it was no issue for him but for me they would barely close enough for me to use them.

We were incredibly impressed with how light, clear and crisp the image is through these binoculars. Distance is irrelevant. These provide a thorough and detailed view of your terrain. We carted these around in the truck, in packs and hooked to the tripod without any concern for durability. They performed flawlessly. We also use the Vortex Optics Razor 10×42 binoculars.

One cold November morning found my husband Tristan and I perched on a steep Idaho hillside glassing for whitetails. Not much was moving but suddenly Tristan piped up all excited, “I found a deer!” I started glassing where he was looking but I couldn’t see it. After trying for a while I said, “Where? I can’t find it?” to which he replied with more precise directions. After looking awhile longer I finally spotted the outline of the deer. It was still hard to see and I asked Tristan in amazement, “How did you see that?!?!” He responded smugly, “I’m using the Kaibabs.” Looking at the deer through the Kaibabs made it easier to understand. The difference was like night and day.

If you spend a lot of time glassing long range for game these binoculars will give you a much more fine tuned view of your area. They are a welcomed addition to our gear on long range hunts.