Vortex Blade Rangefinder Review

If you follow the THP Forum very often, you may have noticed some chatter about a familiar brand that, up until recently, wasn’t really associated with golf. Vortex Golf, a division of the highly regarded Vortex Optics, gave us a reason to feel about excited rangefinders again. If you want to learn more about them we invite you to read the Brand Story article on the company we published a few weeks ago.

Frankly, the golf rangefinder market has been borderline depressing in recent years. Yes, there are some companies out there innovating and producing quality goods, but the influx of cheap, almost disposable rangefinders on the market is an unfortunate representation of the changing tastes of the average consumer. Yes, you can buy a rangefinder from an online retailer at prices many never dreamed of ten years ago, but our experience with the longevity and performance of those devices has been less than positive. As a young adult I remember making a large purchase and trying to decide between two options when my stepfather gave me some good advice. He said, “Buy once, cry once.”

Now that we’ve yelled at the clouds a bit, let’s move the discussion back to Vortex Golf. Their initial line of golf products includes three rangefinders with escalating levels of feature sets. The Blade, priced at $299, is their “base” model in the sense that it has the fewest extras, but it’s anything but basic. 

Vortex Blade

Vortex Blade Features and Specifications

As we mentioned, the Blade is Vortex Golf’s lowest priced rangefinder. It does one thing (measures distance) and does it very well. It doesn’t have a slope feature, so those consumers that find that feature a must-have will want to look at the Blade Slope model. For those that wish to keep it simple, the Blade promises to be the best “simple” rangefinder you can find. 

The laser itself is reflective out to 1,400 yards, which we hope you’ll never have to test. Still, the capability is there and the 6X magnification should help you home in on your target from long distance. The range of flag detection is a much more realistic 350 yards, which should accommodate even the most impressive internet golfers. While it fills out the hands nicely, its still relatively compact at approximately 4”x3” and 6.5oz, and it fits easily into just about any pocket on a golf bag.

Vortex Blade Superior Optics

We can read some of your minds, so let’s talk about why quality optics matter in a rangefinder. Yes, you can grab a $75 rangefinder and get a look at an unobstructed pin in good light. However, as visual conditions degrade, distances increase, or backgrounds become cluttered, picking out a flag or any specific landmark gets more difficult with sub-par glass. It may come as a surprise to people that haven’t used truly high-end optics just how clear their field of vision can be compared to lesser products. Accurate distance measurement starts with being able to clearly see the target, and the Vortex Blade excelled in a variety of conditions. 

Vortex Blade laser in hand

To go deeper, it’s not all about “clarity” in the sense that the glass is just see-through. Manufacturing tolerances can impact all sorts of parameters with optics. For example, deviations in center thickness or radius curvature can produce skewed or out-of-focus images. Improper edge beveling or diameter measurements can impact how a glass piece fits into the rangefinder housing, again skewing the image. The quality of the surface, gauged in the lack of imperfections like scratches or pits, can again how well you’re able to find your target in less-than-optimal conditions. 

The bottom line is that optics matter, and it would be hard to find a company with a much stronger pedigree in that field than Vortex. 

Vortex Blade Accuracy

While we briefly discussed the capabilities of the Blade earlier, it’s worth discussing our feelings on the unit’s accuracy. Of course, without bringing a 100-yard-long measuring tape to the golf course, determining accuracy of rangefinders is a somewhat tricky business. We are typically left to methods like comparing it to other highly regarded units, which we did do. However, who’s to say the “highly regarded” rangefinder is truly accurate to begin with? Like we said – it’s tricky. 

Vortex Blade carrying case

Most telling was the extreme consistency we found in the results of our readings. Eschewing the golf course altogether, we found a very cluttered row of houses, trees, and garages between 200 and 240 yards away. From our location we shot various points of interest four different times in a rotating fashion. To our pleasure, each time the read was either exactly the same or at most a yard different. Just as impressive however was the ease at which we were able to lock on to these different targets from that far away. Again, this wasn’t a single flag against a clean background, but rather was something like the crest of a roof next to an overhanging limb.

We tested PinSpotter Mode on multiple golf courses at different times of the day with positive results. Even against dense backgrounds, it was able to grab the closest aim point.  The viewfinder provided a convenient flag icon, and the Blade vibrated lightly to indicate it was locked on. For measuring multiple points in a swipe, Scan mode is activated by pressing down the “Measure” button while panning around to different points. This was very useful for measuring carry distances over bunkers and other hazards. 

Vortex Blade instructions of modes offered

It also should be mentioned that while the Blade doesn’t have an image stabilization feature (the Anarch includes this), we found it easy to lock on to our target from impressive distances. While golfers with shaky hands will likely need some sort of help with stabilization, most players should be fine without it. 

Vortex Golf VIP Warranty

Before we close it is worth mentioning Vortex Golf’s VIP Warranty and customer service team. These both add incredible value to the Blade and Vortex’s other products. VIP stands for Very Important Promise, and it’s something the company places great importance on. Since it’s Vortex’s promise, we are going to use their words here. 

Vortex Blade unboxing

As you can see, there is no ambiguity. The company stands behind their products. 

The Details

The Vortex Blade retails from $299 and is available at numerous retailers. Vortex’s headquarters and showroom are in Southwestern Wisconsin, and they’d be more than happy to see their customers in person as well. They might even invite you for a round of golf. 

More information on the entire line of Vortex Golf products can be found on the company’s website at vortexgolf.com. We recommend keeping a close eye on the THP Forum in the coming months, as we have a lot more planned with this new and exciting company. 

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Editor and writer Ryan Hawk lives in northwestern Illinois with his fiance and son. He's been a writer for The Hackers Paradise for two years and has been involved with a number of THP events.