Preface
Prism sights are nothing new exactly, but they have certainly taken off in the last decade or so. When Trijicon brought the ACOG to the market, and it began showing up on military weapons, other manufacturers started paying attention. With their compact size and etched reticles, prism sights quickly became popular aided by their clarity and easy sight picture with magnification. One of the reasons they are so durable is because of their simple fixed magnification, some would also consider that a down sides of prisms. Today we are taking a look at one new option from Apex Optics, and this one carries a variable magnification feature. It also carries a few other feathers in its cap, so lets get into the Apex Optics Vapor 1-4×22 prism sight.
The Apex Optics Vapor Prism
The Apex Vapor is a variable zoom prism sight designed with CQB shooters in mind. Or maybe 3-gun if you are a civilian. With its 1 to 4 power zoom, it gives a great sight picture for those shooting fast and on the move. According to the manufacturer it provides unmatched clear magnification in a compact professional grade optic.
One of the main appeals of prism optics over a traditional LPVO is they eye box. Prisms have a more forgiving eye box that doesn’t require such a refine eye relief. This is ideal for someone who can go from shooting within the room to hundreds of yards downrange in the same engagement. And especially when lives are on the line.
The Vapor incorporates an adjustable diopter to focus the reticle, as well as a capped windage and elevation adjustment. The reticle is lit red by a variable rheostat on the left side, with 11 different brightness settings. The etched FIRE™ reticle has a fine aimpoint as well at a large ring for bracketing close targets. And for targets that are a bit further out, there are several holdover points on the reticle for corrective holdovers.
Specifications
| Magnification | 1–4× |
| Objective | 22 mm |
| Ocular Lens | 35 mm |
| Eye Relief | 3.64″ / 88 mm |
| Field of View @ 100 yd | 127.53 ft @ 1× / 34.94 ft @ 4× |
| Parallax | Fixed at 100 yd |
| Reticle | FIRE™ etched prism |
| Focal Plane | Second focal plane (SFP) |
| Adjustment | ½ MOA per click |
| Adjustment Range | 80 MOA |
| Clicks/Revolution | 60 |
| Length | 5.5″ / 140 mm |
| Weight | 13.9 oz optic only / 15.8 oz with mount |
| Body | 6061-T6 aluminum |
| Battery | CR2032 |
| Waterproof | IPX7 |
| Shock Rating | 1,000 G |
| Operating Temperature | −4°F to 140°F |
| Objective Coating | 7-layer proprietary coating |
| Glass | Japanese ED apochromatic glass |
| Light Transmission | 99.7% per lens |
| Mounting | RMR-pattern red-dot mounting capability |
And if all that wasn’t enough, the Vapor also incorporates a built-in piggyback option for your favorite RMR footprint red dot. Many short range combat weapons incorporate something similar to allow an up close zero parallax aiming option. Additionally Apex Optics offers a 45-degree mounting plate so you can add the red dot sight to the side of the Vapor if you don’t want it on top.
Mounting Solutions
Mounting the Vapor can be done a few different ways. There is a picatinny clamp option that uses several screws to clamp the foot of the optic to your rifle. They also have a QD option that allows you to clamp the optic in place, or remove it with a quick motion.
Additionally they have different heigh foot spacers that allow you to mount the Vapor in a high or low position to better fit your needs. After unboxing the Vapor, I took a few minutes to familiarize myself with these different options and swapped a few things around. I was surprised they even installed stub screws into the screw holes to prevent them getting damaged or filled with crud.
I also took a moment to mount the 45-degree red dot mounting plate with the provided fasteners. Since I had it, I installed an Apex Optics Atom red dot with its compatible RMR footprint.
On the Range
I would end up using the Apex Vapor on a few different rifles, all semi-automatic carbines. Various trips to the range. Shooting distances as close as 20 yards and as far away as 400 yards.
Optical Clarity
Even from the very first time I lifted the vapor to my eye, it was impressively clear. Prisms are usually impressively clear and sharp for their size, and the Vapor was no different. At all points in its magnification zoom, it looked fantastic with sharp detail.
Reticle
After shooting with the Apex, I did a little looking around on what others are saying. I was surprised to see how many people have a problem with the reticle, as I found it to be quite useful. People will always argue over minutiae and their preferences for subtensions and hold-over points.
I found the Fire reticle to be perfectly useful, with a typical large ring around the central portion of the reticle. This large ring creates a much smaller one when the Vapor is zoomed out to 1X, making a nice small point to put on your target while squeezing the trigger. And when zoomed-in, the large circle allows you something to bracket the target.
The various hold-over points on the lower elevation of the reticle give you repeatable marks to hold on your further targets. The indicated values in the manual are handy, but at the end of the day I just see where each point coincides with a given distance and keep those results tabulated.
Controls
The only significant controls on this optics are the zoom feature, and the brightness settings for the reticle. The brightness is similar to everything else you’ve ever tried, there are 11 settings with an off between them.
The zoom feature on the other hand is a bit unorthodox, with a throw lever attached to the magnification ring up front. It does feel a bit odd reaching to the front of the optic to adjust the magnification. But because its so small though, its not a far reach. I did find one thing that I wouldn’t call a problem, but felt weird. The throw of the lever is pretty short, and when it reaches the end of either end, there is a solid stop. So you don’t want to get too aggressive pressing on it.
Durability
Obviously time and use is the best way to test a products durability. While I fully plan on giving the Vapor a solid wringing out over the next year or so, that takes time. Fixed prism sights in general are tougher than variable magnification optics, but the Vapor itself is also variable. So it stands to reason that it might be less durable than a fixed prism sight. Time will tell.
Value
The Apex Vapor is not what I would consider an inexpensive optic, with an MSRP of $950 it is certainly not entry level either. Additionally, the Vapor has a relatively specific purpose, which makes purchasing the Vapor a very deliberate choice. If you are looking for a variable zoom prism though, there aren’t so many options.
Perhaps it would be somewhat comparable to evaluate it against a 1-4 power LPVO. Of which there are many options and you can probably get them for a lot less than the Apex Vapor. But a bunch of cheap 1-4 LPVO’s does not equate to what this optic offers you. In fact, comparing it to some of the nicer 1-4 LPVO’s like those from Steiner, Trijicon and Leupold would be a better comparison. The Vapor is cheaper than those options, and other than tactical style turrets it has many of the same benefits in a more compact sight.
There are a couple larger 4x and 5x prism sights from companies like Steiner and Burris, but they are fixed power. And depending on the model they might be only slightly cheaper.
Mounting Options
The Apex Vapor is available with a couple different spacers to change the optic height. Additionally you can get it with either a screw clamp foot or a QD foot. One can give you fast optic swap, and one is more compact and less likely to get snagged on your gear. Both of them give a solid interface with the host weapon.
Pros and Cons
| Compact Size | Costlier than Most Smaller Prism Sights |
| Sharp and Clear Image | |
| Very Usable Reticle | |
| QD Foot for Faster Install and Removal | |
| Short 45-Degree 1-4X Throw | |
| Easily Mounted Piggy-back Red Dot | |
| Tethered Caps That Double as Tools | |
| Etched Reticle |
Final Thoughts
I really quite like the Apex Optics Vapor. I’ve been on an LPVO kick for a few years now, and the Vapor’s size is refreshing while still bringing the sighting options. The images seen through the optic are fantastic and clean, and its factory piggy-back red dot options make it easy to pick. And Apex Optics thought through the Vapor, with variable mounting heights and QD mount. If you are considering a high quality 1-4 power sight for your carbine, it certainly is worth taking a look at before making your decision.