Best spotting scope?

[snakelk]

Another satisfied Meopta S2 owner here. I have both the 20-70x and 30-60x WA eyepieces. I've never looked through a Kowa, so I can't compare, but the S2 is the best spotter I've ever looked through. IMHO, the Meopta S2 is underrated to a degree, not getting near as much love as some other top notch spotting scopes. The 30x is not too high of a magnification to start at in my opinion. Going from 10x binocular to 30x wide angle with the S2, I've never had a problem finding the target, and that's with an angled eyepiece.

 

[Jimbob]

Brandon Optics - Canada Telescopes, Rifle Scopes, Binoculars, Spotting Scopes and Night Visions

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I have heard good things about both of those stores in Canada. Pelee has a best price in Canada gaurantee. Have not personally used them though.

You keep asking about where to put in your backpack but you should know the answer to that. How big is your backpack? Have you backpack hunted before? Have you carried a scope before?

If you are completely new to too backpack hunting then you can watch a bunch of videos on youtube about packing a bag. Some backpacks will have pockets on the side that guys put a scope in. Some guys will just put it in the main bag.

I have a cheap but well rated 15-45x65 scope right now. I was able to count rings on my ram from 300 yds away. For me I think my dream scope is the kowa 553. So lightweight but also so capable. If 45x allows me to count rings at 300 yds then that's pretty awesome and probably worth the weight savings. I hunt solo and far in so weight is pretty important. Also it would work for other hunts besides just trying to determine a legal sheep.

I could only imagine what it would be like to sit on a mountain behind a Kowa 883 or Swaro 95 atx though.

 

[sportsmans challenge]

https://www.rokslide.com/forums/rok...20-kowa-88-spotter-884-model.html#post1013278

 

[Elite]

Brandon Optics - Canada Telescopes, Rifle Scopes, Binoculars, Spotting Scopes and Night Visions

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I have heard good things about both of those stores in Canada. Pelee has a best price in Canada gaurantee. Have not personally used them though.

You keep asking about where to put in your backpack but you should know the answer to that. How big is your backpack? Have you backpack hunted before? Have you carried a scope before?

If you are completely new to too backpack hunting then you can watch a bunch of videos on youtube about packing a bag. Some backpacks will have pockets on the side that guys put a scope in. Some guys will just put it in the main bag.

I have a cheap but well rated 15-45x65 scope right now. I was able to count rings on my ram from 300 yds away. For me I think my dream scope is the kowa 553. So lightweight but also so capable. If 45x allows me to count rings at 300 yds then that's pretty awesome and probably worth the weight savings. I hunt solo and far in so weight is pretty important. Also it would work for other hunts then just trying to determine a legal sheep.

I could only imagine what it would be like to sit on a mountain behind a Kowa 883 or Swaro 95 atx though.

I have been on several sheep hunts and currently using a Bushnell legend ultra HD 12x36x50 so it is very light and small. But I find it leaves a lot to desired when judging sheep even ones that are close. I am also running a older MEC back pack which is already pretty full with gear. But I will be looking to upgrade the pack soon. So I was wondering if that scope fits in the scope pockets or how guys manage to fit that and gear and find room for meat?


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[JP100]

I have bought 3 spotters, which is a poor decision.

Around a year ago I went big and got the 95mm Swaro. It is the scope.

Everything is always compared to a swaro, I think there is a reason for that.
No one says the Swaro is just as good as the Kowa or lecia, its always the other way around.

For such a big purchase I would try and get your eyes behind some glass in the field, not a shop.

For me the 95mm was worth every cent and every gram. I will and have packed that thing on a 10 day pack hunt
I will cut weight elsewhere to make it fit.

If you want to judge sheep/goats where inches can mean legal or not you will save ALOT of time with a big scope.
Even next to a 85mm swaro there is a marked difference with the 95mm, which surprised me.

Once the sun goes down those little scopes loose out big time.

All depends on your usage though. Bigger scopes require bigger tripods generally so they can get heavy quick.

As for fitting it on a pack the kifaru scope pocket is the best thing oeur there. Even if you use a different pack id buy/get one made and get it fitted to the pack.

The new Swaro system is very versatile and has good resale as well. A 95mm and 65mm objectives would be a great combo to have. But its alot of $$$$$.

I should add I have never looked through a Kowa nor even seen one here.
Maybe they are the ticket to save some $$, I don't know.

Take your time with the choice, and try and get some eyes behind glass.

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[Shrek]

Thanks for the comparison of the two I haven’t really looked into the S2 due to the eye piece starting at 30x? This seems very high to me. Any issues finding the target when starting this high of zoom? I will be using it around home also so don’t alway need to see for miles all the time


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You will not have any issues finding animals with the 30-60 wide eyepiece on the Meopta S2. It really is a great scope and what I’d own if I didn’t have an ATX 95. If my Meopta S2 hadn’t been a straight body I’d probably still own it and not the ATX 95. Like I mentioned earlier and JP100 just said the Meopta and the Swaro’s coatings make animals “pop”. It’s a big deal to me as it makes spotting things like deer lying in grass much easier.

 

[Jsunkler]

I haven’t found a review anywhere online that says the Swarovski beats the kowa 883. It’s not all about the name sometimes .


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While I totally agree its not always about the name, my opinion is based off of growing up behind Swarovski glass. I have spent an untold amount of hours aging Chamois in the high alpine of Austria to determine which class of trophy they fall into. I have used other brands of spotters that struggled to assess age rings. My comment was solely my first hand experience. I use an 80mm and it fits perfectly in my scope sleeve in my pack here in the US and in the main compartment of my traditional Austrian bag over seas.

If I were going to replace my current spotter, it would be another Swarovski. Just my personal preference and it is what I am confident in. That's 99% of the gear game in my opinion: being confident in your gear.

In addition, the warranty and customer service they provide is bar none. I have sent binos, spotters, and rifle scopes back for maintenance/work/modifications and the cost/quality of the product returned is always above my expectations.

 

[Jimbob]

I have been on several sheep hunts and currently using a Bushnell legend ultra HD 12x36x50 so it is very light and small. But I find it leaves a lot to desired when judging sheep even ones that are close. I am also running a older MEC back pack which is already pretty full with gear. But I will be looking to upgrade the pack soon. So I was wondering if that scope fits in the scope pockets or how guys manage to fit that and gear and find room for meat?


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Buy a large scope and you are also upgrading to a bigger pack and a bigger tripod. It seems like all the major backpack manufactures have pockets big enough to fit the large scopes. In most videos about the packs you will here them say "you can fit an 80mm scope in this side pocket". I packed out a stone sheep solo (with 7 days of food still left that I didn't dump) this year and I could have fit a larger scope where my smaller one was (in a side pocket).

I thought long and hard and asked everywhere on the large vs small scope last year and the consensus was:

- some guys love the large scopes and don't mind the bulk and weight because it saves walking (judging accurately from further distance)

- some guys feel like the 65mm scope is good enough

There was no clear winner in either of those camps just what worked for each guy. So you have to decide what will work for you.

 

[Elite]

Buy a large scope and you are also upgrading to a bigger pack and a bigger tripod. It seems like all the major backpack manufactures have pockets big enough to fit the large scopes. In most videos about the packs you will here them say "you can fit an 80mm scope in this side pocket". I packed out a stone sheep solo (with 7 days of food still left that I didn't dump) this year and I could have fit a larger scope where my smaller one was (in a side pocket).

I thought long and hard and asked everywhere on the large vs small scope last year and the consensus was:

- some guys love the large scopes and don't mind the bulk and weight because it saves walking (judging accurately from further distance)

- some guys feel like the 65mm scope is good enough

There was no clear winner in either of those camps just what worked for each guy. So you have to decide what will work for you.

What size did you end up buying ?


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[Muley Buck]

I haven’t found a review anywhere online that says the Swarovski beats the kowa 883. It’s not all about the name sometimes .


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You're right. It's not all about the name sometimes. It's also not always all about the glass either. My point being, lets just say glass is equal in the Swaro and the Kowa. Consider build quality and design for the scopes intended uses. I'm not using mine "off the back deck", It gets thrown in the pack and goes to the hills. I believe that the Swaro is specifically built for the rigors of mountain hunting and to operate flawlessly under those conditions. Thats worth a lot to me! Combined with the amazing customer service and resale value it retains, its an easy choice for me. I haven't packed a Kowa before but have had the opportunity to gaze through a few of them. They DO have awesome glass. Just not the scope I want to take to the mountains and hunt with. The only exception to that is(for ounce counting purposes)the Kowa TSN 550, that is an unreal piece of glass in a very packable, very light weight package. Just make sure you get what YOU want out of a scope.

 

[frazierw]

You're right. It's not all about the name sometimes. It's also not always all about the glass either. My point being, lets just say glass is equal in the Swaro and the Kowa. Consider build quality and design for the scopes intended uses. I'm not using mine "off the back deck", It gets thrown in the pack and goes to the hills. I believe that the Swaro is specifically built for the rigors of mountain hunting and to operate flawlessly under those conditions. Thats worth a lot to me! Combined with the amazing customer service and resale value it retains, its an easy choice for me. I haven't packed a Kowa before but have had the opportunity to gaze through a few of them. They DO have awesome glass. Just not the scope I want to take to the mountains and hunt with. The only exception to that is(for ounce counting purposes)the Kowa TSN 550, that is an unreal piece of glass in a very packable, very light weight package. Just make sure you get what YOU want out of a scope.

What is it about the Kowa that you didnt like, compared to the swarovski?

 

[realunlucky]

What is it about the Kowa that you didnt like, compared to the swarovski?

Kowa don't have any armor on them

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[Elite]

So even with the fitted case on a kowa? It’s not suitable for hunting purposes? Would like to know if there is durability issues with them before buying?


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[sneaky]

What is it about the Kowa that you didnt like, compared to the swarovski?

99/100 times they will say the lack of a rubberized coating on the Kowa. His response might be different, but that's usually the sticking point. I keep my scope in a stay on case, no matter the brand, so it's a moot point to me.

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[sneaky]

See, told you. I haven't seen a scope yet, rubber "armor" or not, that survives if you drop it. Period. Not a single damn one. I'm curious why it's even an issue, i'm buying a scope for the glass, not a rubber coating. At the end of the day, buy the scope that YOUR eyes likes the best. It just seems that with the multiple threads you have on the subject that you are trying to talk yourself out of spending the money.

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[Muley Buck]

I do not prefer the hard body on the Kowa. Although I do like the function of the focus on the Kowa it doesn't lend itself to a sleek design that I prefer to throw in and out of a pack multiple times a day. Probably not an issue, but because the focus knob protrudes from the scope it may present an issue if hit or dropped. Not saying that it would break. Just something I dont like that's all.

 

[realunlucky]

See, told you. I haven't seen a scope yet, rubber "armor" or not, that survives if you drop it. Period. Not a single damn one. I'm curious why it's even an issue, i'm buying a scope for the glass, not a rubber coating. At the end of the day, buy the scope that YOUR eyes likes the best. It just seems that with the multiple threads you have on the subject that you are trying to talk yourself out of spending the money.

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Can you send your scope back to kowa and have it serviced? Will they do lens replacements? Just curious you never hear anything about kowa customer service

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[Muley Buck]

So even with the fitted case on a kowa? It’s not suitable for hunting purposes? Would like to know if there is durability issues with them before buying?


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I'm sure it's plenty suitable for hunting purposes. Just not MY intents and purposes. Bottom line, I feel more comfortable with the Swaro and my mind is at ease in the woods with it.

 

[frazierw]

My scope doesnt leave the soft case, would be the same thing if i had the swaro.... i have had 0, issues with mine, and i backpack it in every time i use it. its been on elk hunts, deer hunts, goat hunts, etc. it comes in and out of the pack multiple times a day, and i have never had an issue. as for replacements, i have called them with questions a few times and had great experiences with their over the phone customer service, but i cant speak on what they will do physically with a scope.

 

[Elite]

See, told you. I haven't seen a scope yet, rubber "armor" or not, that survives if you drop it. Period. Not a single damn one. I'm curious why it's even an issue, i'm buying a scope for the glass, not a rubber coating. At the end of the day, buy the scope that YOUR eyes likes the best. It just seems that with the multiple threads you have on the subject that you are trying to talk yourself out of spending the money.

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Thanks for the input.. I feel the fitted case would help with scratches just as well as a rubber armour. I’m not trying to talk myself out of it. Just trying to make a educated expensive purchase


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