TFB Review: Budget-minded Vortex Triumph Binoculars

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The Triumph HD is one of the most economical binoculars in the Vortex family. With an MSRP of $149.99, the actual street price hovers right at $100. So while these are not the $30 blister pack binoculars on the bottom shelf of your local Walmart, they’re also not multi-thousand dollar birdwatching optics.

My frame of reference for this review is the 10×42 Vortex Diamondback HD. Those are a similar model in terms of size and intended use, but they are around $250 at most retailers. They are close enough that a potential buyer would consider both options. I use the Diamondbacks regularly and have been impressed with their quality for the price point.

Vortex includes many accessories in the box like a lens cloth and lens covers. Both a GlassPak carrying case and a padded neck strap are included. I have used a GlassPak before and did not love it. It is functional, but not nearly as comfortable as the more expensive carriers on the market. I put on the neck strap and just used it in that configuration. The lens covers are very cheap and are almost never covering the lenses when I fish them out of a pack.

It is not hunting season yet so I have not taken them on a real hunt. But I did take them on a camping trip with a church youth group. This was another perfect use case for a cheaper (but decent) pair of binoculars.

The biggest issue I discovered while looking for animals early and late in the day was chromatic aberration. It is not present during bright daylight, but when the sun is low, the outer 20% or so of the image is obstructed. This is one situation where the lesser glass quality is clear. Despite this handicap, one of the boys and his dad spotted an elk about 1500 yards out at last light. So while the image quality is not on par with expensive units, they are still capable of picking out animals that are not visible to the naked eye.

I am more of a shooter than a hunter, and spend far more time on the range than on the hunt. Much of my time behind the Triumphs has been while I was shooting. Vortex markets these for uses like “Stow them in your truck, backpack, or go-bag for light-duty glassing.” That is exactly the role they have filled in my shooting bag. They are small enough and cheap enough that I do not feel bad leaving them in my range bag. I have not used the included GlassPak case, I just toss them in my shooting backpack and let them bounce around with my ear protection, tools, and random spare magazines.

The Triumph binos are not a replacement for dedicated glass like a spotting scope. Because they were in my shooting bag, I happened to have them at a recent CMP service rifle match. I tried to watch the shot trace of other shooters at the 300- and 600-yard lines, but was not able to make it out. However, when another shooter had a zeroing issue, I was able to spot his shots impacting the 600-yard berm and give some rough corrections to get back on target.

Another time when they came in handy was while zeroing some rifles. My spotting scope was back at the manufacturer getting fixed (no, not a Vortex product), but I did have the Triumph binoculars in my bag. At 100 yards I was able to pick up .223 bullet holes in the white portions of the target but not in the black. I could see .308 holes in the black. While not amazing, I was able to make coarse adjustments without having to walk back to my target. This is the perfect example of how the Triumph binos are not perfect but are much better than having nothing.

For $100, I don’t think the Triumph binoculars can be beat. No, they are not better than optics that cost 5 or 10 times as much. What they are is a solid choice for a backup pair or a set that can be left in the truck without feeling bad about it. While they are not as good as more expensive glass they absolutely beat having no optics at all, which is the fairer competition. Do not buy these as your only set of binoculars unless you absolutely cannot afford anything better. The Diamondback HD line is absolutely worth the price difference. But if you need a spare set to keep in the camper or to let your little nephews use, the Triumph HD 10×42 binoculars are an outstanding choice.