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.

 

[bojangles808]

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.

eurooptic has a code for 15% off so its 850 right now

Vortex Razor HD 13-39x56mm Straight Spotting Scope w/Neoprene Case, Lens Covers, Lens Cloth RS-56S

FREE SHIPPING on Vortex Razor HD 13-39x56mm Straight Spotting Scope w/Neoprene Case, Lens Covers, Lens Cloth RS-56S

www.eurooptic.com

 

[hereinaz]

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.

I agree with everything.

I would add that I dont know any hunter around here that doesn’t use 12 or 15x binos to catch animals in the shadows or standing up to move. And, out past a mile. Spotters get pulled out after animals are spotted.

Did it just yesterday with a buddy, and I glassed up a buck at 2300 yards with 15s. We’ve spotted game at miles if they are out in the open and it’s light. Being in glass for 8 hours a day, the binos get the nod above a spotter for glassing, for field of view, for stereo vision.

That’s why I asked for use of the spotter.

 

[bojangles808]

I agree with everything.

I would add that I dont know any hunter around here that doesn’t use 12 or 15x binos to catch animals in the shadows or standing up to move. And, out past a mile. Spotters get pulled out after animals are spotted.

Did it just yesterday with a buddy, and I glassed up a buck at 2300 yards with 15s. We’ve spotted game at miles if they are out in the open and it’s light. Being in glass for 8 hours a day, the binos get the nod above a spotter for glassing, for field of view, for stereo vision.

That’s why I asked for use of the spotter.

any 15s you recommend that aren't nl pures? any underrated "budget" options or is it swaro or bust

 

[farmermail]

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.

Shhhh... mule deer never move during the day. Stay in camp, take a nap.

 

[hereinaz]

any 15s you recommend that aren't nl pures? any underrated "budget" options or is it swaro or bust

I buy used, so do a lot of my buddies. You can find 18 Razor UHD for close to $1000. And, with the rush to NL Pures, you can find some nice 15 SLC and SLC HD for between $1200-1500.

The difference between Vortex Kaibabs and the Razor are enough to justify more, IMO. But, I have friends that still run their Kaibabs and find game. They are not worthless, but big differences are in the low light edges of the day and when mirage is gnarly.

There are others like Leica, Maven, Meopta that others recommend, I just don’t know models. Rokslide reviews and threads help me.

 

[farmermail]

any 15s you recommend that aren't nl pures? any underrated "budget" options or is it swaro or bust

I have the Kiababs, work well for me. Gen1 version, so they were still budget, not sure what they cost nowadays.

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

@hereinaz have you handled the sig newest version stabilized 16x50s? I used them for the first time this November and it definitely has me rethinking my glass game but I've never been able to use them back to back with premium 15s.

 

[hereinaz]

@hereinaz have you handled the sig newest version stabilized 16x50s? I used them for the first time this November and it definitely has me rethinking my glass game but I've never been able to use them back to back with premium 15s.

I bought the 16s to try. They are amazing for quick handholding during daylight. I loved them for that. If I never stopped to use a tripod, I would find a use for them. The IS tech is very cool.

I really want IS and LRF with alpha glass in a package, lol.

They don’t compare to 15/18s on a tripod all day or in low light conditions.

The limitations are the objective size and money put into the electronics compared to glass.

They are two different products with some crossover.