Vortex Viper 15-45x65 Straight Spotting Scope

I lead birding tours as a business, and I'm very passionate (and picky :-) about birding optics. Recently I was fortunate to share a Viper 65 on a morning hike down the Window Trail at Big Bend National Park. From my first look I was more than impressed -- I was astounded! Hunting for small birds in tough light, focusing thru brush, looking up canyon walls... the scope and eyepiece performed on a par with my Swarovski 65. That little zoom eyepiece rivals the best I've used -- and you can get this whole kit for less than the cost of most top-quality zooms. Vortex has crushed a grand slam with this product. To my knowledge, nothing in this price range comes anywhere close. "Excellent" feels like faint praise. This scope is STELLAR!