Backpacking Spotter

[ja22319]

Looking for suggestions for a entry level backpacking spotter

 

[GunsAreFun]

Nikon ED50 with the 27x lens on eBay.

 

[hereinaz]

Budget and use?

 

[jimh406]

I'm not sure what you are calling entry level, but a Vortex Razor 13-39 can be had for about $900 on sale. They are available in angled and straight.

Btw, there are a few comparisons on YouTube by different people.

 

[ja22319]

Thanks I will look that direction!

 

[ja22319]

Budget and use?

Around $850 and high country muley hunting

 

[NeedleCrook]

For that price, that mini razor is probably your best bet. Larger objective lenses, even 65, you’ll want to spend more or not bother.

 

[hereinaz]

For that price, that mini razor is probably your best bet. Larger objective lenses, even 65, you’ll want to spend more or not bother.

True, IMO, you are better off putting the money into better binoculars and tripod than a small “inexpensive” spotter. Alpha glass like swaro 15s or really nice 18razor UHD can see more clearly.

There is no spotter in the $850 price range worth packing into the backcountry. If you buy, definitely buy used at that price range to get more for the money.

If you can wait and swing 1200 or so for the Kowa 553/554 Prominar, they are light and have fantastic clarity.

Edit: I say that based on personal experience buying them and experience of friends buying and then not being satisfied with spotters over what they can see with 15s.

There are many who really like their spotters, but we use glass a lot in AZ for spotting game. After few days, it becomes more obvious what glass is useful for spotting and judging game.

Had one friend arguing his diamondbacks were fine and we wasted money on Swaro. Then, he literally saw the light…

 

[TheHammer]

The compact razor works really well imo for the price. Packs easy, doesn’t take up a bunch of space and the weight is minimal.

 

[TaperPin]

We all have different preferences - 30x is easy to use, and gives up very little to higher magnifications for picking apart hillsides, at least where and how I hunt mulies. Looking across the drainage at high power at animals that aren’t really huntable doesn’t help. I’ve hunted with guys spending way too much time looking too far away, ignoring huntable hillsides holding deer right in front of us.

First and last light I’m glued to binoculars, not the spotter, so perfect low light performance doesn’t matter much to me.

Unless it’s being left at camp, I like a light weight scope above all else.

I’d buy a used scope, use it a year, sell it and buy the one that fits how you like to use it.

I’ve used a Leupold 30x60mm next to guys with heavier nicer scopes and even now that I can afford top glass, I’m happy sticking with the old gold ring spotter. It’s extra fun when I pick out an animal with a $200 scope the $3k scope misses.

Edit: This thread reminded me to check eBay for another 30x60 Gold Ring as a back up to keep in the truck (these are vintage and won’t live forever), and there was one - shipped for under $200.

 

[NeedleCrook]

True, IMO, you are better off putting the money into better binoculars and tripod than a small “inexpensive” spotter. Alpha glass like swaro 15s or really nice 18razor UHD can see more clearly.

There is no spotter in the $850 price range worth packing into the backcountry. If you buy, definitely buy used at that price range to get more for the money.

If you can wait and swing 1200 or so for the Kowa 553/554 Prominar, they are light and have fantastic clarity.

Edit: I say that based on personal experience buying them and experience of friends buying and then not being satisfied with spotters over what they can see with 15s.

There are many who really like their spotters, but we use glass a lot in AZ for spotting game. After few days, it becomes more obvious what glass is useful for spotting and judging game.

Had one friend arguing his diamondbacks were fine and we wasted money on Swaro. Then, he literally saw the light…

I definitely agree about the binos and tripod. Not reason to even look at spotters until your binos and tripod are up to par.

I currently have a stc and stx 85, and have no love for vortex, but I have seen some pretty favorable reviews for that vortex 56mm spotter.

 

[TaperPin]

Mulies stand up around mid day to stretch, pee, think to themselves what a nice view it is, and lay back down. This is prime spotting scope time - some great deer are spotted mid day a mile away, that 10x binoculars aren’t going to see. One big buck spotted this way two decades ago with my cheap spotter is proof enough to me for a lifetime of deer hunting that any spotter is better than no spotter, regardless of the name on the binoculars.