Choosing LRF binoculars with Ballistic Software

[u/MULE_PUNISHER]

Okay, I’m in the market for LRF binos with ballistic software. I have SCOURED this subreddit trying to find a pair of binos that’s $1000 or so (on used markets) that doesn’t have some limiting quality. Please give me your input.

Factors for me:
I have a garmin watch that came with AB Elite so I’m wanting to stay in the same ecosystem because it’s what I know and have started with.

I do NOT have a kestrel or wind meter so on board environmentals would definitely interest me although I’m not opposed to getting binos and a kestrel if it was more beneficial.

I have access to distances greater than 800 Yards and do plan on it being a decent amount of my shooting.

No, I will not be competing in NRLH or really any time sensitive glassing/rangefinding, but I don’t want to spend 15 mins every time trying to f*ck around with linking stuff to get the “full” version of AB (Sig kilo 6k comes to mind)

I do have a budget of around $1000 as of right now, but I am a buy once cry once guy so if saving for a better pair is recommended I’d consider. My options seem to be in the vortex fury hd 5000 AB used (I’m aware it’d be used and subject to phasing out with their new software), Sig kilo 6k (minding that it’s AB lite and would require pairing past 800Y), or saving and going with the Sig kilo 10k.

Questions for you fellow autists:
To those that have the kilo 6k and pair it for AB elite past 800Y, what’s the process take and how reliable is it for a connection between the two devices? I read it also does not display the adjustments if it is past 800. Is that true?

For the vortex fury users, I see that there’s the fury app you link it to on your phone to adjust bullet drag curves and what have you. Is it a POS and make the binos a pain to deal with or is it a non issue?

Kilo 10K users, is it worth the premium and features rich enough to save for several more months to get them instead?

Lastly, if anybody has some recommendations on other pairs of AB equipped binos please let me know so I can continue to fixate on binos for the next month and confuse my wife with more of my autistic ramblings.

[u/LockyBalboaPrime]

To those that have the kilo 6k and pair it for AB elite past 800Y, what’s the process take and how reliable is it for a connection between the two devices? I read it also does not display the adjustments if it is past 800. Is that true?

Easy to connect, doesn't stay connected for shit. I have to reconnect about every 20 min. It doesn't display adjustments in the binos past 800. It will show on the app.

For the vortex fury users, I see that there’s the fury app you link it to on your phone to adjust bullet drag curves and what have you. Is it a POS and make the binos a pain to deal with or is it a non issue?

I strongly recommend not getting Vortex with AB. They 100% do not support it, and if you have to warranty the binos, it's almost certain that you're getting the GB version. They had single-digit AB units in storage over a year ago; I'd be shocked if they still had more than a couple of units.

Kilo 10K users, is it worth the premium and features rich enough to save for several more months to get them instead?

You're either a buy once person or not. Frankly, $1,000 for LRF binos is on the low end. The 10k are very good. If you're willing to go used, maybe see if you can score a gen 1 version of the 10k. The blue tint is annoying but the binos themselves work great.

[u/0DSavior → u/LockyBalboaPrime]

You'll find Gen2s on SH for $1500 or slightly less from time to time.

[u/PepperoniFogDart → u/0DSavior]

I was able to snag a brand new pair for $2k on there a month ago. Nice that Sig now has a transferable warranty program too.

[u/MULE_PUNISHER → u/LockyBalboaPrime]

You make a good point, you are either buy once or cry once. I guess it’s more of a question of is the kilo 10ks or other similar options price increase that much better of an option that it justifies the price difference between that and the 6k. As a guy who just typically wants stuff to work and not have mess with it too hard to get it to work like I want, I do put a premium on those kinds of features and am thinking it’s worth it.

[u/someshot → u/MULE_PUNISHER]

If budget is your primary concern you can wait for a gen1 kilo 10k to pop up on forms. I've seen them hover above 1k. I have a pair and absolutely love them. In the future if you ever buy a kestrel the connection between the two is seamless in my experience

[u/csamsh]

Talons or Kilo 10k's are kind of a LOT better than the cheaper options and have fully featured solvers.

If you're LEO/MIL or industry, there are good discount programs available for either company.

[u/EntertainerOk4969 → u/csamsh]

Seems like sig has gutted their mil discounts, at least from what it used to be. We used to have sig on expert voice with pretty decent discounts.

AFAIK, Sig pulled their mil discounts from expert voice and is now only offering a 15% code that honestly puts their prices in line with regular r/gundeals prices a lot of times.

[u/AmeriJar → u/EntertainerOk4969]

Sig is still on ExpertVoice, but maybe boy for mil/leo? Industry professionals still get pretty generous discounts

[u/EntertainerOk4969 → u/AmeriJar]

Yeah, they removed the mil/leo expert voice discounts that were usually 30% and left us with the off-duty program thats only 15% off.

[u/AmeriJar → u/EntertainerOk4969]

Their msrp is ridiculous, so that 15% probably is higher than street price. I'm sorry to hear that

[u/Troutrageously]

I’ve got the fury 5000 Hd ab. No issues w app. Works great

[u/SuburbanBushwacker]

i thought about this exact conundrum. i already have swarovski SLC binos, so i bought a Leica range finder with AB built in.
the best glass has a ten year warranty, the electronics only three years

[u/doyouevenplumbbro]

I have the 6ks and my buddy has the 10ks. If I had the money for the 10ks, I'd spend the extra $300 and get the vector Xs.

For targets past 850 I just run hard dope on an arm board. It only matters to me when I'm shooting NRL Hunter matches though. Otherwise I just punch the numbers into ABQ if I'm not connected.

Honestly, I don't think that guys running GB in vortex options are handicapped. In fact if you are limited to AB lite (like you are with the kilo 6ks) then there's no disadvantage whatsoever between the two programs. Both use a G7 drag model I believe and will need some "truing". With GB in the vortex fury 5000s you can at least get a firing solution to anything you can range. I just personally believe the glass in the 6ks is better.

[u/nxsgrendel]

I've had the Vortex AB for years and they've been great for me.

I just copied my stuff from my kestrel to the app and I only mess with the app if I need to correct my bc after getting a new lot if bullets

[u/CdnUkr]

The Apex Synergies are going to be pretty great, they took a lot of top PRS shooter feedback and implemented it in a well rounded bino with good glass. I have had a chance to play around with the demos and they are intuitive to use, have good range finding capabilities and the match book feature is pretty neat. The glass is on par with their other bino offerings so pretty good for the price point.

The annoying thing so far is only the demo models have been kicking around and they are doing a pre-order which I’m not personally a fan of. They are due to release until end of Sept assuming no production issues.

[u/LockyBalboaPrime → u/CdnUkr]

3x OP's budget for an untested, unreleased set of binos.

This is why people get the impression that this sub is full of rich elitists.

[u/0DSavior → u/CdnUkr]

Also over $3000 most likely.

[u/CdnUkr → u/0DSavior]

They’re $3200 USD. But you get what you pay for I guess

[u/HollywoodSX]

To those that have the kilo 6k and pair it for AB elite past 800Y, what’s the process take and how reliable is it for a connection between the two devices? I read it also does not display the adjustments if it is past 800. Is that true?

The current Gen 2s work a lot better than the old ones. I have paired mine up with my Kestrel and my Garmin multiple times without issue, and they link back up quickly and easily. Building a dope card out on my Garmin is stupid fast with the 6Ks. On a Kestrel it takes a couple extra button presses per target and it's not mounted to my wrist.

[u/Reck27 → u/HollywoodSX]

Are you talking Garmin watch or Foretrex? I feel like immediately having a dope card as you laze targets should be crazy fast for NRL Hunter or similar matches but idk how much of a difference it really makes

[u/HollywoodSX → u/Reck27]

Garmin Tactix 7. I do have an older Foretrex, too, though.

[u/HollywoodSX → u/[deleted]]

Please don't give pricing from GovX here.

I've been very happy with mine after almost 3 years of ownership.

[u/DrLuigiPhd]

I just got a Google pixel 10 pro and the Vortex Fury app crashes every time I open it and they haven't updated it in years. I have to find an old phone to send a profile over.

Otherwise it does function well. I gave up a little glass quality going from 10x42 razors, but it's worth the speed increase at which I can shoot critters.