Are rangefinding binos really that good?

[Antares]

You gotta send it in to get fixed don’t you? Which means that you are out Binos while it goes through the process.

Funny, and here I thought my wife was the only person who actually believed I only have one set of binos.

 

[SloppyJ]

@SloppyJ Have you used the gen 2's in the field?

I just got them a few weeks back. I've played with them in the field and hiking a bit but I haven't hunted with them yet since season isn't open yet.

Anything in particular you're interested in finding out?

 

[journeyman713]

When weighting the cost effectiveness for RF Binos, if in doubt - don't do it.
When you're ready, you won't have to ask. You'll know.

 

[eLightfoot]

I’ve had el range 10x42s since 2015, still going strong. Can’t imagine rifle hunting without them. The guys I hunt with are always asking me for ranges because it’s so easy and accurate having a 10x rangefinder on a tripod. I range everything to get references for the amount of land I’m glassing. I wouldn’t do any of that if it meant I had to pull out a handheld each time. When I’m spotting and someone misses a deer and it runs and stops, I’m immediately calling ranges for the shooter while staying on the deer.

 

[Reburn]

Funny, and here I thought my wife was the only person who actually believed I only have one set of binos.

My wife isnt nearly that dense.

 

[manitou1]

No. I have never been in a situation where my rangefinder cost me a shot. Plus if the rangefinder goes down, you are out binos as well.

The binos will still work without rf capabilities.

 

[ianpadron]

If they also have a ballistic calculator, then yes.

Have had a couple of situations where it was a bit of a circus getting binos/spotter/rangefinder/shooting app all doing what I needed them to do with an animal on the move at mid-long range

If I wasn't so obsessed with ultimate glass clarity I wouldn't think twice about just using RF binos 100% of rifle hunts.

 

[dirtytough]

The binos will still work without rf capabilities.

Hard to use them when they are at the repair shop.

I like rangefinding binos. But it’s hard to use binos that aren’t as good as 12NL’s after using the NL’s.

 

[waspocrew]

Apparently I'm a slow adopter as I haven't jumped on the train just yet. I've looked through the Revic's. They were nice, but I didn't find them super comfortable on my face. May need to look at some other brands as well.

I do like my Revic RF, but like the idea of consolidating to one single unit just for the sake of having one less thing to potentially lose in the field. I haven't had my RF cost me a shot (yet), but I do see the advantage.

 

[Antares]

My wife isnt nearly that dense.

There’s a difference between deception and discretion. I practice discretion.

 

[khuber84]

My first pair of RF binos were the zeiss victory RF 10X42. Great glass, equal to swaro, lil better than Leica(brighter more vibrant image). But the laser is so/so. Poor conditions 1k yards was all that it'd do, 1300y reliably in good conditions. Picked up a set of kilo 10k. Top level laser/ballistics, but mediocre glass and all that blue washed out a lot of detail, especially gray steel targets. I have the new vectronix vector-x on order, hope to have them next month. Supposedly these are the real deal. A few units are in the wild, and off a Tripod people have lazed stop signs at 3500-4k yards. The glass is very good, applied ballistics suite installed. The gen2 kilo 10k are good from all I've read as well. Most the blue is gone, but still some in R tube to make the display pop. Quick wind functions, they def made needed improvements. Having the ability to glass/range at same time is very convenient. I still carry my old kilo2400 lrf in my pack just in case the binos somehow go down, oh spare batteries for everything too.

 

[Reburn]

There’s a difference between deception and discretion. I practice discretion.

I perfer to just give my wife whatever she wants that way she doesn't care what I get myself because she doesnt feel like she is getting left out.

 

[Reburn]

My first pair of RF binos were the zeiss victory RF 10X42. Great glass, equal to swaro, lil better than Leica(brighter more vibrant image). But the laser is so/so. Poor conditions 1k yards was all that it'd do, 1300y reliably in good conditions. Picked up a set of kilo 10k. Top level laser/ballistics, but mediocre glass and all that blue washed out a lot of detail, especially gray steel targets. I have the new vectronix vector-x on order, hope to have them next month. Supposedly these are the real deal. A few units are in the wild, and off a Tripod people have lazed stop signs at 3500-4k yards. The glass is very good, applied ballistics suite installed. The gen2 kilo 10k are good from all I've read as well. Most the blue is gone, but still some in R tube to make the display pop. Quick wind functions, they def made needed improvements. Having the ability to glass/range at same time is very convenient. I still carry my old kilo2400 lrf in my pack just in case the binos somehow go down, oh spare batteries for everything too.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the vector-x.
I really like my zeiss optically but like you the laser is lacking a bit at 1k+ yards.

 

[khuber84]

I would love to hear your thoughts on the vector-x.
I really liek my zeiss optically but like you the laser is lacking a bit at 1k+ yards.

Most certainly will!

 

[woods89]

I've used a pair of Leica Geovid HD-B for 2 seasons now. I won't go back to a handheld for rifle hunting. For bow hunting I think a handheld is still the way.
I really like being able to range with binos locked on a tripod.
I hunted with my buddy for 8 days in CO last fall (scouting and hunting) and he was impressed enough to buy a new pair of Geovids.

 

[Shortschaf]

Had the kilo 3k binos for a couple years.
Upgraded recently to Leica 3200.com's

I have never owned a standalone rf for rifle hunting. I see no reason to ever do so

 

[mustelid_master]

I just got them a few weeks back. I've played with them in the field and hiking a bit but I haven't hunted with them yet since season isn't open yet.

Anything in particular you're interested in finding out?

I'm just curious about glass quality. Everyone says they are better than the gen 1's, but how do they compare to other options out there? Obviously not expecting alpha, but can they hang with the japanese glass?

 

[NSI]

Yes. One button click, one turret twist, and one re-find between observing the animal and killing it.

Time yourself and you’ll understand. Subjectivity is insidious.

-J

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

For rifle hunting, range finding binos have been one of the best additions to my hunting gear in a very long time.

These are still going strong…

Meopta Optika LR Range Finding Binoculars. 150 Field Day Review. Extreme Temp Tests.

I wanted to write up a quick review on an often overlooked option in the range finding binocular market. I purchased a pair of Meopta Optika LR range finding binoculars before last hunting season (2022). I bought the 8x50 model as it offered the largest field of view of any of the range...

rokslide.com

 

[Antares]

I perfer to just give my wife whatever she wants that way she doesn't care what I get myself because she doesnt feel like she is getting left out.

I’m just fooling around here. I don’t hide things from my wife. She supports my goofy hobbies as I do hers.