Binoculars are excellent tools, whether they are assisting hunters with a target or allowing birdwatchers to achieve incredible views. Two popular options are the Vortex Viper and Athlon Midas. We will compare the two and determine the ideal option for your life.
Technical Specifications
First, it’s helpful to go over the technical specifications of each product. In a pair of binoculars, the most vital technical item is the prism. This item takes the upside-down image and flips it right-side up for the user to see. There are two types of prisms in most binoculars.
The Vortex Viper has a classic roof prism. This version splits the image in two before pulling it back together for the user to see. The Athlon Midas also has a roof prism but has the BAK4 variety. This type means different glass, ensuring a clearer and brighter image.
Although both offer roof prisms, the winner is the Athlon Midas for the BAK4 addition. You will see a more vibrant picture through the Athlon Midas.
Now that we’ve gone over the technical specifications, it’s time to hop into the performance ability of each pair. Quality prisms don’t matter if the performance of each product is not good.
Performance
Binoculars are designed to provide better eyesight than the average human. Their performance should allow excellent vision far away, clarifying targets and revealing things users wouldn’t otherwise notice. Let’s talk about the performance of each pair.
There are many ways in which the Viper and Midas are similar. They offer magnification 10x that of the human eye, along with an objective lens diameter of 42 mm. They both have an actual angle of view of 6.5 degrees.
Both pairs provide a field of view of 341’ @ 1,000 yards, or 113.2 m @ 1,000 meters. The exit pupil diameter on both pairs is 4.2 mm. They have a center focus type with a knob in the middle of the binoculars, permitting simple adjustments for a better view.
There are also a few performance areas where the products differ from each other in their specifications:
- Minimum Focus Distance: 6.5' / 2 m for the Vortex Viper, 8.2' / 2.5 m for the Athlon Midas
- Eye Relief: 17 mm for the Vortex Viper, 15.2 mm for the Athlon Midas
- Interpupillary Adjustment: 56 to 75 mm / 2.2 to 3" for the Vortex Viper, 57 to 74 mm / 2.2 to 2.9" for the Athlon Midas
The minimum focus distance is less for the Viper, but the eye relief is longer. The Viper also doesn’t have as wide of an interpupillary adjustment ability as the Midas, reducing the visual distance available for interested parties.
The performance will determine how easy it is to use binoculars to scope out your target or an interesting bird. Now that we’ve covered this area, let’s move on to the features of the Vortex Viper and Athlon Midas.
Features
Features help determine what a pair of binoculars can withstand outside. Fog and water are two of the biggest nemesis, preventing users from seeing through their lenses and potentially damaging the products beyond replacement.
Fog is an issue with binoculars. On days when there is excessive water in the air, lenses will fog and prevent the user from seeing. This trouble can be enough to render binoculars useless to a user.
The Viper and Midas have fog proofing through argon filling. You don’t need to worry about having your vision obstructed by this environmental factor if you pick one of these.
Water is another issue. If it’s raining, there are instances where binoculars can experience severe damage. Many also worry about dropping their binoculars in shallow puddles and ruining them.
Again, the Viper and Midas are waterproof. They exist to withstand rain and temporary submersion in water for the best outdoor experience.
There is no winner in this category. The Viper and Midas are fog proof and waterproof, ready to take on the excitement of the outdoor world without the risk of severe weather damage.
The Viper and Midas can withstand unfortunate weather conditions to create the best outdoor experience. Now, let’s jump into some general features of each product. This section includes the weight and dimensions of the binoculars.
General
The general specifications of each pair are critical to consider, too. These help users determine how easy it will be to transport the binoculars from one place to another and utilize them on the move.
The dimensions of the Vortex Viper are 5.6 x 4.9 inches, or 142.2 x 124.5 millimeters. In contrast, the Athlon Midas measures 5.7 x 5.2 inches, or 14.5 x 13.2 centimeters. There isn’t much of a difference here. The Viper is .01 inches shorter and .03 inches smaller in width.
When considering weight, we can see that the Vortex Viper weighs 24.9 ounces or 705.9 grams. The Athlon Midas weighs 25 ounces or 708.8 grams. The Vortex Viper is slightly lighter than its competitor.
It’s tricky to pick a winner here, as both tools are close in weight and size. If you want something slightly smaller and lighter, go with the Vortex Viper. However, it’s unlikely you will notice much difference in this category.
Now that we’ve gone over the internal and external details of each product, it’s time to determine the winner. Is the Vortex Viper the best choice for your life, or should you go with the Athlon Midas?
Final Thoughts
The Vortex Viper and Athlon Midas are both quality binoculars. However, we would have to go with the Athlon Midas for its BAK4 roof prism system. These pairs are very similar. There isn’t much setting each apart, ensuring either option will provide a high-class experience outside.
We hope this information was helpful! Before you land on a pair of binoculars, it’s helpful to understand what they are. No matter which option you land on as your final choice, know both are excellent. They have much to offer individuals who love to go outside.