BTX w/ 95 or 115? Kowa highlander?

[CO2130]

I have read through a few similar posts regarding some decisions I’m trying to make, but none are really in my position. For reference, I hunt mule deer mainly 30+ days a year in Western CO, WY, UT, NV, and ID and spend another handful or two hunting elk and antelope. Mostly lower country glassable areas that don’t require any crazy hikes/packing although I have one of those every once in a while. Honestly 90% of the time I am 0-2 miles from my truck/atv when glassing. I currently have an ATS80, Swaro 15’s, and Swaro 10’s and also plan to buy a small backpacking spotter (likely a Kowa or ATC) soon. I am looking for a set of “big eyes” for glassing 1-4 miles typically. Which option would you pick? Preferably someone with experience with these optics as I don’t have access to either but I’m considering renting one or both although that will get pricey.

Option 1- Keep ATS80 for “zooming/digiscoping”. Buy Kowa Highlander.

Option 2- Buy BTX and 95 or 115 objective (recommendations on which?) and intend to sell the ATS80 in the next year or so and buy a smaller objective (probably 85) and an ATX eyepiece.

I think I am leaning towards option 2 as it’d be an upgrade for my digiscoping system as well as getting me into some big eyes, and it would be pretty modular based on the specific hunt and would save me from ever packing the giant and heavy highlander.


Any input, especially from people with experience with one or more of these optics, is greatly appreciated.


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[willfrye027]

BTX95 would be great. Personally I preferred the 85mm for a wider FOV, balance on my tripod, and better mirage management. I use the doubler if I need to field judge beyond a mile and it works for that (not as well as dedicated spotting scope though, but good enough)

Ideally buy all the objectives and test them out then return/resell what doesn’t work.

 

[BBob]

Just some thoughts as to Option 1
Add either Kowa or Swaro twins instead of Highlanders. Highlanders are big and heavy. Anybody I know that had them have mostly if not all sold them and have gone to BTX. Twins are reasonably packable if you ever choose to do so where the Highlanders are not at all.

Option 2 sounds to me to be more of what you are looking for. I’d also lean to the 85 for a do it all objective.

Highlanders or twins are more specialized than BTX. Twins have advantages over BTX but they have downsides. For here in the SW for Coues or sheep I’d pick twins but for an all around do it all I’d pick the modular BTX.

 

[CO2130]

BTX95 would be great. Personally I preferred the 85mm for a wider FOV, balance on my tripod, and better mirage management. I use the doubler if I need to field judge beyond a mile and it works for that (not as well as dedicated spotting scope though, but good enough)

Ideally buy all the objectives and test them out then return/resell what doesn’t work.

Have you experienced any loss of or affect on clarity when using the doubler?


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[CO2130]

Just some thoughts as to Option 1
Add either Kowa or Swaro twins instead of Highlanders. Highlanders are big and heavy. Anybody I know that had them have mostly if not all sold them and have gone to BTX. Twins are reasonably packable if you ever choose to do so where the Highlanders are not at all.

Option 2 sounds to me to be more of what you are looking for. I’d also lean to the 85 for a do it all objective.

Highlanders or twins are more specialized than BTX. Twins have advantages over BTX but they have downsides. For here in the SW for Coues or sheep I’d pick twins but for an all around do it all I’d pick the modular BTX.

I had highly considered the twin option as well. I will continue to think about it but up front to get started I am trying to stay around $5k and a couple X series spotters and a bracket would probably be dang near double that. However it would solve the zooming and big eyes setup dilemma. Thank you for the response and perspective!


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[BBob]

Have you experienced any loss or affect on clarity when using the doubler?

Doubler worsens low light conditions. Doublers take precious time to change. If you are glassing and see something that needs more mag you have to stop and fart around to change it. This is where twins come in. On twins you just crank up the mag instantly.

X series spotters

X series are not compatible or usable as twins. Ocular housing is just too big for IPD. S series or Kowa. The latest S series in 65 are not giving up anything (and arguably better) than the X. You should be able to build twin Swaro S or Kowa for $5K or less.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I rented a BTX 95/monster tripod a few years ago and never could get it very steady in the wind and 100% did not like the angled ocular. Glad I had rented it to try out because it would have been a big waste of money for me. Just my experience and I'm well aware that many people love the BTX.

 

[BBob]

I rented a BTX 95/monster tripod a few years ago and never could get it very steady in the wind and 100% did not like the angled ocular. Glad I had rented it to try out because it would have been a big waste of money for me. Just my experience and I'm well aware that many people love the BTX.

I have no wind stability issues with BTX or twin Swaro spotters using an RRS tripod and an Outdoorsmans Fluid head. I’m 50/50 on the angled thing. I tend to prefer the twins for what I do. I own both angled and straight spotters and can use them equally well. I can say that glassing down into deep canyons the angled stuff surely isn’t optimal at all (more so with BTX) but glassing up is the opposite. Straight is a great middle ground.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I was really excited to try it out but it's just not for me.

 

[BBob]

I think for a lot of people (mby most?) for what they hunt and how they hunt the big specialized optics just aren’t needed. I could get rid of them and still do fine. I do like the advantages though for some things I do.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Agree, my SLC 15s do everything I need.

 

[willfrye027]

Have you experienced any loss of or affect on clarity when using the doubler?


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Yeah, it’s not perfect. The atmospheric conditions have to be decent. Image is darker but you can definitely make out more of the animal. I was watching some bucks at about 2.5 miles and could tell they had decent frames. Put on the doubler and was able to tell antler configuration and guesstimate that one was a 160ish buck, one was a 170ish, and one was a giant forked horn. With a regular spotter it may have been easier..hard to say. The doubler allows me to leave the regular spotter at home. It’s Not a perfect system, but so far I have been very happy with it for a couple season of scouting and hunting use.

 

[BBob]

^^^ for sure there! I resisted the bigger glass for a long time and swore I didn’t need it and would never buy it. Friends were kicking my butt with big glass. Ego is a powerful thing. I’m now in the butt kicking category with my big glass

 

[snowymtnwolf]

I used BTX 115 last year for WYO mule deer and elk hunts. With outdoorsman’s fluid head and balance rail - nothing beats it.

Doubler was more a pain than it was worth. When you add doubler, it’s hard to find the far out spot you were looking at (otherwise you wouldn’t need doubler for close in stuff - only used for far reaching purposes).

You could put doubler on while on the balance rail - but in my experience you needed to take off the balance rail to get everything lined back up on BTX (or at least loosen rail).

BTX 115 was perfection for FAR OUT basins. But… it’s BIG and awkward in your pack.

I compared all sizes (65 85 95 115) last fall and again this spring at Scheels in Colorado Springs while looking over at the mtns. In my opinion - the difference between the 65 and 115 in last light was about 5 mins - meaning - I could effectively use the 115 for 5 more minutes of glassing before everything too dark.

In regular daylight there is a slim difference between 65 and 115. If you were blindfolded and told to look through a 65 mm and then 115 mm - you’d have a hard time telling which one was which.

Again - I personally tested side by side. I used my BTX on one tripod and their BTX on their tripod (two BTXs going at one time). I popped between the two so I could try to tell a difference and it was tough.

Just my opinion. I loved the BTX 115 mm but went BTX 65 mm this year because there was truly minimal differences BUT also because of 3 lbs weight difference and bulk


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[WRO]

I used BTX 115 last year for WYO mule deer and elk hunts. With outdoorsman’s fluid head and balance rail - nothing beats it.

Doubler was more a pain than it was worth. When you add doubler, it’s hard to find the far out spot you were looking at (otherwise you wouldn’t need doubler for close in stuff - only used for far reaching purposes).

You could put doubler on while on the balance rail - but in my experience you needed to take off the balance rail to get everything lined back up on BTX (or at least loosen rail).

BTX 115 was perfection for FAR OUT basins. But… it’s BIG and awkward in your pack.

I compared all sizes (65 85 95 115) last fall and again this spring at Scheels in Colorado Springs while looking over at the mtns. In my opinion - the difference between the 65 and 115 in last light was about 5 mins - meaning - I could effectively use the 115 for 5 more minutes of glassing before everything too dark.

In regular daylight there is a slim difference between 65 and 115. If you were blindfolded and told to look through a 65 mm and then 115 mm - you’d have a hard time telling which one was which.

Again - I personally tested side by side. I used my BTX on one tripod and their BTX on their tripod (two BTXs going at one time). I popped between the two so I could try to tell a difference and it was tough.

Just my opinion. I loved the BTX 115 mm but went BTX 65 mm this year because there was truly minimal differences BUT also because of 3 lbs weight difference and bulk


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The 65mm does not have near the resolution of the 95 or 115. I owned a 65 mm and got rid of it because the picture was that much better in the 95mm.

 

[realunlucky]

I just did some testing with the Swarovski 95 and 115 with the bxt and single ocular eye piece(had the kowa99 too)

My advise is to call @Rent Outdoor Gear and rent the btx and highlander and compare them side by side and keep your favorite. They will allow you to apply your rental fee towards the purchase. Win win and your eyes pick the best.

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[snowymtnwolf]

Again. In my opinion, side by side comparison (2 diff BTX on 2 tripods) when looking 3-5 miles away at diff objects on side of mountain - I could not notice a difference between any of them whether it was clarity, visibility, or size difference. I focused on looking at varying objects and could not tell a discernible difference.

Paper specs says there should be a difference and I could not see it.

And because of this - I sold 115 mm BTX and bought 65 mm BTX.

Maybe looking at a bird or colors on a bird, then I’m sure you could spot a subtle diff.

IF Comparing points on a buck / bull I doubt you could spot a difference.

Again. My eyes. My opinion.


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[CO2130]

After the comments I am highly considering the STS65 with wide angle twin setup. Does anyone know what the FOV would be? All the specs seem to apply from the single spotter but I’m not sure how to come up with FOV. The 115 BTX is 96’@1000yds.


Edit- answered my own question with some googling. Looks like it would beat the FOV of the BTX setup.

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[BBob]

After the comments I am highly considering the STS65 twin setup. Does anyone know what the FOV would be? All the specs seem to apply from the single spotter but I’m not sure how to come up with FOV. The 115 BTX is 96’@1000yds.

No idea exactly but with the 25-50W oculars it's pretty expansive. I'm going to say ~125' @ 25x and ~80' @ 50x. I could be wrong but just because you have two doesn't give you more than a single or at least anything you could see. A thing people talk about with big magnification like the BTX and the twins is they state that they are a further out glass and not as good as say 15's up close or typical 15 range. I thought that too but I was wrong. I use mine side by side with guys on 15's at the same distance and I don't feel limited or hampered at all and I still (because of magnification) generally out glass them. They are experienced and we're probably equal when all on 15's. What that is is even though I'm looking at a smaller swath of real estate is at the much higher mag I see more quickly what is there or not and can move on to the next view faster than I do at the same range as using my 15's. In the end it's a wash and I feel I cover as much ground in the same amount of time as I would with my 15's.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

We just got in a new Kowa High Lander BL8J1 32x82mm Standard Large Binocular that we are blowing out at only $2,999.99. It's certainly a quality unit for your use.
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