With the touch of a button, a hunter can look through the lens of the rangefinder and instantly recognize the distance of game. It helps even more if the rangefinder is simple to use and if the buttons are easy to reach, like the Diamondback HD 2000, Viper, or perhaps Crossfire HD 1400 – which has the leading role in this article.
Appearance & Design
As mentioned above, this Vortex is perfect for your hunting gear, as it is simple to use – there is the measure button on top and the menu button on the side. If you happen to run out of luck and out of battery power on the field, you simply unscrew the cap and put a new CR2 battery inside. Crossfire HD is small and lightweight (136 g), so it will not add additional weight to your gear. This HD 1400 also has a polymer chassis and is waterproof, as well as shockproof.
Optical Properties
The HD optical system magnifies your image 5x, which is an adequate feature, along with the illuminated red OLED display. The new Vortex device gives its users the option of changing the readings from yards to meters. If you are wondering what the maximum capable distance for ranging is, you have come to the right place. The maximum distance on reflective targets is 1280 m and the minimum is 4.6 m. For trees, the distance is 869 m, and 686 m for deer.
Scan Mode
If you press the measure button once, you aim at the target you want to get a range on, but if you press and hold the measure button, you activate scan mode, where the optical device measures the distance continuously. Scan mode is beneficial for panning, as the device provides a reading each second (the frequency depends on the model). This comes in handy especially when on the hunt for moving targets, like deer.
Vortex Crossfire 1400 LRF (source: Vortex Optics)
LOS or HCD?
With the device, Vortex offers two different ranging modes, namely:
- LOS, which is also called ‘line of sight mode’. This mode provides a straight-line distance from the rangefinder to the target that you are aiming at. The second one is
- HCD, which is also called ‘horizontal component distance mode’. This is an angle compensated mode, so you can account for steep angles if you find yourself e.g., on a tree stand or on a hill, and it is also great for archery.
HCD Vortex Crossfire 1400 LRF (Source: Vortex)
Target Modes
Whether you enjoy hunting, or perhaps archery, the 3 target modes will help you shoot better:
- Normal mode/default mode (the distance for the strongest reception the rangefinder got back from the laser)
- First mode (the distance for the closest object)
- Last mode (the distance for the object farthest away)
HD 1400 Accessories
- soft carrying case
- wrist lanyard
- bungee cord lanyard
- lens cleaning cloth
- CR2 battery
Technical Specifications
| Vortex Crossfire HD 1400 Laser Rangefinder | |
| Magnification: | 5x |
| Maximal range: | 1280 m (reflective surface)
869 m (tree) 686 m (deer) |
| Maximal angle reading: | +/- 89 ° |
| Field of view: | 122.3 m/1000 m |
| Size (length x height x width): | 101.6 mm x 73.5 mm x 33 mm |
| Weight: | 136 g |
| Battery: | CR2 |
| Warranty: | VIP lifetime warranty |
The New Crossfire HD 1400
Users need hunting gear that is reliable, and even though we have not yet had the chance to test this HD 1400 on the field yet, we believe it will get many plus points. For this laser rangefinder, Vortex Optics offers their Vortex VIP lifetime warranty (including electronics), and the device can appear at your doorstep for a price of 359 €.
Similar Product – Leupold RX-Fulldraw 3 with DNA Laser Rangefinder
If your heart is not completely set on this Vortex, you can also check out similar products, one of them being this Leupold RX-Fulldraw 3. Like the HD 1400, this rangefinder is also intended for hunting and archery. The maximal range for detecting reflective targets with Vortex is 1280 m, for trees 869 m, and for deer 686 m, while with Leupold, the maximal range for detecting reflecting targets is 1189 m, for trees 914 m, and for deer 823 m. While Leupold is sold for 379 €, the 1400 laser rangefinder is sold for 359 €.
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