The Vortex Fury HD 5000 AB Review Process
INTRO/METHOD
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Two years ago, my husband and I started the adventure of planning a rifle elk hunt in the great state of Montana. In case you’ve never gone on a trip of this nature, it takes a great deal of planning and preparation.
We had to figure out preference points, units, and when to apply. We also wanted to make sure we had all the gear we would need and that our gear choices would be, well…perfect. I got a new pack and new boots. Robbie picked up some new game bags and a pair of Sitka Mountain pants.
And then we saw the Vortex Fury HD 5000 AB 10×42 Laser Rangefinding binoculars.
After testing the Fury HD binoculars out at the range, we took them with us on our elk hunting trip in Montana and deer hunting in Missouri. Now, I want to share that experience with you. Hopefully after reading this review you will feel confident deciding if these binoculars may – or may not be – the missing piece to your kit as well.
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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The Vortex Fury HD 5000 AB 10×42 binoculars are Vortex’s offering into the world of rangefinding binoculars. The primary draw to these types of binos is that you only need one optic for glassing to find your target and ranging it. No longer do you have to stop glassing, switch optics, and then try to find your target again through a separate rangefinder.
That one feature in itself is pretty awesome! Decreasing the time between finding a target and knowing its distance could be the difference between getting a good shot off and your big buck getting away. The Vortex Fury HD 5000 binos will do that exact thing for you.
The AB in Vortex Fury HD 5000 AB stands for Applied Ballistics, and this feature is what really stands out. We’ll get into more detail in a minute, but suffice it to say that these binos are your one-stop-shop for hitting those targets at any range.
KEY FEATURES/BENEFITS
After using the Fury HD 5000 AB binoculars for a couple of months in a few different scenarios and settings, there are definitely some key features that make these stand out to me.
-High Quality Binoculars
If you’ve used Vortex optics in the past, especially their higher-end products, then you know that you can expect high quality from their glass.
The Vortex Fury HD 5000 binoculars use the HD optical system. We noticed the clear images immediately when first using them. It was also easy to notice the ability to see game animals in low-light conditions, whether early in the morning or at last light.
The glass is also treated with an Armortek® scratch-resistant coating and is XR™ Fully Multi-Coated for further protection. I can tell you that while in Montana, these binos were snowed on, dropped in the snow, and spent a great deal of time being carried around in freezing temperatures. Even with all that, after some wiping off, we could still see clearly through them.
The Fury HD 5000s are also built to be shockproof, and the rubber armor makes it easier to hold on to them in less-than-ideal weather conditions. The rubber outside also protects them from damage if they are dropped. Again, I can tell you that our pair has been dropped a few times, and they have held up very well.
-Rangefinding Capabilities
Next, I think the other most obvious feature we need to discuss is the laser rangefinding capabilities of the Vortex Fury HD 5000 binocular.
I mentioned this already, but I can’t emphasize enough how handy it is to be able to look through a pair of binoculars and range the distance without having to switch back and forth. I don’t know about you, but I always seem to have some trouble finding my target again through the rangefinder, especially because that target is much smaller and potentially more difficult to see.
According to Vortex, these laser rangefinding binoculars can measure distances out to 5,000 yards, with the recommended deer measuring distance being 1,600 yards. In the wide open expanse of Montana and the large ag fields of Missouri, this was important. Because you can see forever (at least it seems that way to me since I’m used to the hills of North Carolina), things seem closer than they are.
In Missouri it was nice to measure landmarks, know their distances, and be ready in advance if a deer should come near them. In Montana, these laser rangefinding binoculars came in very handy when we had about 15 seconds to see and range a bull elk on our last morning hunt.
-Applied Ballistics Capabilities
And, that 15-second window leads us to the next section of features – the Applied Ballistics Capabilities.
What Applied Ballistics basically means is that these binoculars not only give you the ability to range your target with precise distance measurements, but they also tell you the scope turret adjustments to make in order to be zeroed at that measured distance. For instance, our rifle was zeroed at 200 yards. When we ranged the target at 300 yards, the app told us to go up 2.2 MOA.
We did some pretty extensive testing on this in this video.
After setting up our profile (more on that later), we went to work. We ranged each target and then adjusted the scope based on the information the app gave us. During this testing we didn’t make any potential windage adjustments, but our up-and-down zero was pretty much dead on at 100, 200, 300, 400, and 450 yards.
We were using a Bergara B14 Squared Crest with the Vortex Razor HD LHT 3-15×42 scope. And, the nice thing about the turret on that scope is that the lines provide clear delineation of MOA. When the app told us to move up 2.2 MOA, we were able to quickly turn to 2.25 and be ready without having to count the nine clicks – not such a huge deal at the range, but in real-life, seconds count.
While in Montana we had one chance on our last day at a bull elk. As my husband was getting set up and on target, I was able to use the Vortex Fury HD 500 AB binoculars to range the distance at 309 yards and tell him to put the turret on 2.25. In less than 2 seconds he was ready to take the shot.
So as not to leave you hanging, he took the shot, and it was an excellent hit. The Fury HD 5000 AB binoculars did their job perfectly. But, as we’ve learned since that day, elk can be incredibly tough, and we weren’t able to recover him.
-Multiple Ballistic Profiles
Setting up the binos is done through the Fury HD app, which is designed to seamlessly sync via Bluetooth with your optic.
The app offers the ability to use their three default profiles (.308, 6.5 CM, or 5.56) if you don’t have access to more detailed information or just want to keep things as simple as possible. But, instead, I highly recommend taking a few minutes to input custom data.
With the Fury HD app you can upload up to three custom profiles, including bullet diameter, weight, length, ballistic coefficient, muzzle velocity, twist rate, sight height, and zero yardage. Then the app uses all of that information to formulate the ballistic data for that specific setup.
So if you shoot multiple rifles, you can simply switch profiles instead of having to re-input your information each time. Or, in a real-world hunting situation, you can have separate profiles set up for three members of your hunting party. When each person is “up to bat,” the Fury HD 5000 AB binos will give specific data for each hunter’s load profile.
-Built-In Environmental Sensors
The Vortex Fury HD 5000 AB laser rangefinding binoculars also have built-in environmental sensors, including a compass, thermometer, pressure sensors, and humidity sensors, which further improve the ballistic capabilities.
When we tested these out at the range, temperatures were in the 70’s. However, when we were hunting, temperatures were in the teens and 20’s some days. Knowing that the binoculars should make any needed adjustments based on weather also increased our confidence level. We did find that in colder temperatures, the on-board thermometer didn’t seem to be as accurate. This could have been due to wearing them in a chest pack, though.
The binoculars and app also allow for manual input of environmental data, including wind direction and speed. Those details about the wind will then provide windage adjustment information as well. But, if you happen to have a Kestrel or Garmin weather meter, those can also be linked via Bluetooth to provide even more detailed information.
-In-Display Ballistic Data
So far, I’ve only talked about learning adjustment details from the Fury HD App. However, one of the most convenient features is that you don’t need the app once your profiles are set up.
When I ranged that elk for my husband, I first saw 309 yards and then the 2.2 MOA adjustment directly in the in-binocular display. So once all the profiles are set up, all the information needed is right there without also needing the phone. I was a little concerned at first about having to worry about the phone and the app in the heat of the moment, but Vortex clearly thought of that, too.
WHY WOULD YOU BUY?
If you’ve made it this far in this review article, I think the reasons you might need a pair of Vortex Fury HD 5000 AB laser rangefinding binoculars in your pack are fairly clear. However, I always like to point out some potential cons if there are any.
PROS
- High quality glass binoculars
- Laser rangefinding capabilities limit the need for additional gear and switching between gear
- On board applied ballistic data is accurate and easy to view
- On board environmental sensors make automatic adjustments
- Ability to link to weather meter devices for more detailed results
- Fury HD app is easy to use, making it simple to set up the binoculars
- Multiple customizable profiles create even more user-friendly experience
- Compact size
- Durable
- Advertised to range out to 5,000 yards and 1,600 yards on deer-sized game
CONS
- Cost – $1499 is a lot no matter how you swing it.
- Glass is not as high quality as higher-end optics.
- The display is in the right eye, so left-eye dominant people may have some challenges focusing.
- In colder temperatures, the thermometer didn’t seem to measure as cold as ambient temperatures – possibly due to carrying them in a chest-pack.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, we’ve been very impressed with the Vortex Fury HD 5000 AB laser rangefinding binoculars. Now, if you do most of your hunting in wooded areas or shorter fields where your shots are under 150-200 yards, then these may not be something you need to invest in.
But, if you shoot varying longer distances at the range or hunt in areas where 300-400+ yard shots are realistic, the Fury HD 5000 is a tool you could definitely benefit from having in your hunting pack or range bag.
Hopefully this review has been helpful and answered most of your questions to help you decide if the Vortex Fury HD 500 AB laser rangefinding binoculars are for you.
