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At first glance, the Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8×42 binoculars seems very similar to the Eagle Optics Ranger ED 8×42 set. That’s probably because they come from the same company, Eagle Optics.
Upon closer examination, as I’ll give you below, you’ll notice a few differences that might make you prefer one over the other. You can read all about the Ranger binoculars here.
If you’re in a hurry and just want to check the availability and pricing of the Endeavor binoculars at Amazon, you can click (tap) the link just below.
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Contents
What Are the Main Outer Features of the Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8×42 Binoculars?
Let’s look first at the outside of these binoculars.
You can see from the overall shape that they are roof prism binoculars. Being roof prism style probably doesn’t matter to you that much, in and of itself. It’s the shape that you care about more.
The tubes of roof prism binoculars are straight, as opposed to Porro prisms which have a wider gap between the larger objective lenses than between the eyepiece lenses. If you like the straight tubes, you like roof prisms.
Those tubes are made of a magnesium alloy which is tough stuff. You’re not likely to dent them if you drop them on a hard surface. (To be safe, don’t try that on purpose.)
A feature that helps protect the tubes is their rubber armor coating. This coating also gives you something to grip easily, even with gloves on.
On each eyepiece are twisting eyecups that appear to be metal, as opposed to the rubber on many binoculars. You adjust these as needed for eyeglasses. Being made of tougher stuff, they should last longer, but if you prefer the softer rubber, you’ll need to look elsewhere. That said, if you’re wearing glasses, it probably doesn’t matter.
On the right eyepiece is a locking diopter. This is a common feature you use to adjust for the varying strengths between your eyes. This diopter ring is easier to turn than most. After you have it set properly, you push it down to lock it in place. Not all binoculars offer that in a diopter.
Once you have the diopter set, turning the center focus wheel will adjust the focus for both eyes as if they were of equal strength.
The video below shows this locking process, along with many of the other features discussed here.
One feature of these binoculars that you might not notice at first is an indentation on the bottom side. This is for the comfort of your thumbs and will help you to balance them properly as you hold them.
You can add a tripod adapter to the Endeavors, but you probably won’t need to since these are only an 8×42 set that weighs just over 27 ounces. If these were one of the larger set, like those with 50 millimeter objective lenses, then you might want to attach them to a tripod to hold them steady. The vast majority of the time, your hands alone can manage an 8×42 pair of binoculars.
How Good Is the Glass Inside the Endeavor ED II Binoculars?
As the name suggests, you get extra-low dispersion (ED) glass with the Endeavors. The lenses are fully multi-coated, and the binoculars are both waterproof and fogproof. In other words, you get the best there is for clarity, color accuracy, and light gathering capabilities.
The close focus is just 6.5 feet, which will let you get really close to targets like butterflies, insects, and other critters that will allow you to approach to that distance.
When trying to spot birds, deer, and other larger objects at a distance, the field of view (FOV) which is 377 feet (at the usual 1000 yards) should make it easy to zero in on your target.
What Accessories Do You Get with the Endeavor Binoculars?
To keep your lenses as clean and dry as possible, you get rainguard caps for the eyepiece lenses and objective lens covers too.
There is a nice neck strap that should make wearing them for an extended period of time a breeze.
When it finally comes time to put them away, you can safely store them in the case that Vanguard provides.
What’s the Verdict on the Endeavor ED II Binoculars?
The Endeavor binoculars are a very good all-around, general purpose pair of glasses. Birders and hunters might find them especially handy and useful.
Despite all this goodness, you may still have come to the conclusion that the Endeavors are not for you. That’s fine. If you did, check out this article about several others in the same class. You likely will find something there that appeals to you.
