Introduction
The market of laser rangefinding binoculars continues to bloom. It all started a few years ago when manufacturers with no previous experience in this field presented their first device of this type. Vortex was one of them – they presented Fury in 2017. At the time, its main competitor was Kahles Helia RF. In 2019, they came out with the second generation which can, theoretically, when measured at highly reflective surfaces in optimal conditions, provide readings up to 5000 yards (4600 m). Now Vortex has come up with the third generation of this device, adding the long-awaited ballistics calculator.
Finally, a Fury with a ballistics calculator
The new Fury has Wi-Fi connectivity, which allows the user to connect it to the smartphone app called Fury HD. The app can be works on smartphones with Android & iOS operating systems. In the app, you can change the settings of the device, calibrate the device, create ballistic profiles, and customize your firing solution by overriding the parameters.
You can choose from 3 ballistic profiles on the Fury (A, B, C). The three on there by default are for the following calibres: .308, 6.5 and 5.56. You can create your own ballistic profile and assign it to any of the existing ballistic profiles – A, B or C. You then transfer the data to the binoculars, choose the desired profile in the binoculars’ menu, and you are ready to go. Once you press the measure button, you will be provided with the distance to the observed object first, followed by the correction (the unit of measure and the rotation direction are provided on the display as well). Furthermore, you can pair the binoculars with the Kestrel Elite models. Vortex has prepared a thorough explanation on how to pair the two – you can view it here. The smartphone app is incredibly simple to use and takes the Fury AB to a whole new level, not to mention the increased accuracy stemming from the ballistic correction.
Fury AB is packed with other interesting features such as an electronic compass, thermometer, pressure sensors, and humidity sensors.
Have the optics also been improved?
Optically, no changes have been made from the model which lacks the advanced ballistic software. The XR™ coating is applied to the glass to enhance the light transmission rate, along with dielectric and phase-correcting coatings which both increase the quality of the image. ArmorTek® coating, applied to the exterior of the lenses, protects these from abrasion and repels dirt and dust. Only one model remains in their offer (10×42), the field of view of which remains the same at 98 m at 1000 m. Theoretically, the binoculars are capable of measuring a distance up to 5000 yards (4600 m).
What about the chassis? Anything new there?
The appearance of the binoculars remains the same, except for the extra buttons on the left side of the bridge. These buttons facilitate the use of the new functions. Vortex uses the same dark green colour for the housing, and the stripes on the sides of the barrels ensure a good grip.
Conclusion
We have been eagerly waiting for Vortex to introduce LRF-binoculars with an advanced ballistics calculator as this is the path towards the future in this field. With a price around 1600 €, the new Fury AB competes against Sig Sauer KILO3000BDX. These two are currently the most affordable LRF-binoculars on the market with such an advanced ballistics solution & smartphone app connectivity. As if this is not tempting enough, Vortex has you covered with their VIP warranty. The model without the ballistics calculator is expected to remain in Vortex’s offer with the same price of 1300 €.
