Vortex Razor HD Compact Spotter: Sharp as a Tack

The Vortex Razor HD 13-39x56mm is a light, compact spotting scope that delivers performance at a reasonable price.

July 27, 2024 By Brad Fitzpatrick

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If you spend much time at the range, you know how valuable a spotting scope can be for calling hits and making corrections. But the problem with most spotters is that they’re heavy and take up a lot of space in a range bag. When you’re already hauling rifles, rests, ammunition, chronographs and a host of other items to the bench, sometimes dragging a spotter along simply isn’t worth the extra effort. Vortex has solved this problem with the introduction of the new Razor HD 13-39x56mm, a pint-size spotter that’s ideal for a day at the range or packing in the field.

Small Footprint

Just how small is it? The Razor HD 13-39x56mm with angled eyepiece measures just 10.4 inches and weighs 28.6 ounces. By contrast, the company’s Viper HD 20-60x85mm spotting scope measures 17.5 inches and weighs almost 77 ounces. That’s a weight savings of three pounds, and the Viper HD’s weight is on par with most other popular 20-60X spotting scopes. The Razor HD 13-39x56mm model with straight eyepiece is slightly larger at 11.1 inches and 29.5 ounces, but it’s still a featherweight compared to other spotting scopes.

The Razor HD 13-39x56mm is light and compact, but it offers a level the clarity and resolution that’s required to properly call shots at long distances. That starts with Vortex’s HD optical system, which utilizes precision lenses that provide edge-to-edge clarity, superb light transmission, excellent contrast and color fidelity and high resolution. The lenses feature Vortex’s XR Plus anti-reflective lens coatings on every exposed lens surface. The lenses also have ArmorTek coatings that protect them against scratches.

Coatings and Features

Other key features include dielectric prism coatings for clear, accurate images. Dielectric prism coatings offer outstanding reflectivity across the entire visible spectrum, and as a result, the color is true and images are sharp and clear—important considerations when you’re trying to determine impact points on paper targets, especially dark targets in low light. A phase-correction coating on the roof prism minimizes resolution loss, and these spotting scopes feature apochromatic lenses that provide better color contrast and improved spherical and chromatic aberration correction than achromatic lenses.

Importantly, the argon gas-purged and O-ring sealed Razor HD is waterproof, shockproof and fogproof. It has a dark green exterior rubber armor with a no-glare, non-slip surface. The magnification wheel is located just ahead of the twist-up eyecup, and the helical focus ring is located on the body of the optic. The Vortex is Arca Swiss-compatible and can be mounted on a tripod or car window. A neoprene cover and tethered eyecups are included.

Image Quality

big mountain basin — Pick apart large country with this small spotter from Vortex. (Photo courtesy of Scott Ergas)

The Vortex Razor HD offers bright, crisp color images and allows you to spot fine detail. If you’ve spent much time at the range sighting in rifles or shooting at 300 yards or more, you know how frustrating it can be when you’re guessing where bullets are landing and trying to verify a shaky hypothesis by sending more bullets downrange. Poor shot calls are also a great drain on your limited time and ammo, and this is especially true when you’re preparing for a hunt. At one hunting camp, I was almost brought to grief when my guide told me I was entirely missing a two-foot-square box at 100 yards. Thankfully before I sent half my ammunition downrange he realized that the shots were indeed striking the target. He’d been unable to see the black bullet holes on the black target in low light, and he had been calling shots based on dust kicked up behind the target.

The compact Razor HD 13-39x56mm provides a broader field of view than most scopes, and that can be a benefit both on the range and in the field while hunting. Clear optics allow you to accurately see the target at lower magnifications. Practically speaking, it’s easier to find the correct target with a wider field of view. Despite its small size and light weight, the Vortex Razor HD 13-39x56mm doesn’t give up much ground to larger spotting scopes. At full power it’s suitable for calling shots to several hundred yards, and while range testing the optic on Vortex’s range in Wisconsin calling hits on steel to 700 yards was no issue.

I’ve tested it at my home on several occasions while gathering data for rifle reviews, and I appreciate the balance of small size and substantially more magnification than I have in my scopes or binos. It’s small, light and easy to set up, and the optical clarity is excellent, which should come as no surprise since Vortex’s Razor HD spotters and riflescopes have an excellent reputation for offering high quality.

I suspect this spotter will be popular with hunters, especially those who hike to high elevations and want to keep their loadouts as light as possible. The Vortex 13-39x56mm shines in that regard. It’s clear enough to identify defining characteristics of antlers at moderate ranges, and the superb optics allow you to pick out game in brush. Good glass also helps on wind calls since the clarity allows you to more clearly identify movement of leaves, grass and mirage.

Lightweight spotters are becoming more popular, and the Vortex Razor HD 13-39x56mm currently sets the standard for lightweight spotting scopes that offer premium glass and are priced right. At $1,450 it isn’t cheap, but this is a lot of optic—lighter than almost all of its competition and backed by one of the best warranties on the market.