Best rangefinder brand for longevity????

[Tod osier]

Buying electronics that don't last just grinds my gears (in all aspects of life). I'm looking for rangefinder - simple and fast and optimized for archery and mid range rifle work. (I haven't used one that pairs with a phone for ballistics, so I may not know what I'm missing, but that isn't needed at this point.)

This rangefinder is replacing a Sig KILO 2000 (that I really liked and suited my needs), but the auto brightness / display crapped out at 5 years and a couple months.

I have a new in box unopened Sig Sauer Kilo5K that I haven't tried yet and I'm wondering if there is something better as far as longevity and performance. Leica seems like they might fit this niche, but I'm also seeing that the new mid priced models have a janky angular range feature in that they display the straight line range then they give you the corrected horizontal range after..

 

[handwerk]

Leica would get my vote

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Leica

 

[elkguide]

I've been very happy with my Maven.

 

[SomeJackassOnAForum]

The best rangefinder for longevity is a mil reticle and the ability to use it.

Every rangefinder made 20 years ago is obsolete. The 10 year old ones are becoming obsolete.

 

[cornstalker]

I have been using a Leica 1600b since 2016/2017. It has been very reliable.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

The best rangefinder for longevity is a mil reticle and the ability to use it.

Every rangefinder made 20 years ago is obsolete. The 10 year old ones are becoming obsolete.

I have a bushnell that’s 20 years old, still ranges everything 0-500 and does angle comp, my dad still uses it. My Leica is going on 10, works like new.

I think it depends on what you want from a rangefinder. If you simply want ranges, a Leica will never go “obsolete”. If you want the latest and greatest, programable, Bluetooth, then yea, I don’t see that lasting or staying relevant. Sig seems to be at the forefront of that, and the longevity of those does not seem great.

 

[mainbeam pursuit2]

I have a Leica 1200 that's still going strong.

 

[Shortschaf]

Depending on how you term "longevity", a Vortex might be the best option

The unit might crap out every 5 years just like your Sig, but you would be able to immediately get it replaced for free at any time via their warranty

Everything of theirs I've seen has been as good as the Sig counterpart. I'm not a big warranty guy, but when it comes to electronics it's hard to look past it.

ETA: I stand by everything I say above... but I do use a Leica RF ha

 

[Tod osier]

Depending on how you term "longevity", a Vortex might be the best option

The unit might crap out every 5 years just like your Sig, but you would be able to immediately get it replaced for free at any time via their warranty

Everything of theirs I've seen has been as good as the Sig counterpart. I'm not a big warranty guy, but when it comes to electronics it's hard to look past it.

Excellent point, I appreciate that. I normally steer away from Vortex, but if the electronics are covered in their electro optics, that is a selling point for me.

I have several out of date rangefinders that still work that I use for various purposes that I wouldn't use for hunting anymore. An old junker works perfectly well to range ground squirrels around the house or to set up an archery target. A rangefinder with a dead display is only useful for a paperweight.

 

[fatlander]

Leupold RX-1600 has been okay by me. I get about 5 years out of a unit then it’s replaced at a cheaper than new cost. Every now and then the unit just won’t work. I’ll have to pull the battery out and it fires right back up.

If I had to do it over again, I’d buy a leica. The next time my leupold takes a dump, I might just go that route anyway.

Was really hoping the little swaro 32mm el ranges would have better executed than they are. The reviews on them are less than stellar.


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[CM]

I bought a used Leica 1200 in 2012ish and used it until about 2020 when I upgraded to a Leica 2700-B, neither gave me any issues. I sold the 1200 to a friend and it's still going strong.

I don't think they are quite as feature rich for archery as some of the other brands. For archery hunting I put the 2700-B in EHr mode (equivalent horizontal range) and that has worked great, I mostly just dabble with archery though.

For rifle shooting I've used the solver in the 2700-B and it tracks with the Shooter app and Kestrel to 1000. The newer units have blue-tooth, the 2700-B uses an SD-card to load custom ballistics. It bothered me at first, but I don't mind it at all now, I just have to make sure I have the right card loaded at the beginning of the hunt and I don't worry about it. My only complaint is I wish it would display a 5 or 10mph wind adjustment in addition to the hold-over.

 

[ddowning]

If you buy vortex, they will warranty it forever. Probably not the "best" products for the money, but if they are workable, the company takes very good care of their customers in my experience.

 

[Bater]

Leica for me

 

[bojangles808]

Depending on how you term "longevity", a Vortex might be the best option

The unit might crap out every 5 years just like your Sig, but you would be able to immediately get it replaced for free at any time via their warranty

Everything of theirs I've seen has been as good as the Sig counterpart. I'm not a big warranty guy, but when it comes to electronics it's hard to look past it.

this is why i ended up with a ranger 1800. i think ive changed the battery once over the last 4 years, still works well. electronics are gonna crap out eventually might as well get the one that you'll get a new one for when it does break. i just picked upsome fury hd 5000 rf binos too for the same exact reason i looked at the leica geivod rs but not the greatest feedback out there about leica cs.

 

[Shortschaf]

this is why i ended up with a ranger 1800. i think ive changed the battery once over the last 4 years, still works well. electronics are gonna crap out eventually might as well get the one that you'll get a new one for when it does break. i just picked upsome fury hd 5000 rf binos too for the same exact reason i looked at the leica geivod rs but not the greatest feedback out there about leica cs.

I recently underwent a similar exercise for rf binos. I got the leica 3200.com's for the better glass.

But the rf is not as good as Vortex. Nor is the warranty. Optical quality is very important to me, but hope I didnt make the wrong choice

 

[roadrunner]

Have had a Leica 1200 since 2007. Back then, it was about the fastest on the market.

Also have a Sig going on 3 years now, hasn't failed yet.

 

[Kurts86]

Leica would probably win for longevity.

In reality rangefinders seem to be evolving fast enough that every 3-5 years you can spend less money than before and get more distance and features. I went down this path a few years ago, I wanted to buy a Leica but realized the Sig’s range circles around Leica for less money.

I have yet to have a rangefinder truly break but they seem to degrade minimum and maximum ranging capability and battery life seems to shorten.

 

[coloradodrifter]

Been using a Leica 1600b for 7-8 years and has never gave me a problem.

 

[elkguide]

Really enjoying my Maven. Been through a bunch over the years and the next best one that I had, surprisingly enough, was a Nikon.