Vixen® Apex Pro Binocular Reviews
After comparing all the leading brands, highly successful sambar hunter Geoff McClure chose Vixen Apex Pro 8 x 42 binoculars. Geoff is pictured with his Vixens supported by Crooked Horn Outfitters bino harness in Realtree camo. The Spudz ultimate lens cleaning cloth is attached so it’s right where he needs it every time.
Reviews for Apex Pro binoculars appearing in hunting magazines, click the links below to download .pdf files of the articles:
Vixen Apex Pro HR Binoculars on a Budget, Victorian Deer Hunter magazine, October 2009, p26
Praise for 'Vixen Apex Pro Binoculars' - in Sporting Shooter Magazine by Hunting Guide, Matt Graham
Jamie Ingram of Bonang with a stag spotted shortly before dark in thick cover with his Vixen Apex Pro 8x42 binoculars.
Hello Errol,
Just sending you a picture of a stag I harvested with the aid of my Vixen Apex Pro 8 x 42 binoculars. I was sitting on a ridge glassing semi open country when I spotted movement in a patch of tea tree 300m away. It was just before dark when I spotted it but I wasn’t sure what it was until the stag emerged from that thick patch of scrub into lighter cover. That’s when the Vixens defined him very clearly. I stalked to within about 100m and took the shot from my 300 Win Mag. Due to lack of light I wasn't able to find him until the next morning. His antlers measured an even 26 inches.
Cheers,
Jamie Ingram
Just recently I bought a pair of Vixen Apex Pro 10 x 50 binoculars for my son Nick.
I bought the excellent light weight aluminium tripod adapter for these binos and have used it to mount them on a mini tripod.
My son Nick and I have spent some time glassing sambar in low light with these binos. A few nights ago I was glassing with my Swarovski 8 x 50 whilst Nick was alongside me using his Vixen 10 x 50. We could both see a large sambar stag in very low light just before dark. I could see his antlers but I couldn’t see his tips, but Nick could count all his tips. I think this demonstrates how optically brilliant the Vixens really are.
Mike Welch
Albury
After reading all the articles on glassing deer in the hunting mags I decided it was time to get on the band wagon. My first dilemma was what to buy. After several days research my son came up with Vixen Apex Pro 8 x 42. All the reviews he found claimed Vixen Apex pro were a very high quality binocular at an incredibly good price.
The first thing I noticed when hunting with the Vixens is their ability to look right through the bush and pick up vivid detail. This is so important when hunting sambar in thick bush and poor light. Also hunting with binos slows down your pace - a big advantage in remaining undetected and seeing the sambar first.
On a recent trip I arrived early in the afternoon and headed up the gully. This gully had good feed down on the flats and thick bush up high in the hills. With the wind in my face I slowly worked my way up the gully contouring the flats about 100m up the side of the face to give me a better glassing advantage. As I glassed up the valley I locked onto a line of six brown shapes heading straight towards me. They were about 300m away and were working their way down the gully. The last deer stood out. His big sweeping white tipped antlers looked awesome through the Vixens.
I quickly dropped behind a small tree which I could use for a rifle rest and watched as the deer came into range. The mob of deer consisted of a large hind out front, then a collection of spikers and yearlings with the big stag hanging back, letting the other deer warn him of any danger ahead. I waited as the other deer passed below me then as the stag came up I swapped my Vixens for my 300WSM, placed the cross hairs on his shoulder at about 80m and squeezed the trigger. Instantly I rechambered a round and got ready for a follow up shot. It wasn't necessary. The 180gm Accubound had done the job perfectly. At 27 inches he’s my biggest stag to date and will look great on my wall.
Michael Hamilton
Mt Evelyn Victoria
Vixen Apex Pro 8 x 42 binos were the difference between not seeing and harvesting this magnificent 27 inch stag - Michael Hamilton's biggest yet.
Hi Errol
I just wanted to tell you how good Vixen binos are.
I shot my first red deer today. I looked through some very dark shaded forest for about 10 minutes but didn’t see anything. Then I raised my Vixen 10 x 50’s and in about 30 seconds I saw 2 red deer about 100m away in the dark scrub. There was no way I could have seen them without Vixens. I also spotted fallow out to 1km away in the tree line. My Vixen 10 x 50 are definitely the best piece of hunting equipment I have purchased.
Ergonomically the Vixens are fantastic which enabled me to steady them with one hand as most of the time I carry my rifle in one hand and use my binos with the other. It rained heavily during the first two days of my hunt and I was totally saturated -including my binos - but they performed flawlessly. I highly recommend them to any one after high end optics, as they have amazing clarity and are rugged with out the high price tag.
Best Wishes
Roger Kurta
Canberra ACT
After comparing Vixen 8 x 42 and his Leica Ultravid 8 x 42 binos in low light whilst looking for sambar, Paul Cavalieri quietly stated – “I can’t see any difference between them.”
Paul Cavalieri
Recently my 3 mates and I attended Errol Mason’s Hunt Smart training course where I compared most of the top brands of binoculars whilst actually looking for sambar in low light. To my surprise I found the Vixen Apex Pro 8 x 42 were actually superior to the Kahles 8 x 42. I was so impressed I am going to buy a pair.
Bill Wilson
Balnarring
My father-in-law Jerry D’Silva, brother-in-law Jermaine D’Silva and Don Piccoli attended Errol Mason’s Hunt Smart training course where we compared Leica 8 x 42, Swarovski 8 x 50, Kahles 8 x 42, Bushnell Elite2 10 x 42, Vortex 10 x 42 and Vixen Apex Pro 8 x 42. We were all pleasantly surprised by the performance of the Vixen’s which Jerry and I found to be better than the Kahles 8 x 42.
Burnie Pasnin
Narre Warren
One of the reasons I attended Errol Mason’s Hunt Smart training course was for the optics comparison as I am in the market for a pair of binoculars. After comparing Leica, Swarovski, Kahles, Bushnell and Browning the decision was easy. I decided I will be buying Vixen Apex Pro 8 x 42 because their performance was simply amazing.
Josh Bromilow
Chirnside Park
Chris Kinsella (top) and Errol Mason (bottom) with 2 of many sambar stags found by Errol using his Vixens.
Shortly before dark, I spotted the shadowy shape of this stag’s head as he stood motionless, looking, listening and scenting concealed in dogwood on a ridge top 800m above me. Without my Vixen Apex 10 x 42’s, I couldn’t see him.
Glassing with my Vixen Apex 10 x 42’s at the crack of first light I spotted this fine stag at the base of some giant eucalypts 150 metres away. Seconds later he fell to a fine piece of marksmanship by Chris Kinsella.
Vixen® Rifle Scope Reviews
Brian Cherry with a young sambar stag he took in very low light using a Tikka T3 in 30/06 fitted with a Vixen 2.5 to 10 x 50 scope using the German # 4 reticle and illuminated red dot.
Brian is extremely happy with the accuracy of his Tikka T3 and the low light performance of his new Vixen scope.
I was using a popular 3-9x50 scope with a German # 4 reticle on my Tikka T3 30/06. It was nearly dark at 5pm in a dull tree fern gully in full shade on a mid winters day in early August 2010 when I saw a big stag in very low light close to dark. But I couldn’t see him clearly through the scope. Plus I couldn’t see the reticle clearly enough against his dark body to take a properly aimed shot so I passed up the chance.
I was so disappointed with the poor light transmission qualities of my previous scope that I removed and replaced it with a Vixen 2.5 to 10 x 50. It has the best German # 4 reticle and illuminated red dot I have ever seen. The heavy side bars come in nice and close towards the centre and the centre cross is neither too fine nor too thick. It’s simply perfect.
Plus the red dot is not too big like some I have seen, and it is very sharp with no flaring whatsoever. Vixen must have done their homework because they have really nailed it with this reticle.
I zeroed it the day I got it and shot the best groups ever with my Tikka T3 30/06. I shot 2 x 2 shot one hole groups. It was amazed, and it took virtually no adjustment to zero it. I found the windage & elevation adjustment on the Vixens to be very accurate. In fact they are the most accurate of all the various scopes I have owned.
The 4 inches of eye relief was is exactly what is needed and I really like the fast focus eyepiece diopter.
A few days later I went up to a favourite gully not far from home where I had seen the big stag I had passed up. It was about 5pm and it was a heavily overcast winter’s day. I sat and waited and soon afterwards I could see antlers between the branches of a tree which was shaking. Placing the Vixens red dot on the stag’s neck, I shot between the branches with my Tikka T3 and 180gn Rem CoreLokt, striking the neck and killing the stag instantly. The face the stag was on was very steep and he was up the side 60 to 70 metres of the gully floor.
I cannot speak highly enough of that Vixen scope. I believe it’s the perfect scope for hunting sambar. In fact, I am so impressed with it that I have been advising all my friends to buy one. I think they really are the best kept secret in optics.
Brian Cherry
Bright, Vic.
I knew Vixen made high quality binoculars so I though that it stood to reason that they would also make high quality scopes so bought a Vixen 2.5 to 10 x 50 with a German # 4 reticle and illuminated red dot. It has a one piece alloy 30mm tube.
I compared it with my existing scopes and found it to be clearer and sharper than my Zeiss Conquest especially around the edge. It is at least equal to my Meopta in optical performance and much brighter than my Vari 111 Leupold of the same specs.
Field of View is excellent and is the reticle
Centre cross is fine enough for 400 yd shot at goat but not as fine as Zeiss Conquest which makes the Vixen better for sambar or other deer in low light.
Red dot is perfect for zeroing and for low light. Shot keyhole groups with a 264 Winchester Mag. The red dot has no flare at all which is a common problem with illuminated reticles such that on my Nightforce which flares all the time.
I found the field of view to be entirely adequate.
The Scope was also amazingly concentric – i.e. the reticle is centred requiring minimal reticle adjustment for zeroing.
I proved it be totally waterproof on a goat hunt where it rained steady for several days soaking the scope.
I am trained in metallurgy so I know a thing or two about alloys. The one piece tube appears to be made of the best grade of alloy for the purpose and it is anodised which makes it harder and noticeably stronger.
I think this Vixen scope is outstanding scope which compares with scopes which cost at least twice as much. In short, it is unbelievable value for money and great all round scope.
Chris Bartlett,
Mt Pleasant, S.A.
