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The Silvercore Podcast explores the mindset and skills that build capable people. Host Travis Bader speaks with hunters, adventurers, soldiers, athletes, craftsmen, and founders about competence, integrity, and the pursuit of mastery, in the wild and in daily life. Hit follow and step into conversations that sharpen your edge.
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Language: en-GB
.I'm Travis Bader
and this is the
Silvercore podcast.
Join me as I discuss
matters related to
hunting, fishing, and
outdoor pursuits with the
people in businesses that
comprise the community.
If you're new to
Silvercore, be sure to
check at our website,
www.silvercore.ca.
We can learn more about
courses, services, and
products that we have.
Offer as well as how you
can join the Silvercore
club, which includes 10
million in North America.
Wide liability insurance
to ensure you are
properly covered during
your outdoor adventures
with COVIT 19 and social
distancing measures.
We're taking steps
to ensure we continue
to bring you the best
possible content given
the circumstances we
are learning to adapt
to our new situation.
And this is silver
for his very first
remote podcast.
We understand that these
are difficult times for
everyone and we want
to be able to offer a
little bit of respect
for the day today.
While I haven't said it
out right in the past,
perhaps now is a good
time as any to explain
that every guest I've
ever had on the show has
been told the same thing.
That is in a nutshell.
Keep it positive.
There's enough negativity
in the world and in
particular surrounding
hunting and firearms that
we will stay away from
talking about negative
politics or anything that
might have the tendency
to be divisive for travel
down that warn dark path.
Here.
We attract people
who have a genuine
passion for what they
do and wish to share
that passion with you.
Every podcast we record
is done with the end
goal of educating
and entertaining.
silver Corp is a
training company.
That's how we earn
our keep with Qubit 19
for the safety of our
staff and students.
All of our in person
training has been
postponed until
further notice.
We're putting the
emphasis on our online
courses, club podcasts,
and YouTube videos.
We will be maintaining
our podcast release
schedule and working to
increase the frequency.
Now here is the
part where I ask
for your help.
If you know someone who
would enjoy our podcast
or YouTube videos or
anything else that silver
Corp offers, please
share it with them.
Please engage us
with your comments,
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If you have a story to
tell that our audience
would appreciate or
know someone who does.
Let us know your
interaction will help
us and provide the best
possible future content.
Without further ado,
let's get into the
podcast with guest Jimmy
Hamilton from vortex
optics and co-hosted the
vortex nation podcast.
Jimmy, thank you very
much for taking the
time to speak with me.
Appreciate you
having me on.
It's a pleasure
to be here.
I have to say, this
is a first for me.
Up till now, I've had
the luxury of sitting
face to face with my
guests and whether
that means I jump in a
car, hop in a plane or.
They come to the
silver core studio.
I've made it work.
If it weren't for
the current Covance
situation, I'm sure
I would've jumped
in a plane and come
over there to greet
you face to face.
But we're in
unprecedented times right
now.
That's the truth.
Yeah.
That's just the reality
of things right now.
Probably going to be
hearing a lot more
remote podcasts from
people these days,
but, uh, still we can,
uh, we can still make
some recordings happen.
So where are you
right now and how
are you doing?
So I'm actually
at HQ right now.
I'm doing well.
Just fine.
Wife and myself
have been, have
been all right.
The family otherwise has
been pretty good too.
So my brothers and I, and
uh, just to give a little
background on myself, I'm
one of the family owners
here at vortex optics.
And.
Am in that position with
three of my brothers.
There's four of us total.
All of us work here in
the business, so we're
all still coming in.
Um, we're able to,
now we're in Wisconsin
and right now there's
a bit of, um, you,
no, I don't even know
how to explain it.
There's, it's called a
stay at home or a safer
at home thing in place.
It's different from
shelter and home.
It seems it's all a bit,
it's all a bit confusing.
I think everything is so
new for everybody, but
most of our essential
folks, kind of a skeleton
crew of the essential
folks who aren't deemed
to be at home with family
and children are here.
So a lot of the folks
in shipping or warranty
area, customer service,
area of repairs,
machining, things like
that, that are hands on,
not really easy to do.
From home.
We do have some folks
here doing that stuff
still, so things are
still running at vortex.
A little bit
slower than usual.
Everybody else who's able
to is working from home
for the most part and
utilizing all different
manners of a technology
with, she's now become
fairly reliant upon.
But, uh, yeah, things
are still, things are
still running here and
they're running bout
as good as they can be.
And it's been nice that
people have been willing
to extend some patients
in times like this.
I think everybody
realizes it.
You know, it's, it's not
just happening to one
business or one industry.
It's happening to
the, the whole world.
Uh, it's no kidding.
Wild.
I'm
killing.
So I run a training
company in demand for
firearms trainings at
an unprecedented high.
Undoubtedly.
It's unbelievable.
Uh, you know, a
really good friend
of mine often says.
If someone's throwing
money at you, don't duck.
And it feels like all
we're doing right now is
ducking because generally
that's good advice.
But right now it's just
not socially responsible
or safe to be running
in person training
classes in the, in
the service industry.
So I guess what
we've done is we've
been drastically
changing our model.
We've, we're looking
at online training and
we're going to be leaning
on YouTube and podcast
to agree to degree
in the product side.
Are you guys seeing
that same sort of
demand at vortex optics?
Are people panicking
and saying, I gotta get
me some vortex optics?
Um, you definitely have
that in times like this.
I'd say it somewhat, it's
somewhat reminiscent of
times we've had here in
the U S in the past with
presidential elections
and things like that.
I don't think
it's any secret.
It's not some kind of a
taboo thing to talk about
the fact that, you know,
when there's times of
uncertainty, generally
people will go for.
Commodity items,
they'll go for items
that may be used to
protect themselves.
Uh, they really sort of
focus in on those things.
Um, food, shelter,
water, all that stuff.
And so, uh, we've had
times like that, I'd say
though, when it's been
related to politics,
it's more of a, um, you
know, in fear that they
might take my guns away.
Sort of a scare
buying, if you will.
And, you know, I think
some people, some people
think that that company's
in the gun industry
maybe get super excited
about or they get a
little bit screwed.
Duck getting ready to
jump in their giant
tower of money when
those times come along.
And I mean, is it cool
that it more sales
come along, I guess?
But is it, is it really
nice to rely on that sort
of unpredictable and,
uh, sort of all at once?
Firehose business?
It's, it's really not.
It's actually
not that ideal.
A much more even
and constant stream
of businesses is a
way more ideal way
of having things.
This one's been.
Particularly interesting
cause I feel like more
so than ever, you have
people that are, are
sort of, you know, I
guess the, the phrase
that all people are
using and sort of scare
buying or whatever and
they're not buying so
much cause they think
guns are going to get
taken away necessarily.
But it's more of almost
this, you know, fear
of impending apocalypse
buying, which we haven't
necessarily seen.
A ton of, but you know,
you have people who
maybe purchased a firearm
in the past, they were
never in a rush to
get an optic for it.
Now they really want
to get an OPIC for it,
so it's ready to go
should anything happen.
But a lot of times when
you have any kind of
a massive sort of buy
up, and I know that AR
fifteens are out of stock
everywhere and other
firearms like that are
out of stock everywhere.
Usually the accessory
side of thing.
Is slightly
delayed from that.
Cause I think people
try and get as many
guns and aim and as
much ammo as they can,
as quick as they can.
And then once they have
all that and they feel
they're at a critical
mass of, I feel this is
enough guns and ammo,
then they start thinking
about optics and the
accessories that'll
go along with that.
So haven't seen a
direct effect yet.
And also you have
dealers that are
unsure of whether or
not they're going to
be able to stay open.
So.
Yeah.
I mean, that's, that's
a thing in and of itself
is if you can have all
the demand in the world,
but if no stores can
actually be open, it's
never happened before.
So we'll see what
happens here.
You know, you mentioned
the, uh, the election
time in the, the fear
bind that they might
take the guns and being
in Canada here, I've
always thought it was a
little odd, but Canadians
will buy more firearms
and get more training.
When the U S elections
come up, I don't
know if they just,
if that bleeds over.
I remember being a
over when, a number
of elections ago and
everyone was quite
worried, quite panicking,
and I mean, the spike
in sales up here was
unbelievable and it's got
nothing to do with us.
That is, that's
really interesting.
Yeah, I suppose,
you know, I mean, it
kind of carries over
into social media and
stuff like that, so
you kind of see it.
Even if the people aren't
in your country, it
might feel like they're
a little bit closer to
you when they're, uh.
On the same
platforms you are.
But yeah, it
very interesting.
So you kind of already
jumped into one thing.
I was going to get you
to just talk a little
bit about yourself and
kind of how'd you, how
you got into your role
here with the, with
vortex, but it's a,
it's a family thing.
Yup.
Pretty much born into it.
So, and we don't
take that in, in.
In our family.
It's not a matter of
sort of, you're forced
into it or it's not a
matter of kind of, it's
just falls into your lap.
Um, every single one
of my brothers and I
really actually actively
pursued it, but all of us
thought we were going to
do something different.
At first, I, if people
listen to our podcasts,
you know, I referenced
cars a lot and, uh,
it's just something
I can't help but do.
So I've always been
really into cars, got
into it from one of my
older brothers, uh, who's
now one of our engineers.
And, um.
So I always thought
I was going to be a
factory test driver.
I thought I was going
to be driving around
on race tracks, driving
up on road courses and
you know, the Arctic or
whatever, testing out
all wheel drive systems.
Who knows what I
thought I was going
to be doing that.
Um, and you know, all
my brothers all thought
they were going to be
doing other things, but
then just decided, uh,
sort of vortex itself.
Really started in 2002
the family's been in
the industry and doing
things in the outdoor
industry and all kinds of
things in, in the optics
industry and stuff since
about 1986 but anyway,
the, with the ages.
Age ranges of my
brothers and I, it all
just ended up working
out that, um, as, as
our family's business
hit major milestones.
It was when a lot of us,
uh, were, and they're
all, they're all quite
a bit older than I am
actually, but it was
when each of us was
getting out of college,
or one of them was
getting out of the air
force and just these
sort of big milestones
came up and we, uh.
We looked at it and
we're like, this
is pretty awesome.
This is something
that's right here
in front of us.
And it's cool to be able
to work with family.
It's cool to be able
to do something where
you're in a business
that you get to, um,
be a part of and, and,
uh, in, in a way that
you're sort of dictating
where things will go.
It's, it's, you're not
working for somebody
and you're kind of
working for yourself and
Yeah, I mean, we
just all thought
it was pretty cool.
So jumped on, jumped
on board, and we've
all had to do pretty
much everything from
packing boxes and
you know, repairs.
I, that's where I first
cut my teeth here at
work was doing binocular
repairs and the repair
departments, but then
just kind of worked our
way into the positions.
For now.
And now you're full
time with the vortex
nation podcast.
Is that a occupy the
majority of your time?
Yeah.
Occupies a fair
amount of my time now.
So in marketing, I do
a lot of stuff here.
I'm, I, I've been
around long enough and
I've learned enough
from my older engineer
brothers, uh, about
the product itself.
So kind of act as a, uh.
I guess advisor, if
you will, for all the
different marketing
areas, whether it's
new product releases,
a lot of, you know,
specs get run by me and
you know, or, or pieces
of copy or whatever.
I'll try and help out
there where I can just
from all my, uh, the
experience I've had
and seen and watched.
But we do have a, we
have a pretty awesome
marketing team here.
A lot of people
that are really good
at what they do.
And, uh, and so, yeah,
it's, it's fun being
part of this group,
cause it's not just, you
know, you see the social
media, you see the, the
stuff like the content
that we put out there.
Some of it's kind of
lighthearted and fun.
Uh, the podcast I'm
on, usually with Mark,
he's not here right
now in part because of
things going on with
the coven, uh, stuff.
But usually I'm
on with him.
You know, we, we
kinda kid around a lot
and stuff, but, uh.
But there's, there's a
lot of behind the scenes
and, and, uh, there's,
there's a lot of aspects
to this from product
manuals to product
boxes, to the website,
to social media, to, you
know, all that stuff.
Yeah.
No
kidding.
Well, before we talk
about the optics and
the other accessories
and gear that vortex
has, I figured I'll
just put a quick plug
in for the vortex nation
podcast, just so our
listeners know about
it, because I don't want
to get too deep into a
bunch of these things.
You've already talked
about a number of.
Of things that I
would have brought
up in a podcast here.
And I mean, you guys
talk about everything
from flying with guns
to make them burritos.
Talk about foraging,
setting up your
firearm, your optics,
repairing maintenance.
You know, the
list goes on.
So anyone listening to
this one, if you want to
go a little deeper, I had
highly encouraged check
out the vortex nation
podcast is a lot of
great content on there.
Appreciate that.
Thank you.
It is fun being
an optics company.
We don't just
necessarily have one
core group of customers.
We have, you know,
everybody from birders
to tactical military,
law enforcement,
recreational shooters,
competitive shooters
of all disciplines.
You've got outdoor
enthusiasts, so we
try to, we try to
encompass everything,
but it winds up being.
Then you get a a podcast
and a lot of other
content that we make
that sort of all over the
map, but it's, it's fun.
Yeah, no kidding.
Yeah.
It appeals to my ADHD
nature, that's for
sure.
Perfect.
Yeah, I was too.
We see a lot of new
hunters and new firearms
owners in Canada.
We've got a federal
licensing system.
Anybody wanting to get
a firearm has to go
through training in
person training, testing.
There's a process.
That is in place.
And consequently brand
new people getting
into it, need guidance.
They need advice.
And as silver Corp as
a company, we're very
selective about where
we point our students do
and big thing we need.
Obviously we want to make
sure we're pointing in
the direction of quality.
But another big
part is the support.
And.
Vortex.
You know, I think I
first reached out to you
guys through Instagram
and within a couple of
hours I got contact back
from some higher level
people talking about
just answering questions,
basic questions for
basic product line
that you have a email,
phone, a social media.
You guys are really
on top of that game.
We definitely try to be.
Um, like I said, the
support thing from the
very start has been a
really big deal for us.
And from the beginning,
I mean, when we started
out as Vortec, we were
just mostly dealing
dealer direct, and that's
still the primary form
of business that we have.
But coming from before
being a brand ourselves
that went dealer direct,
we were a dealer of, um,
just various different
outdoor related products
and then hunting and
shooting related products
and stuff like that.
So having been in that
space, we always, uh,
we had some experience
and things that made
us really want to have
our brand someday be
the brand that was the
easiest to work with
and the best to work
with the most responsive
and just follow the old
classic golden rule, you
know, treat others like
you'd like to be treated.
It's so simple to say,
but really difficult at
times to actually do.
And so that started
out by just, you
know, offering.
Great products at
great prices with great
service to back it up
and, you know, actually
adhering to that promise.
And then, you know,
things, things kind of
progress from there.
And, and it was clear
after a while that
it wasn't, uh, enough
to just sort of be a
really great resource
just for your dealers.
But then you have
customers that want
to come direct to the
source for information
or customer service
and stuff like that.
So, you know, we
started, we ate.
Got a full crew of
people that are on
the phones all day,
every single day.
They're all hunting,
shooting, birding,
whatever enthusiasts.
And so they walk the
walk as well as talk the
talk and you know, we've
got them in customer
care, tech support,
those kinds of people
on social media as well.
And, um, we, we.
Try to make it actually
really hard almost
to contact us and not
hear something back.
Well, it makes it easy
for us to be able to
recommend, because
I'm a new Hunter or
a new shooter goes
out there and they're
looking for advice.
We want to be able to do
a handoff, put them in
the hands of somebody who
can properly take care
of them and makes it easy
for us to refer people
over.
Here.
Now you guys have
quite the product line.
You've got varying
price ranges of
optics and scopes.
Can you give me a
little bit of an idea
what the, uh, the
difference is between
the different price
jumps that you get there?
What are people
paying for as they
start shelling out
some more coin?
Yeah.
I like to start out
whenever I'm talking with
somebody who's really
new to optics, I like to
start out talking about
primarily binoculars and
spotting scopes because
when he looked the rifle
scope side of things,
you're really getting
kind of complicated
in the fact that you
can have a rifle scope
with the same optical
system as another one,
but it can have totally
different features
around that optical
system, which make it
a completely different
optic, and it might.
Cost more or cost less,
it might make it for
ones for competition.
And one's for hunting.
Uh, one's for long range
shooting when we would
never suggest using
on a long range gun.
I mean, all
kinds of things.
And we're talking
about the same
optical system inside.
And that's, that's
where I think people
get thrown off a lot
and rifle scopes.
But when it comes down
to like binoculars and
spotting scopes, which in
and of themselves, their
observation optics, they
have optical systems like
rifle scopes do, but you
strip off a lot of the.
Features that may
make them, you
know, applications
specific or may change
the price a lot.
And, and when you boil
it down into just optics
and you talk about,
you know, your good,
better, best, that's
what we try to have for
just about everybody on
the planet is a good,
better, best option.
And when you talk
about just the optics
themselves, you know,
and you look at your more
entry level optics in
our line, we start out.
At our generally
crossfire line is about
where we'll start out.
Usually if you see
that name, it's
something that's more
at our entry line.
I wouldn't consider it
a over all, or in the
grand scheme of things,
the entire optics
industry, I wouldn't
consider it necessarily
an entry level optic.
A lot of those rifles
scope still, for example,
in the U S cost over
a hundred dollars and
they're, they're plenty
good for darn near
anything out there.
But that's, that's where
we feel comfortable sort
of starting our line out.
As you move up and you
get into other names
of ours, you know, like
Diamondback and Viper
and stuff like that.
And again, just speaking
in terms of the optics,
a lot of what you start
to get is, I mean,
better optical quality
and seeing is huge for
every single sport,
whether it's hunting
or just recreational
competitive professional
mill, Lee shooting
the ability to see as
clearly as possible.
At pretty much any point
in time in the day.
Uh, any lighting
condition, all that
stuff is extraordinarily
important.
And.
When you sort of move
up the tiers, you just
improve your ability to
see the targets are going
to look more resolute,
clearer, sharper,
better image, clarity,
cut, color, fidelity.
You're going to
have better low
light performance.
So when you're at
those critical times of
the day, right at the
beginning of the day,
right towards the end
of the day, as the sun
is rising or setting, I
mean, everything that you
see through that optic
is going to look better.
And.
And, and ideally as
close to how it looks
with the naked eye.
And that's, that's
not easy to do.
You know, you, you
look at any given optic
and the lenses, for
example, that we see
on the outside are two.
There's an IPS and
there's an objective
lens, um, objective lens
being the one that's
furthest from your face
when you're holding
it up to your eye.
But.
There's so many other
lenses and binoculars.
There's a whole prison
system in there.
Um, same with spotting
scopes and you have,
you know, in rifle
scopes, there's an
erector unit in there
with all kinds of
lenses that are moving.
They have to be perfectly
aligned to one another.
There's different
lens curvatures
that you can do.
Some are more expensive
to produce than
others, but they can
produce better images.
There's all smattering of
different coatings that
you can actually coat the
lenses with to improve
the light transmission.
And we're talking
about, you know.
Light that comes in
an infinitely many,
um, wavelengths.
I mean, all of this
stuff is really, uh,
is really complex.
And as you.
Move up the tiers.
You're just getting
better engineering,
better optical design,
better mechanical design
and, and, and better
assembly procedures
and stuff like that
that can make that
optical system perform
better and, um, deliver
you the best image.
Possible.
So that that's what
you get through the
different tiers.
You know?
And then like I said,
when you get into rifle
scopes, it can be a
little different cause
you can see a rifle scope
that costs more than
another rifle scope.
But if you look at it,
the one that actually
costs less may have a
better optical system,
but it doesn't have
as many features.
And the features are
what make the other one
costs more, even though
its optical quality
isn't quite as good.
And.
That gets really
kind of in the weeds.
That's the stuff.
That's why we employ so
many people here that
are on the phones and
emails and all that
stuff all the time
answering these kinds
of questions because
we get these questions
every single day.
We try to make
videos about them.
You know, you look at
our YouTube channel,
our Instagram page, we
try to, we try to boil
it down for people as
much as we can, but.
But inevitably, I mean,
you know, we live and
breathe this stuff
every day and, and so,
and, and even, I don't
understand all of it.
Sometimes I have to
have my engineering
brothers come over and
explain, explain stuff
to me all the time.
And I've been around
it my entire life.
Um.
That's, yeah, that's kind
of generally how it goes.
I'm sure there's more we
can get into the weeds
and I love getting into
the weeds on stuff.
Don't get me wrong.
Um, but yeah,
and we'll point them
over to your podcast.
Really get into
the weeds there.
The sure thing.
So let's say you're
coming up for a
hunt in the rugged,
cold Canadian wild.
What optic would you be
bringing on your firearm?
So.
That's a good question.
I, I'm not intimately
familiar with, uh,
the rugged, cold
Canadian wild.
I'll be honest with you.
Um, that said, if I
were to choose for
hunting a scope that I
would feel comfortable
throwing on 99% of the
guns out there for in
99% of the locations
that I've ever heard of.
Um.
That I, I would
just feel confident.
I wouldn't ever feel
like I was going into
something under scoped
or, you know, with
inadequate gear, I would
land myself right in
the middle of our line,
kind of middle, middle,
slightly verging on the
upper part of our line.
Um, in the Viper series,
and I would go for what's
called our Viper HS,
which the HSG stands for
hunting and shooting.
And to get into kind
of what I was talking a
little bit about with,
um, how you can have
one optical system,
but different features
about it can make it
for totally different
purposes and different
prices and stuff.
The Viper series
like that, HS.
Comes from a series of of
optics where you have the
HS, you have the HST, the
HSL are, and then there
was the gen one PSTs.
We called them all the
same optics in them.
So you're going to
expect all the same
image, clarity and
quality, you know,
low light performance,
all that stuff.
But they had different
turrets and some
different radicals
and features inside
that made like the HS.
I would.
Never try and take
to a long range
competition ever.
It has kept turrets
that aren't really
that easy to get to
for a lot of dialing.
Cause I'm expecting
to probably have
to dial a lot.
It doesn't have nearly
as much adjustment
as the HST or the
PST, which both have
exposed elevation
and winded deter.
It's with a lot more
travel inside the scope,
um, which I'm expecting
them to a need for the
longer range shots.
I mean those scopes, it's
funny how they're in the
same family, but, but.
There's ones that I
wouldn't even consider
for certain applications.
So the HS is probably
the one I would choose.
And in that HS line,
you have the option of
a two and a half to 10
or four to 16 as far
as magnification goes.
And so, um.
It's a two and a half
to 10 by 44 and the
four to 16 is it four
to 16 by 50 and a that
last number there is
the objective size.
So both those
objective sizes are
perfectly appropriate
for their given
magnification ranges.
Um, I wouldn't call the
four to 16 by 50 brighter
than the two and a half
to 10 by 44 just because.
It has a bigger
objective bell.
It also is using a bigger
objective bell to power
more magnification.
So really it kind of
evens evens things out.
Um, but, you know,
I'd probably go with
either one of those.
I'm not gonna say
that, you know,
one is definitively
better than the other.
Um, if I were to find
myself in more thick
timber, uh, which,
like I said, I'm
not super familiar
with, uh, anyone's.
Exact spot.
But if I were to find
myself in thicker timber
where the shots may only
go out to say 300, 400
yards, maybe than the
two and a half to 10,
I'd probably go with,
um, just because I take
advantage of the bigger
field of view, the lower
magnifications easier to
find things with, cause
you can just zoom out.
You don't have to be
looking up in that spot.
Uh, but if I were
looking at more.
Uh, expansive scenery
had a potential for a
slightly longer shot or
just, you know, I was
looking for something
that was a little bit of
a smaller critter in a
big wide open landscape,
the four to 16, I'd feel
perfectly fine with two.
Um, and if I got stuck in
either situation with the
other optic, I wouldn't
feel bad about it either.
If I were over the
four to 16 and thick
timber, it's not the
end of the world.
I'll be
okay.
Yeah.
Dial it down.
Yup.
So here's a question
that I've been asked
before and I've heard
varying answers on it.
You're cold weather
hunt, cold outside, warm
in your tent, who are
warm in your trailer.
What do you do with
your, uh, your firearm
and your optic deal?
Some people say, Hey, we,
we leave it in the truck.
And, uh, that way it's
the same temperature.
Some people say, Hey,
let's throw it inside
a case and it'll
heat and cool slowly.
We don't have
that condensation.
Some people just
hang it up and get it
heated up real quick
by the, uh, the stove
in the wall tent.
Is, is there concern
about seals expanding
and contracting?
Is there a concern
about moisture?
W what would
you recommend?
There shouldn't be
any concern about
any issue with seals
or things like that.
Uh, having issues
with the expansion and
contraction of, you
know, temperature change.
Um, you know, and if
there, if there were
I, that would be cause
for actually concern.
But the one thing
we do see happen,
uh, for people.
Definitely quite
often, especially as
we get to the point in
the year when things
really cool down a
lot is fogging on the
exterior lens surfaces.
And that's something,
you know, you can fog
proof the internals
of a scope by using
O-ring seals, nitrogen
or argon gas purging.
Uh, we can't fog proof.
The world.
Um, it's, it's
not that easy.
You can use some
fog proofing lens
cleaning solutions.
We actually have one
that we sell, which is a
vortex fog free lens kit,
and it works pretty well.
Um, but you know, mother
nature and physics
can kind of overpower
a lot of the stuff
that we have for it.
So using some, using
some, some tricks
to the trade like
you brought up, um,
generally just having
your rifle and scope.
Acclimated to the
temperature that you're
going to be hunting in
most of the time while
you're out there is a
good idea going from.
Hot to cold isn't as
much of an issue is
going from cold to hot.
So we call that the cold
beer can effect, and
everybody knows when
you're at a tailgate
or whatever, you grab
a cold beer out of the
cooler and it immediately
starts to sweat.
And that is basically
what happens to your
ice cold scope when it
goes from cold to hot.
And a lot of people
will think about.
You know, they think,
Oh, well, I'm out
in the wilderness.
I'm not gonna walk into
a cabin or something
like that, so I shouldn't
have to worry about this.
But they forget that
our bodies are heaters.
And so when you pull the
rifle scope up to your
face, let's say you pull
it up too close to your
face, or you're really
breathing heavy, um.
You know, you could
easily fog up that
eyepiece lens if you just
pull it up too close to
your face or, or breathe
on it on accident.
Sometimes even the way
you're holding your
rifle and you're just
breathing out of your
mouth or your nose, it
can go right down on
an eyepiece if you kind
of have it shoulder
at like a low ready
position, if you will.
Um, I've seen
that happen.
It happens to me
all the time too.
I'm just, I'm not
even paying attention.
I'm holding the rifle
and next thing I know,
I looked down, the
eyepiece is fogged up
and there's not much
you can do about that.
At that point.
It's actually really
difficult to get it.
, if you will.
You can, you know, try
and bring out a lens
cloth, but then you're
getting your warm fingers
all over it and then
that's not helping.
Um, I mean, any
manner of things.
We see people's
binoculars get fogged
up all the time when
they have them out
glassing and so they're
looking through their
vinyls for a long time.
Then they decide it's
time to move, or they
want to just set them
down for a minute and
they sit them down.
They put them
inside their jacket.
Which then traps all
that heat between your
body and the jacket
right there with the
binoculars, and then
they fog up instantly.
Um, you know,
stuff like that.
It's, it's little
little things where
you're not thinking
about things going from
cold to hot, uh, that
will fog things up.
And like I said, once
it, once it fogs up,
and especially if, if
it's really cold, which
I know it gets cold
up there in Canada,
if it's really cold
and you fog something
up, and then all of a
sudden it sort of flash
freezes and then it goes.
From fog to frost.
Good luck.
You're going to be
dealing with, uh, you're,
you're, you're going to
be dealing with that,
the rest of the hunt.
So.
Out in the field.
You want to care
for your optics.
Let's see.
You do get a
flash freeze.
You took some ice profile
alcohol that will take
care of the frost.
What's that gonna do to
the coatings is that,
does more
techs have things that
are recommendations for
field care of the optics?
Little eyes, appropriate
alcohol or any other
really lens cleaner
or cleaner that's made
specifically for lenses
isn't going to harm
the coatings at all.
Um, that's what a
lot of our guys use.
Uh, definitely the
biggest thing that
I would say that's
going to harm your
coatings is just, um.
Basically grinding
debris into the lenses.
So much like if you
were going to wash your
car, let's say you had
a, here I go with my
car references, but if
you're going to wash
a nice car, you know
you've got a nice classic
with a good paint job.
If it had dirt on it,
the last thing you're
going to want to do
is take a rag and just
rub that dirt into
the nice paint job.
You want to get rid
of all the grit.
And sand and dirt and
debris that would scratch
up those coatings before
you get in there with a
lens cleaning cloth or
a lens pen or a shirt.
And, you know, try
not to use the shirt,
but we, I get it.
I've done it.
Um, it does.
So, you know, not like
everybody has compressed
air on them when they're
out walking around.
Um, try not to
use, I guess.
Like, if you go to blow
on it, which I've done
many times, and you're
in the cold, then you
get that fog problem.
Um, but you know,
not many people have
compressed air on
them when they're
out in the field.
Plus then you run
into the issue of if
it's already cold,
you probably won't
have the problem.
But if it's warm out and
you accidentally get the
can upside down and you
spray a compressed air
can upside down, you'll
immediately sort of
flash freeze the lens.
And we've seen lenses
crack when people
do it bad enough.
Um.
So, yeah, I mean,
really just . Using
a nice brush, like
most lens pens.
I know our lens pen
that we have comes
with a a nice, fine,
soft bristle bristle
brush on one end of it.
And, um, that's, that's
good for getting the
bulk majority of dirt
and debris off the
lenses before you get in
there with a solution.
Um, otherwise, I know
some of the guys.
Down to the repair area
when they have something
that's just really nasty.
This is probably
something when you're
more, more along the
lines that when you're
back in the truck, if
you got the stuff for
back at home, but they'll
just let, um, they'll
let like a white vinegar.
A solution of, you
know, part white
vinegar, part water.
What kind of let it
sit on the lens for
a little bit, not a
super extended time.
If you let it sit
there long enough, I
don't know, the whole
binoculars might be gone,
but, um, but if you do
it for just a, for just
a bit of time, it'll kind
of get any of that stuff
that's cemented on there.
It'll just make it come
up a little bit easier.
Um.
And then you can, you
can use a nice light
brush afterwards and
stuff should start
coming away easier.
But yeah.
You mentioned something
about the whole
binoculars being gone
in that brought to mind.
So I've heard stories of
people's houses burning
down and they're just
a crispy little optic
that gets shipped back
to vortex and they give
themselves a brand new
object where they drove
over with their truck.
Are these stories or
is this a, is this
how vortex operates?
Oh, that's real.
I'm sure there's some
of that right now in
the warranty department.
Um, it, it happens more
than you would think.
I guess the world's
a crazy place.
Right.
Um, so anything
can happen of,
we've seen, yeah.
Bears too on binoculars.
We've seen spotting
scopes that got put
on a tripod that
had the wind blowed
over, gets sent off.
Cliffs, stuff's come back
to us in plastic bags.
Some stuffs come back
to us burnt to a crisp.
We actually just
had a guy, um.
In special operations,
who is going to send
us back a razor one to
six that he was using
the low power variable
optic that got hit by
an RPG and he actually
survived and kept, is
still fighting right now.
Um, and.
Anyway, the, he was
working with a sort of
dealer slash distributor
for those guys.
It was kind of a personal
purchase that he, he
made for himself, for
his, for his duty weapon.
And anyway, via a third
party, they sent him
a new optic cause they
knew we would warranty
the one that got.
Hit by this RPG.
That one's coming
in now and uh, we
already got them a
new one on the way.
We're going to get that
one in cause we want to
get some photos of it.
It's not everyday you see
an RPG hit rifle scope.
But you know, we've had
some cases like that.
I mean, some scopes
have been shot in some
scopes, whether it's
a, an accidental thing
or in the line of duty,
uh, oftentimes when it's
some crazy story of.
You know, it got
messed up in some, um,
practically active God
or whatever, and somebody
survived a big traumatic
event, we'll actually
send them back the optic
that's all busted up.
Um, on many occasions
if they ask for it,
just because for
posterity's sake.
That's pretty neat.
Uh, obviously we, we
hope and we kind of trust
them that they won't just
sort of, um, offloads at
somewhere and somebody
else sends it in and
then they get a free
update in a way becomes
like the brotherhood
of the traveling
broken rifle scope.
But, um.
You know, there's,
there's the occasional
like that, that guy who
got it shot by the RPG.
He's going to get
that scope back when
we're done with it.
So, Oh,
well, you guys
have rangefinders
spotting scopes,
tripods, monoculars
a periling gear.
What's, what's your
bread and butter?
What are most people
looking for when
they come to vortex?
Oh, man.
Um, bread and
butter for us.
It's definitely, it
definitely started
out and we still, um,
we still pay a lot
of attention to it
as binoculars because
when we really got
into this, we were
still kind of primarily
in the, I'd say more
outdoor birdwatching.
Um, some hunting kind of
industry and binoculars
are a key component
to those things.
And so when we started
out, binoculars were
a key focus for us.
We hadn't even gotten
into rifle scopes yet.
And, um.
We've always really
liked binoculars.
And even when rifle
scopes came around
and seen for vortex
and around 2006, 2007,
uh, and have quickly
now become the main
thing that we sell.
Um, binoculars still,
I mean, they're there.
We hold them close
to our heart.
We really pay a lot
of attention to it.
The binoculars that
we have in our lineup.
I'd say we have probably
one of the deepest
lineups of binoculars
in the industry.
And you know, from.
Entry-level, all the
way to really high end,
ultra high end stuff.
Um, and so yeah, we
always, we always
make sure we're
on the up and up.
We have, um, you
know, some names that
have stuck around
for a long time.
Diamondback Viper
razor, um, with the,
with the buyer knows.
But I mean.
Now though, rifle scopes
are the biggest thing,
um, that we sell by far.
And part of that's
probably because
most people, you
can have a gun safe
with 10 guns in it.
And I know a few
people here that are
optics nerds that
have a safe with 10
binoculars in it, but
that's far less common.
Um, yeah.
So yeah.
So you guys, I mean,
you keep coming out
with new products.
You got some new razor
HD products or 2020,
uh, yeah.
Yeah.
So how do you guys
keep innovating,
man?
Um, it's a.
It's a tornado down
there in product
development all the time.
Now, I don't mean
to make it seem like
they're just a bunch of
chickens run around with
their heads cut off.
It's actually, you
know, very organized
tornado, if you will.
But, um, we've made,
we've made a pretty
big investment in the
product development area,
you know, um, we, we.
Man, we pride ourselves
on a lot of things.
We try to deliver
a lot of things
for our customers.
And, and I mean, it goes
back to that thing from
the very beginning and it
sounds so cliche there.
Nothing exciting about
making good products
and selling them at
good prices, you know,
and making people feel
like they got more than
what they paid for.
And then backing up
with good service.
Um, that's nothing
new that's been around
price since the Dawn
of time, since some
cave man decided to,
you know, sell some
guy a fancy rock.
But, um.
But that's just
what we do.
And it's just the
fact that we just
stick to that promise.
And so we've had kind
of the good service, the
VIP warranty has been a
thing for a long time.
We've been, we've been
always driving to give
people the best deal
that we can and always
trying to give people
interesting products.
And I think, I think
back to the, when we came
out with the Viper PST,
uh, that was, that was
a really big product for
us because that was a.
That was a scope or
an idea that hadn't
really been done yet.
Um, it was a tactical
optic that could
be used for a long
range precision.
There was also a one
to four low power
variable in that lineup.
Uh, had all the features
of the really high
end stuff that was
going for two grand,
three grand, whatever.
But it was an optic
you could get for
less than a grand.
Um, that's, that's all
over the place now.
So we're not the
only ones who
make that anymore.
But you know, doing
that, it was kind of a,
a big thing for us when
we thought, you know,
this is really cool.
How can we keep
doing this and
keep, you know, um.
Bolstering that side of
our business that's just
making really awesome
products for people.
And so it was a big
investment in the
product development team.
So we've got a pretty,
I'd say, substantial
team down there.
Um, I haven't, I haven't
walked around, uh, any
other of our competitors,
product development
teams, so I don't want
to say that they have,
you know, lame ones or
anything, but, but I do
know that, you know, for
us, it's a substantial
team down there.
Mechanical engineers,
optical engineers,
electrical engineers.
Um.
Any, any number
of things.
And, and they have,
I mean, they're,
they're tireless.
They don't stop.
They just, um.
Really keep
cranking on stuff.
And uh, then we work,
they actually work
closely with us too
in marketing as well.
So, um, you know, we have
a close, uh, finger on
the pulse of what the
customers want and are
asking for all the time.
When you message in on
Instagram or Facebook
or you call us and
you say, you really
want something, you
wish we had something
that we don't have,
we are listening.
And those get taken
directly to heart.
And a lot of that
feedback gets.
Push right over to the
product development team,
and then they do their
best to try and create
things that cater to the
needs of the majority
of our customers.
And so, um, yeah, I guess
that's not, I wish I had
like a secret sauce to
tell, you know, Oh, well
we do this and that makes
us really innovative.
But, um.
One thing that, one thing
that does help though I
will say is, um, I like
all those guys down in
product development.
Like I was talking
about, uh, one, they all
hang out together too.
They all hang out
with everybody in
sales, marketing.
We're all good friends,
kind of all around the
entire company here.
Um, they have leagues
after work that they'll
do a fairly frequently,
not lately with COBIT,
but prior to this they
have had leagues where
they're all shooting
precision 20 twos.
They're all
doing PRS stuff.
They're all trying
to get into what,
you know, three gun.
They're all trying to do
new things and test our
products in ways that
all of them get hands
on experience with what
the customer, the end
customer is actually.
Getting and using,
and I mean, just using
the product themselves
helps us innovate
and improve things.
I can't tell you how
many products have
come out where like
the, the new razor
LHT, um, that scope.
So that's a really great,
awesome, lightweight
hunting rifle scope.
It's really the
top of our line.
It's a phenomenal
optic and it uses a new
rev stop zero system.
And, uh, basically
that's like an
integrated zero stop.
And, you know, one
of our guys, uh.
Or I should say a few
of our guys, none of
our guys were saying
that it's difficult
to get a really good,
true zero stop with a
mechanical stop on zero.
Or in the case of
this one, it actually
allows you five clicks
beyond your zero, like
our L tech zero stop
system and the razors.
Um.
But it's really
difficult to get that
in a lightweight optic
and you know, make it
reasonably affordable
and stuff like that.
And so we went through
all these design phases
and it just ended up
being something that got
drawn up literally on
a napkin because I was
standing there as it got
drawn up on a napkin,
I saw the light bulb
come on and the dude
was scrambling around
for anything he could
write on and write with.
And.
I mean this year, this
is your stop system got
developed and now we're
talking about something.
And if you haven't
seen it, I mean,
it's truly brilliant.
It's, it's.
So simple and easy
to make, easy to
use, easy to set.
It adds virtually no
cost at all to the scope.
But it gives you an
invaluable feature
for so many people.
And, uh, it allowed us
to kind of have room in
the budget for the scope
to still keep the scope
at a reasonable cost.
And we added
locking turrets
to that or locking
elevation, terror.
I mean, stuff like
that was able to
happen because of
this innovation.
And it's just
because some guy was
thinking to himself.
That scope means a zero
stop, but we need to
do it lightweight and
you know, effectively
for the money.
And so, I mean it was,
it was really cool,
that kind of stuff.
That kind of stuff is
able to happen when you
have people working down
there that are actually
interested in the product
and its application.
So that's fantastic.
Is there anything that
I should be asking about
before we wrap things up?
Anything that you
want to get out there.
Oh, man.
Um, I guess, speaking
of Proctor leases
and, you know, I think
in a couple of our
different promotional
materials we've
thrown out there, um.
We've said this, but
it's been a pattern in
the past sorta to do
big product launches
for all the product that
you come out with in a
given year, right at the
beginning of the year.
So let's say, you know,
we were going to come out
with, I'm truly speaking
hypothetically, here
I am pulling a number
out of my butt, but you
know, let's say we're
going to come out with 10
new products this year.
We would've announced
all 10 of them at the
beginning of the year,
and then over the course
of the year, they would
actually start shipping
out, but people would
kind of already know
that they existed.
Um.
Prior to them
actually shipping out?
Well, uh, kind of doing
a new strategy here
and, uh, you know,
there's a number of
reasons we're doing
it, but you know, this
year we came out with
the razor HD gen three,
one to 10 rifle scope,
really awesome scope,
a low power variable
that can actually do,
I mean, pretty much
everything under the sun.
You know, you've got the
razor LHT as at the time
of this recording, which
is, you know, early on.
2020 that just came out.
Um, but you know, I think
at first some people
were thrown off cause
they were thinking, Oh,
a vortex slowed down,
you know, only one
new product this year.
Only two new
products this year.
Well actually there's
a ton of new products
that are going to
continue to come out.
They're just going
to come out over the
course of the year.
So, um, definitely,
definitely don't
want to fall asleep.
On our social platforms
or anything like that.
If you're interested
in really anything or
you feel that there's
a product that we
don't have yet, one, we
want to hear about it.
We love hearing feedback,
but to also don't assume
it's not in the works
or that just because
we didn't announce
something in January that
it might not come out.
Still mid year or
something along
those lines.
Um, so yeah, uh, I'd
say just always keeping,
uh, keeping an ear to
the ground over here.
We, we love pushing
the boundaries and
coming out with new
stuff all the time.
And if you ever want
to, you know, message
and or whatever,
and chat with us, we
love doing that too.
Um, can't tell
you how many.
Times we've had
folks call in while
they're at the range.
We walk them through
their entire zero
in process or
troubleshooting
while they're there.
Uh, you know, wow.
I'm sure our.
Some of our phone
conversations,
we actually do
get the metrics.
Sometimes you'll see
people that are on like
two and a half hour
phone calls, and that's
just, that's just the
way of life around here.
But, you know, messages
via email, social media
and all that stuff is
the same, same deal.
Uh, we, we are
definitely here for you.
So don't feel,
don't feel bashful
or, or don't feel.
You know, like, uh, like
I know sometimes I deal
with certain things.
I just think to myself,
I dread having to contact
the company cause I
think to myself, I'm
going to get thrown
to this ringer here.
That's right.
But yeah, we definitely,
we definitely don't
want it to be like that.
So hit us up anytime.
That's exciting.
Well, Jimmy, thank
you very much for
being on the podcast
and really appreciate
you making the time
and it's absolutely
my pleasure.
Thanks for having me.