I didn’t feel guilty about not knowing of the Vortex brand before my very impressive product briefing, as this is its very first foray into the golf world. Previously, the family-run, Wisconsin-based optics company dealt only in the hunting game, but now they have added hunting birdies to their list of prey!
I have gotten my hands on its new family of golf rangefinders that includes the Blade, Blade Slope, and the subject of this review, the Anarch. Hoping to sit amongst the best golf rangefinders, the Anarch is the all-singing, all-dancing, hero model of the range and comes in a fairly punchy $599.99. The Blade retails for $299.99 and the Blade Slope is $399.99.
As with most of the top-end rangefinders, the box contains a carabiner clip, battery, and a smart cleaning cloth as well as a sturdy protective case, and obviously the rangefinder itself. On the front of the case, there is also a magnet to keep a ball marker on, which is a nice touch.
Out of the box, the rangefinder feels very sturdy and comes in at 9.2oz. The casing feels great to hold, with a nice bit of give to it, rather than a solid plastic feel that I find a bit off-putting in some rangefinders. The visual is nice and simple, although the Vortex logo is fairly large and prominent on both sides, and one or two of the Golf Monthly team did comment that they weren’t too keen on the choice of green for the ‘Measure’ button. For the record, I actually quite like it and think it provides a nice distinguishing feature.
In terms of the functionality, it is generally excellent. With 450 yards of flag detection range and up to 1400 yards of reflective range, the Vortex Anarch has all the power you could need. It’s also packed full of features including Pin Spotter mode, slope adjustment, cart magnet, and image stabilization among many, many more! I found it picked up the flag extremely easily and was excellent in the breezy conditions I was testing in. The slope adjustment feature is very clear and quick, standing up alongside any of the best rangefinders with slope technology.
The only real difference between the Anarch model and the Blade Slope is the image stabilization and the option to have a red display. I couldn’t put a dollar value on it, but the image stabilization feature does provide significant added value so justifies a price leap in my opinion. Then the only tangible difference between the Blade Slope and Blade models - as you can probably guess - is the slope function. Both of the other models tested extremely well too while I am on the topic and come at 6.5oz if you prefer something a little lighter.
The menu function provides good options, allowing you to scroll through and change from meters to yards, adjust the display according to your desired brightness, and turn the slope on and off as needed. I did however find it a little confusing and fiddly to navigate initially, needing to hold down the menu button for various amounts of time to either confirm a selection or move on to the next menu option. I find units with preset modes you can just scroll through a little more functional. That said, once you have done it a handful of times it’s relatively straightforward, and once you’ve got your desired settings, you’re unlikely to want to change too much anyway in my experience.
Overall, the Vortex Anarch is a really strong new rangefinder. Quick, accurate, and it feels exceptionally well built. The VIP Warranty is a very reassuring feature, and Vortex says that it will replace or repair your rangefinder, no questions asked should it become damaged at any point.
A really strong first entry into the market.
