Today’s article is all about optics! While in many cases “the best gear” can be largely up to personal preference, we try our best to present the facts to help people make their choice. First though, here’s our top pick. We made this choice based on our own assessment, and from surveyed opinions of other gun enthusiasts across the web.
Editor’s Pick
Holosun
While there are people who love both sights, based on gun enthusiasts we surveyed, the Holosun is the most popular option. The reasons for this vary, but in short, it has to do with battery life and durability.
The holosun’s battery life far outperforms the vortex optics. Plus, these optics also have a really great auto shut off and wake feature which helps to conserve your battery life even further, AND a solar fail-safe!
These units also feature a super strong and light-weight titanium housing. Vortex uses aircraft-grade aluminum, which is still nice, but not titanium nice.
Holosun optics also have multiple reticle options, while the Vortex optics only have one option. It’s actually etched directly onto the prism, which they say provides consistent point-of-aim. However, that does limit your choices, and we prefer the HOLOSUN HS510C.
Not to mention the auto-brightness adjustment features which auto-assist you when moving from indoors to outdoors make this one a no-brainer. Holosun is clearly the superior optic.
What about customer service?
Okay, but what about customer service? Fortunately, both of these companies offer exceptional customer service. So, if you prefer the Vortex optics for whatever reason, there’s no issue there. You’ll find tons of stories online about both companies treating customers right.
However, where Vortex really shines in the warranty department. While Holosun will, of course, fix any products which fail under warranty. Vortex goes a step further.
Vortex has what they call an “unlimited” VIP warranty. This warranty covers pretty much any kind of damage you can think of, whether human, dog, house fire, or bear induced. The only thing it doesn’t seem to cover is theft and losing them. It’s even transferable to the next owner with no receipt if you sell your optics. That’s pretty awesome, and definitely a point for them.
Vortex vs Holosun Comparison Chart
| Holosun | Vortex | |
| Reticles? | 3 | 1 |
| Magnification? | 1x | 3x |
| Battery life? | Up to 50,000 hours | Up to 3,000 hours |
| Solar backup? | YES | NO |
| Auto-Light Adjust? | YES | NO |
| Sleep/Wake | YES | NO |
| Material? | Titanium | Aluminum |
| Warranty? | Limited – Lifetime | Unlimited VIP* |
| Check Price | Check Price |
In closing, while choosing a good optic is often about personal preference, the features of the Holosun are just too good to pass up. However, Vortex has a fantastic warranty, and that could very well impact your decision if you don’t need nor care about all the bells and whistles on the Holosun.
We do wish that the Vortex had more comparable battery life.. it’s just no contest in that department. Though realistically, it’s still a lot of hours, so it’s probably not that big of a deal when you think about it.
