Vortex Impact 850 is a laser rangefinder. Pretty sure you can’t find your valentine through it but you can most definitely find your prey. Ha-ha, sorry for the corny joke but it sounded funny inside my head. But anyway moving on from that we got a laser rangefinder with 850 yards of range which is called Vortex Impact 850.
Vortex Impact 850: Outlooks
Specifications | Magnification: 6x; Objective Lens: 20 mm; Eye Relief: 15 mm; Range: 850 Yards; Linear FOV @1000 yds: 341 ft; Length: 3.77 Inches; Weight: 5.5 Oz.
Body Quality
We have reviewed many Vortex products in the past. And Vortex is yet to fail us. What we mean is that Vortex Impact 850 has an excellent body.
The body is lightweight. Only 5.5 oz is pretty portable. The rangefinder is also waterproof. The scope has O-seals which prevents moisture from going inside the rangefinder and messing it up.
Those seals also prevent all kinds of dirt, and debris from penetrating the rangefinder.
Optics Quality
Vortex provides some of the best budget lenses you can find on the market. They have been making them for quite a while now. I have been impressed by the optical quality of Vortex time and time again. This time too they didn’t disappoint. The optics are fully multi-coated.
The air-to-glass surface coating ensures increased light transmission.
As we mentioned fully multi-coated with different kinds of coating to ensure the highest amount of light transmission. Resulting in excellent images. Which everyone appreciates? You also get a generous amount of eye relief. Not that you need that big eye relief on a range finder anyway.
Reticle
HCD CORRECTED SHOOT-TO RANGE. That is what Vortex calls the reticle.
The reticle is pretty straightforward. HCD stands for horizontal component distance. Vortex Impact 850 uses this technology to give distance data between the shooter and the target.
But the reticle is only available in black color. At day time you will have no issue reading the black color words in the scope. But at night it might be a little difficult sometimes to get the read right in the first go.
The rangefinder runs in two modes.
HCD Mode
In HCD mode the rangefinder uses the line of sight yardage and angle to calculate the distance between the target and shooter.
This mode is really helpful if you shoot out to 400 yards at less than a 30-degree angle.
Sight Mode
It shows the line of sight yardage and angle differently. Allowing you to calculate the ballistic correction on your own. This is helpful when shooting out to 800 yards with slopes greater than 800 yards.
The included book explains both modes in clear detail. The book is really helpful if you are using the scope for the first time. If it’s your first time using an angle-compensating rangefinder then please read the included guidebook.
Not forgetting this is an entry-level rangefinder. It was pretty considerate of Vortex to include such a well-written guide. You can use the scan feature in both modes. Which reads distance flawlessly. Vortex claims Impact 850 is +/- 1 at 100 yards.
From our testing we found it to be pretty accurate. It picks up objects excellently. We do not doubt that it can pick up a deer at 400 yards as promised.
Pros
- Excellent lens quality.
- Crips and clear images.
- Captures objects very nicely.
- Good build quality.
- O-rings sealed waterproof body.
- Lifetime Vortex warranty.
Cons
- Only one color reticle.
- The reticle can be a little tough to read in low light.
Vortex Impact 850 Review Summary
Overall the Vortex Impact 850 rangefinder is an excellent little product. The icing on the cake is the price. We can’t imagine how this rangefinder goes for less than 200$. The accuracy and image quality for the price are insane.
We can recommend the rangefinder without second-guessing our decision. We are pretty sure you can’t find a better lens for 200$. Vortex just makes that good glass lens. Also, the scope has a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer. So what are you thinking about? It is 100% worth your money.
Hi, I’m Brent Hansford. A writer turned hunter & now sharing my love for the sport through writing. As I practically breathe weapons, I firmly believe I’m capable of providing you with new knowledge about firearms and hunting. My mission is to help more people get better at hunting & master the weapons. Let me help with unleashing the beast within you!