Bino & Rangefinder to Range-finding bino's

CMF

WKR
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May 8, 2019
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Mississippi
Posting on the archery forum, because I'd like to hear opinions from archery hunters. I currently use vortex diamondback 8x42 binos and an Impact rangefinder. I'm considering the GPO Rangeguide 8x42 as soon as the budget allows.

Who's made the switch from Bino/rangefinder to rangefinding bino's only?

Did you like it or did you go back?

Does anyone use a combo of these? Or do something different for eastern whitetail hunting vs western spot and stalk?
 
Gear nerd here. I'm currently testing.

My "go-to nearly perfect" combo has been Swaro EL 8.5x42 paired with Leica CRF Pro.

In Greenland this year, I bowhunted with the Leica Geovid Pro 10x42 from a marsupial harness. I ditched them by day 2. Just too much bulk for bowhunting.

Since some of the best bowhunters I know have made the switch and say they won't go back, I decided to give it another try. I'm currently testing the Leica Geovid Pro 8x32 which are very close in weight to my beloved ELs and slightly smaller. I do not have enough days in the field with them to say if they'll be the winner. I'll know after Kansas bow season where I'm extremely picky about my setup.

So I'm not much help to you current question, but I'm currently testing the switch myself.
 
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I switch a couple of years ago. No way I would go back

x2.

I have the sig 10K. I never carried bino's before 2 years ago. But its nice having them. The bino harness let me just drop them right in without fiddling with worrying about missing the RF pocket.

I mostly bought the 10K's for rifle shooting because ballistics are built in, but the binos have archery mode that give all the range cuts which is nice. If you carry an RF and Bino's then combining them into one unit makes sense
 
I have the rangeguide 8x40 in my harness and still keep my dedicated rf pouch right next to it. I believe the single handed use is quicker and stealthier in close situations than the binos. I would ditch the rf and keep the binos on a rifle hunt though. If I have a rifle I dont care if something is 45 or 60 yards away, my bow I do.
 
If you’re rifle hunting only the combo is fine. For archery I still like to keep them separate. Ranging with the little RF just feels more discreet when you’re in close and trying not to be noticed by the animal
 
I use range finding binos when rifle hunting. For archery I still prefer separate units. It’s easier to range with one hand while the bow is in the other.
 
I have the rangeguide 8x40 in my harness and still keep my dedicated rf pouch right next to it. I believe the single handed use is quicker and stealthier in close situations than the binos. I would ditch the rf and keep the binos on a rifle hunt though. If I have a rifle I dont care if something is 45 or 60 yards away, my bow I do.

If you’re rifle hunting only the combo is fine. For archery I still like to keep them separate. Ranging with the little RF just feels more discreet when you’re in close and trying not to be noticed by the animal
Yea, this was my main concern, but I wondered if being less disreet was more of a mental thing or if guys are actually getting busted with binos.

It’s easier to range with one hand while the bow is in the other.
I feel like my binos go In and out my harness just easy if not easier than my rf. I could see bigger rf binos being more difficult, but it looks like the GPO are really compact.
 
Getting busted archery hunting while in close range is ANY movement, or no movement, or bad wind, or good wind, or sunshine, or shadows, etc etc etc. When that close to animals they just seem to feel you. Dont sell your rf until you have the rf binos, maybe carry both for a while. Only you know what will work for you.
 
I’m a bow only guy (apart from when culling is required) and I’ve had Leica Geovid 10x42’s since 2017. I left the Leupold fulldraw at home until I realised, the same as others have commented, it is too awkward to range one handed with binoculars when in close. I love the Geovid’s glass and for planning a stalk, but I always use the fulldraw for ranging an animal.
 
I went from separate to combo back to separate.

Out west, the range finder requires you to get your head up just a little higher to get a range on your target above the grass/brush. Combo units are awesome out west.

I ditched the combo units to go to better bino glass AND have the pin drop feature(like swaro track assist).

If money wasn’t a constraint, I’d have the top tier glass combo unit.

One other factor, I know there are some personal opinions, but vortex is the only company(at the time it may be different today) that has lifetime warranty on the electronics inside the optic. Most from what I found were 5 year limited.

All that being said, I plan to stay with the units separated, as like others have said, the small range finder is nice during archery.
 
I have 2 rangefinders and two pair of quality binos, Swarovski and Kahles. So, if anything breaks, I have redundancy. Stuff breaks.
 
Keep them separate. One hand holding the bow. Other hand holding the rangefinder when needed.

One hand operation of a combo unit attached to a chest strap when an animal comes in close is awkward.
 
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