Vortex Defender Red Dot Sight Review - 1 month in… will it hold up? 

Looks good. I’ll wait for version 2. Hopefully they will come out with a green dot option and reduced shake awake time. 14 hours is a bit much. Running Vortex PST Gen II 1-6 on my rifles. Love them. Well done video by the way. Thanks for sharing.

As a long time Vortex user, the 12-14 hr made sense with the push button. You push it once at the start of your shift and its good. Having a shake awake + 14 hr doesn't make sense. Am I missing something? I've worked with people on duty, most optics ride in a trunk or on your belt and will be moved constantly. When those people put it down it is to be off-shift or to sleep. Even when the 9 hour shift guy goes home, his optic doesn't move for 10-12 hr. avg. That means these guy's optics WILL NEVER GO OFF during a work week.

Had a vortex StrikeFire on my AR. Advertised for 5k hours of battery life. The thing was a BEAST and are still selling like hot cakes. Great warranty too

Best looking vortex dot for sure 👍😁

Just got mine. Love it !!! Hellcat OSP.

I just got one of these and i will say, its a very well built, rugged optic. Its also extremely bright on the highest settings, like really really bright. I also have a CT Rad Micro Pro and its not even comprable in brightness or build quality.

One of the best things about the firearm industry is that I can support Americans when buying. There are plenty of companies who haven’t sold out to Chinese manufacturing. I’ll continue to support businesses that support Americans.

I discovered a dead battery after just shy of two weeks of every day carry from out of the box. Hence my watching this video to see if others are experiencing the same issue. I will be sure to dim the brightness and enable auto shut off, after i replace the dead battery today.

One thing I really like about this optic is how the lens is protected by the frame. It is recessed considerably deeper than both RMR and Holosun open emitter optics. Some may not find this important or even notice, but this little feature fends off scratches when banging about as well as finger and palm prints when racking the slide. I've hardly any need to wipe the lens clean as opposed to any of my RMRs and Holosuns. Sometimes it's the little things that make a difference. My major complaint about the Vortex Defender is the wacko 14 hour shut off. WTF is up with that? Why not make it less than one hour or even better, adjustable? At 14 hours it's probably not going to shut off when I pick it up and wear it. I have Shake Awake on other optics which shut off within ten or so mintues of being set down. Pick'em up and they're always ready to go. 14 hours is practiically useless if you carry this optic regularly. Again, WTF Vortex? lol Ah well, perhaps in the next generation.

If Vortex wakes up and shortens the shut off time like Holosun they might get a little better battery life. That 14 hours shut down time is just a dumb idea on a shake to wake optic.

I've heard good things about Vortex Defender so definitely may be replacing my Swampfox Sentinel A which has surprised me with how well it works and I've dropped it onto floor and no problems except have to remove optic to replace battery which kinda sucks seeing all the zeroing in go down tubes .

0:03 Out of "SW Wisconsin"... You don't say!?! 😊 Might have guessed that!

Don't think you mentioned the lifetime warranty, no excuses. Thats hard to beat.

Was wondering about battery life span, I think 6months would be good as well. With it on the 43x is there a lot of overhang off the sides of the slide? Appreciate the video!

I bought one and sent it back. Those top front corners were too sharp. I hated racking the slide.

Is really like to know the back story of the auto off time. 14 hr makes no sense at all. Hell an hour makes no sense on a shake awake! There must be some sort of issue sourcing hardare to make the change because i cant think of any reason at all a 12-14hr time would make sense on any planet 😅

I got about 12 weeks of battery life on my Vortex ccw defender . There book says 9500 hours. But I only got about 2800 hours. May be my last Vortex red dot .

Didn't catch it but did you get the 3.5 moa or 6 moa?? And do you think this would be a good sight for a glock 19???

Can you do a direct mount on M&P Shield 9mm M2.0?

Is it worth selling my viper to buy the new sight?

Also cheaper and no adapter plate needed for g43x.

Good thing I don’t worry about battery life.

On the shield which screws did you use? I put on the shim and used the screws listed and was fine. Tonight 100 rounds and kept coming unloose.

Does the Shield Plus have a need for optics plates? How well does the optic zero?

Gen2 needed.

Does your led emitter have a lens protecting it or is it open to the elements? Mine has nothing protecting the led amd been meaning to contact vortex about it but always slips my mind.

who screwed up your shiplap wall?

How is the refresh rate when moving?

How’s the battery life

3 week battery life!?!? they say 9000 hours. thats 374 days. I don't see how that's possible unless it was a bad battery.

How would compare this to a holoson 507k