Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Will Tract Optics make it?

Yes, unfortunately, I understand this. From a business standpoint, this makes perfect sense, as does the large ocular bell. The majority are happy with these features or at the very least, tolerate them. It's unfortunate for me since I'm in the minority, apparently. As for the fast focus, I'm over 50 but guess my eyes don't have this "changing vision" issue. At least not yet!

Mule Deer

Most recently I bought a new scope. I thought I would branch out from the Leupolds I have been using for decades. I asked on the fire about Swarovski's. Pretty universal approval of them and their glass. Went to the Billings Cabela's to look at them. Bought the Leupold. I did not like the Swarovski's at all. Now if I hadn't looked at them first I would have paid for something I did not like. Now because I did I have what I like.

no they will not...………….

I don’t waste my money on cheap optics, I only buy Zeiss, Swarovski, kahles, with one of these companies you don’t have to ask why.

Hi John,

I get your point: It is not possible to judge the optical resolution of the scope or how the image looks like under poor lighting conditions just by looking through a scope at a retail store. But some interesting things can be learned by looking into the objective side of a scope even when you are at a retail store or at SHOT Show:

a) All the reflections of a lamp or any other light source must be colored and dim. You should not see any white or bright reflections.
b) Check the size of the entrance pupil (the bright circle that you see when looking into the objective). Is it as large as the objective? Change the zoom and see if and how it changes. Now do this test for a Schmidt and Bender Stratus and a Zeiss Varipoint/Diavari and you'll see the difference. The new fancy lines by Swarovski and Schmidt and Bender all have an entrance pupil smaller than the actual size of their objective durig most of the zoo range!! BIG CHEATERS!!
c) You can also test if the eyepice provides an "edgeless" view as in Zeiss Varipoint or Hensoldt military models.

Omid,

So are the "new fancy lines" using a field stop, or erector systems that are too small? (I described looking into the objective for a front-end field stop in my first optics book, now 20 years old.)

I am with you on this - if I am going to put out my money for something I want to at least take a look at it prior to laying down the money.

drover

Like any other company Tract has to start small. I understand peoples worries about whats the long term with Tract. I know both owners very well. They are both stand up guys and have been in the industry a long time. They both left Nikon to do something better in the optics world. They have taken a chance as well. From what Ive seen and experienced they put out a quality product with a very low failure rate.I remember when Vortex first started and look at them now. The owners care a lot about the company, what it produces, and its customer base. Sales are doing well and growing steadily. Sure they can't be found in a store but with their 30 day policy you can't go wrong. Tract does go to the shows so if one isn't too far go check them out. Cutting out the middleman is saving the customers a good chunk of change. Its a new idea for an optics company but maybe over time this will become the norm.

Tract sells direct to the customer, this allows the customer to save a sizable amount of money on a quality optic.

Yes. Somehow the requirement to increase zoom range must have forced the designers to use smaller lenses in the erector system. The smaller lenses will reduce the size of the "aperture stop" in the scope and that, in turn, makes much of the objective lens area wasted.

An interesting example: The entrance pupil (quoted as "effective lens diameter") of my Swarovski Z6 1-6X24 EE scope is only 10.9 millimeter. So at 1X it is effectively 1X11 scope!! The effective lens diameter gets worse in the Z6 non-EE model (9.6mm) and further reduced to 8.2mm in the newer Z8i model. For comparison, the Schmidt and Bender 1.25-4X20 Classic scope (which I also have) has an entrance pupil same size as its objecive: 20mm.

-Omid

Interesting Omid--appreciate the insight.

Or Tract makes more than the typical "manufacturer" does on each item. I've not seen where their prices are far below comparable products. Certainly no wheres close to a bargain, as would be the case cutting out distributor and retailer costs/markups. Just the way I've seen it from their start... Didn't care for their product names either. LOL

Gotta disagree with this assessment. The Toric binos are a STEAL even at non closeout prices, and compare very favorable to these:

Toric UHD 8x42 (closeout) $490
Razor HD $900
Conquest HD $700
Meostar HD (10x42) $1000
GPO HD $979
Trinovid HD $950

I have to call b.s.

Tell them The Fire needs one of their upper end scopes to test and dial . I know they passed out a cheaper one, but didn’t it crap out ?

Closeout $490? What was their price? Curious, why are they closing out a product just introduced? Gawd the markup on chit is insulting.

Closing out because they have an updated model w/UHD Schott glass, and the closed out model has been around for a few years now because I've owned one that long. You said it wasn't a bargain, I proved to myself it is, as I've had it side by side on a tripod with all of those I listed. It's a STEAL.

COOL How much was the price before closeout?

IIRC, app $625

I think they were $634 or $654... something like that.

You calling BS on something you've never laid eyes on? Classic. My 3-15x is superb.