Athlon Argos Vs. Vortex Diamondback Spotting Scope (2024)

Spotting scopes are a hunter’s dream. But you’ll need a good scope for clear visuals. Athlon’s Argos and Vortex’s Diamondback are two top choices for this.

Argos is clearer in long-distance, has thicker reticle lines, and is pricier. Diamondback is clearer in a short distance, has thinner reticle lines, and is more affordable.

A hunter is as good as his spotting scope. This is why getting a good one is important. Argos and Diamondback are popular choices, but which one should you pick?

Here is a comparison to help you decide.

A Quick Summary of the Comparison

Feature	Athlon Argos	Vortex Diamondback
Build	Fewer variations, heavier, extra features	More variations, lighter, fewer features
Visuals	Long-distance, crispier, thicker reticle lines	Short-distance, less crispy, thin reticle lines
Price	Pricier	More affordable

And that’s the gist of the whole thing. Keep reading below for the detailed breakdown.

Key Differences Between Athlon Argos And Vortex Diamondback

For spotting scopes, the higher you aim the better. But if you’re looking for something to go by, spending more may not be an option.

This is where affordable options like Athlon Argos and Vortex Diamondback come in.

Both of these scopes are amazing. The little difference between them is in their build, visuals, and price. Here’s how these work out for both spotting scopes.

• Build

Both spotting scopes have a similar build.

Argos is a little heavier and comes with fewer variants.

It has some extra features that Diamondback doesn’t.

Diamondback is lighter and has more options, but is less durable.

Athlon’s Argos is nowhere near its upgrade Cronus, but it is a pretty decent scope. Argos only comes in 20-60×85 options.

You can get it with a straight build or go for the 45 degrees angled one. Either way, the field of vision will be pretty close. The turrets are amazing and more stable than diamondback.

Argos also comes with the zero-stop feature. You don’t have to use that for better performance.

But if you do, Argos got you. The scopes are slightly heavier (around 70oz) but that won’t affect your visuals.

Diamondback has more magnification options than Argos. It comes in both 16-48×65 and 20-60×85 options.

And you can get angled or straight scopes for both ranges. The field of vision is wider than Argos and they’re also lighter.

But the turrets on Diamondback can be a little stuffy. It also doesn’t have any zero-stop feature.

Also Read: Differences Between MagnetoSpeed And LabRadar Chronographs.

• Visuals

Argos scopes have thicker reticular lines and they work pretty well for distance. Diamondback on the other hand has thinner reticular lines but loses its clarity a little in the high magnification range.

Argos scopes might have a narrower field of vision, but they make up for it with how crisp the visuals are.

Images are very clear in high magnification range and it works really smoothly in bright light. So if you’re looking for a distance spotting scope, you got Argos.

Argos has a little dot in the middle in cross-hair. The thicker reticular lines and the dot demands a little extra attention, but it doesn’t bring the visuals down.

Diamondback on the other hand is better for close-range views. The 16-48×65 is good for short-distance visuals.

The 20-60×85 is good in low magnification ranges, but it starts becoming dull when the range pushes up. The reticular lines are thinner compared to Argos though.

In cross-hair, the reticular lines and everything else disappears from the scope. So you can have a better view of what you’re looking at.

But the dullness of the images kind of counters that. Then there is the issue of bright light. Diamondback has bad chromatic aberration in bright light. So frankly, your visuals will be a little limited.

• Price

Both scopes are in a similar price range, but there is a little difference. Athlon Argos is pricier than Diamondback.

It can go up to $500 depending on your buying platform. But the good thing is, these are upgraded as generations so you can expect frequent sales.

Diamondback on the other hand is a true budget option. The price tag stands at $400 depending on your platform. You may not get frequent sales, but the price is good enough so you won’t have to wait for one in the first place.

Which Spotting Scope Should You Go With?

Well, here comes the hard part. Both spotting scopes are top-notch.

And as you know by now, they’re really close in every other department too.

Comparing these two is hard enough, picking one is even harder.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t pick.

With how close they are, things will come down to your preference more than anything.

And if you want an objective approach, you can do a little pros and cons calculation.

If you can splurge a little and want crispier visuals, Argos is the one for you. This spotting scope has better quality glass, is good in higher magnification range, and comes in two variants.

It might be slightly heavier than the Diamondback but it also has less distorted visuals in light.

If you want something affordable but don’t want to compromise on quality, Vortex Diamondback is the best you’ll find out there.

This scope has more variants, is lighter, and has a bigger eye relief. The field of view is wider but the visuals get a little dull in the higher magnification range.

The biggest issue with Diamondback is the chromatic aberration in bright light. If you can look past that, Diamondback is as good as any.

Overall, Athlon Argos is the better choice here. But if you want a bigger eye relief or a more affordable option, Vortex Diamondback is a good one to try.

Also Read: Is Vortex Diamondback Better Than Leupold Binocular?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Final Verdict

Both the Argos and Diamondback are really good as budget scope options. Since they’re really close in every department, the answer to Athlon Argos or Vortex Diamondback spotting scope debate will completely depend on you.

Sure, the Athlon Argos is the better choice objectively but your shooting type can change that answer.