Huntin_GI
WKR
I recently puled the trigger on the Athlon Cronus G2 20-60x86mm spotter. I wanted to give it a few days to devlop an opinion and here are my early impressions not that they are worth much but as of now there are hardly any real world reviews.
Whats in the box?
Spotter
Now back to the spotter.
Physical Attributes
You can buy smaller/lighter spotters. You can demand optics with small glass out front to perform incredibly well. What you can not do is deny physics and try to push more light through a smaller objective. That's where this unit is going to shine.
Whats in the box?
Spotter
This thing is stamped made in China. Not much one can do about this fact but recognizing Athlon's intention is to price Optics very competetivley, this is expected. The spotter is well packaged with high denisty foam. This box does inspire me to keep even as my wife groans that I should just throw it away.
CaseI low key hate it. Its not a form fitted case but its like there was an attempt to make it a leave on product. A front cap zipper, a lower arca plate access zipper, and a full length zipper thats supposed to allow the case to fold back in someway and connect via some cheap velcro... Not even kinda impressed.
CoversNot much to say here. Both ends offer lens covers. The eye piece cover is a rubber cup design that slips over the front element. Seems like it should remain in place. Front element cover is also rubber with a tongue and groove attachment style. Pulls off if you attempt to slide the spotter from the aforementioned case. I have little doubt that both will end up lost on thier first hunt.
Now back to the spotter.
Physical Attributes
This thing is big. That's to be expected when you order a 76oz spotter with an 86mm front objective. This built-in extendable shade is a nice touch. I am a big fan of the built-in Arca compatibility. The eye cup is smooth but I feel like it could use a bit more extension. I don't think the tensions on the eye cup are enough to keep it from moving if this thing is riding in a tightly packed bag. The zoom adjustment is a bit looser than I would like but I will admit, coming from Maven binos, I like my adjustments tight. 
The focus wheel. Full-disclosure. I liked the previous design which included both a coarse/fine focus knob but only in theory as I didn't own the previous generation. Couple that with every video from shot-show pumping the tires on their "finely geared focus ring" made me expect lack luster results. I WAS WRONG. I'll get more into clarity in a bit but I have been very happy with this focus ring.
Glassing SetupI had the spotter setup on a Slik 833 at 70% of full extension, with an Arctis 52mm ball head, and light winds. We were glassing from 300 yards out to 3-5 miles. Starting within 1 hour of sunset.
Optical Impressions20-30x It does have the tunnel effect. The tunnel effect is much more pronounced at 20x than 30x but present all the same. Around 30x you start to fill the optic and it is way less noticeable. Tack sharp clarity. Very minimal chromatic distortion. Straight lines with 0 edge distortion. True colors without the Vortex washout that I have come to expect anytime I look through a Vortex.
30-50x This thing starts to shine. Excellent clarity. Tack Sharp. That finely tuned focus wheel I mentioned early really did what they claimed it would do. When looking at layered cover, a nice slow roll of the wheel and you could see the depth of field adjust. We were dealing with some heat waves which isnt the fault of the optic. Again, straight edges and lines maintained shape and definition through this range. Our quarry of choice was cattle at around a mile. Still very identifiable. Still bright.
50-60x I am still impressed. At this point, you can see some chromatic distortion if you create a hard lighting scenario. Think back lit at last bit of shooting light. It's still clear. Edge to edge may see some deterioration but overall, it's still an acceptable level of performance.
Last light
As we keep watch as the light waned, I kept thinking, this thing is still bright. As we crossed the 20mins post sunset, you began to lose the multi-mile viewing but out to 1500 yards, we were able to still identify items reasonably especially as you moved into the 25-35x range.
Negative thoughtsThe tunnel effect is mildly annoying. I would like a little more adjustment in the eyecup to adjust outward so I could lean into the optic as opposed to hovering to get the "full" image. Crappy case.
SynopsisDo we have a resolution chart? No. Are we setting up multiple spotters and comparing them side by side? No. Did we conclude this spotter would do everything you would expect out of a spotter and be capable of doing whatever you throw in front of it 96% or more of the time? Yes. Overwhelmingly yes.
You can buy smaller/lighter spotters. You can demand optics with small glass out front to perform incredibly well. What you can not do is deny physics and try to push more light through a smaller objective. That's where this unit is going to shine.
Are you a user who wants a good bright, clear image until the last mins of light? Are you willing to carry extra weight in your pack to ensure that brightness? Do you want the best "value" for your dollar?
If you answered yes to all three of those questions, I have very little hesitation recommending this optic. Are you a doctor with money burning a hole in your pocket or a professional outfitter guiding sheep in Alaska? If so, this may not be the glass for you.
