Vanguard Endeavour ED II 8x42 Binocular Review No2

Vanguard optics kindly donated 2 pairs of binoculars to NGB in return for 2 reviews. We decided that the best way to decide who gets one of the pair of Vanguard Endeavour ED II 8x42s is to ask our members to send in reasons why they were the best choice to be given the binoculars. Jonathan Scragg was the overall winner of this poll and reviewed his pair here. The second pair were given to Taylor J Bate who'd had his own binoculars stolen. Here he reviews the Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8x42s.

• ED (Extra-low Dispersion) Glass Made in Japan 
• BaK-4 Roof Prisms with Phase Coatings 
• Fully Multi-Coated Optics 
• Magnesium Fog & Waterproof Body 
• FOV: 378ft @ 1000yds 
• Close Focus: 6.6ft 
• Eye-Relief: 19.5mm 
• Weight: 770g (27.2oz) 

After having my binoculars stolen on a recent trip to the Highlands, I was kindly offered one of a pair of Vanguard Endeavor ED II binoculars that NGB were given due to their new partnership with the company. I had previously heard good things about the model of the Vanguard Endeavor ED range so was very grateful to be given them.

Just as a heads up, I don’t have any prior experience with reviewing optics and will not go heavily into the specifications as frankly I don’t really know what I’m talking about! That being said I know the basics and I am confident that I can recognize a good pair of binoculars when I've seen them and taken them out for a whirl. 

The day they arrived I was overcome by excitement as I signed for and eagerly accepted the box that the postman had brought me, after bringing the box into the living room I set to my task and within a few minutes had it open. Taking the binoculars out of the packaging I was pleased to find that they came with premium lifetime warranty, extremely handy if they were ever to be damaged in the field! The first thing I noticed about the Vanguard Endeavor ED II’s were that they were a tad heavier than my previous pair coming in at 770g, by no means uncomfortable and definitely not the heaviest on the market. The binoculars incorporate what is called an open bridge configuration in their design which makes them comfortable and easy to hold on to, there are also two thumb indents which help you to grip them in a correctly balanced way. Looking closer, the body is covered in a black rubbery surface which is quite hard and I imagine pretty good for reducing impact of blows say the bins are ever dropped when out and about. 

IN THE FIELD
They also fully sealed and nitrogen purged, keeping any water from getting inside and preventing the lenses from misting up. I myself was caught out in the rain a couple of times while out testing the bins and there were no problems to note, although of course I didn’t go to extremes to get them wet - I would advise against doing that no matter how waterproof they are! Optically the binoculars are fantastic for the price range (a competitive 320 – 399 price range) and the retractable eye cups are solid but comfortable. At some point, I spent a little time just sat on a bench at my local patch watching some Wheatears do their thing and was astounded by the clarity and brightness of the image on such an overcast day. The sharpness was also very good and extends almost all the way to the edge of the image, with very little curvature of field that I could notice. The central focusing wheel is covered in a rubbery surface with small spikes attached whic feels great and increases your grip, it is very smooth to turn and it is easy to go from focusing on objects far away to very close in little to no time at all, I found this was very good for alternating between butterflies, moths and distant birds in an instant.

The Vanguard Endeavor ED II’s also has a dioptre adjustment ring built into the right ocular, a feature which I wasn’t aware of in my previous binoculars, this allows you to correctly calibrate the binoculars in case there is any difference in vision between your eyes. You are then able to lock the ring in place preventing it from moving out of place which differs from many other binoculars that are currently on the market. There is also the option to attach the binoculars to a tripod via a tripod adapter if you wanted to, the thread is located by unscrewing the vanguard logo between the two front lenses. The neck strap that comes with the binoculars is very comfortable and the carrying case that is also included is useful as it provides a bit of protection when travelling overseas as it fits perfectly into hand luggage.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I have now had the Vanguard Endeavor ED II binoculars for couple of weeks and can say I am extremely happy with them, I have had no problems and am still astounded by the quality of the image they produce, for the price range they are one of the best choices on the market and I’ve recommended them to several people already, a couple of who had a go with mine and were very impressed. They’ve also come with me to Spain where I’ve used them to watch Raptors and Storks migrating over Tarifa and the Straits of Gibraltar where they have continued to perform brilliantly in the hot and humid climate.

I can say the Endeavor ED II’s are without a doubt the best binoculars I’ve ever owned, from now I will be travelling a lot more from Spain back to the UK and to other countries on occasion and look forward to bringing this excellent pair of binoculars with me.

My Rating: 9/10

-Taylor J Bate
Taylor is a 19 year old tennis player, birder and budding photographer. He spends much of the year flitting between Spain and the UK and dreams of travelling the world.