Help with first spotting scope vortex vs leupold

[T3clay]

Hi all I’m looking for some guidance on a spotter. I’m looking at the two below (pics and links)
I have done research and everyone says to spend more money, but I’m really on a budget… I’ll be on my first western hunt chasing public land mule deer in MT this fall and I’ll use it whitetail scouting from the road.

Any guidance on the pros and cons of each would be beneficial I’d appreciate it.

thank you

Diamondback HD 16-48x65 (Angled)

Designed for workhorse reliability and no-nonsense performance, Diamondback® HD delivers sharp images and excellent low-light capability for gritty, hardworking hunters.

vortexoptics.com

SX-2 Alpine HD 20-60x60mm Angled

Built for the harshest conditions, the SX™-2 Alpine® HD 20-60x60mm angled spotting scope is a must have for all serious hunters or shooters who want a little more HD magnification and the weight savings offered by a smaller objective. It features a rugged design and an oversized eyepiece that...

www.leupold.com

 

[AkMtnRunner]

Call Doug at Camera Land, he'll set you up with the best in your budget.

 

[WI in the west]

you've probably read it before but I had the diamond back spotter and it was just about useless hunting if you have half way decent binos. at a mile I could judge a rack batter with binos then the spotter. and there not very bright and easy to see out of in my opinion. id save the money personally.

 

[Blue72]

Nikon ed50 from Japan can be had cheap and the glass is amazing ….it competes with the big dogs

 

[Sonoman]

I have to agree with jalen as far as the diamondbacks. They are the bottom of vortex's line and thatshows. I have a razor spotting scope from vortex, good glass but or course more money. The viper line is also a big step up if you stay with vortex. As far as the leupold my son has a pair that he likes. Not sure of the model, sorry. My thoughts are don't skimp on glass as they are your eyes and you don't want to miss anything or get a headache if your glassing for long sessions.

 

[cmahoney]

Forget the spotter, spend your money on binos and a tripod


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[SirChooCH]

I have also been looking at these, might throw Vanguard Endeavor HD into the mix. Has ED glass and is $300. Just to confuse you more haha

 

[gsully]

What kind of binos are you running? Snyder said it well one time, buy the best binos you can, and upgrade if necesssy, before a spotter.

 

[TheGDog]

1) for sh*ts and giggles... go look at how many of each of those brands is showing up for sale in used items. Sometimes. there's a reason a certain product shows up often in used sales.

2) Get you some primo 10x binos first.. kick the tires a little bit with them on a tripod out on your scouting and hunting. THEN... after some good amount of time spent with them honestly... a good high-quality pair of alpha or near alpha.... then be honest with yourself and THEN decide if you really "need" that spotter. I'd go with a 15x Binos long before going to a spotter. Unless you're mister going on a an Alaska fly-in hunt of a lifetime for Mountain Goat or something like that.... I doubt most people would ever truly need a spotter for most hunting they do. Maybe the hardcore Elk guys...maybe, but that's about it.

 

[22lr]

I want to say I paid $450 for my Viper 65mm spotter. Find em used or if you wait and can get it early, aaoptics.com sells the Vortex refurbished (he sells out quick when he does get a shipment).

I have the Viper, its nothing super special, but it works pretty good. I dont like the Diamondback spotter, the cheaper optics start to really handicap you at higher magnifications. The Viper doesn't do 45x super great either, but its definitely better.

 

[RyanShields]

I have the Leupold alpine scope. I would say that it's no good beyond 35x magnification at the most, under ideal conditions. The quality of glass just isn't there. I picked it up because I got a great deal on it. I wouldn't want to glass with it for any period of time. My thought with it was to help clarify something I had spotted in my binoculars. Switching between binoculars on a tripod and an angled spotter is a little bit of a pain and something to consider because you'll have to either adjust yourself so you can look down into the angle or you'll have to adjust the tripod and if you do that you'll have to find again whatever you had originally found with the binnos but now using an optic with a smaller field of view.

 

[TheGDog]

I have the Leupold alpine scope. I would say that it's no good beyond 35x magnification at the most, under ideal conditions. The quality of glass just isn't there. I picked it up because I got a great deal on it. I wouldn't want to glass with it for any period of time. My thought with it was to help clarify something I had spotted in my binoculars. Switching between binoculars on a tripod and an angled spotter is a little bit of a pain and something to consider because you'll have to either adjust yourself so you can look down into the angle or you'll have to adjust the tripod and if you do that you'll have to find again whatever you had originally found with the binnos but now using an optic with a smaller field of view.

^^And THAT is why if I ever get another spotter it'll likely be straight body, not angled. (Also why I dig on 15x Binos much more than a spotter) Other reasons why as well, (such as needing to look over tall grass and chapparral, or the ability to look at something from standing head height to facilitate looking at it over the top of some obstruction in the way) but this here about re-finding the game is a big one to consider, cause the odds of re-finding that needle in the haystack again... can go away real quick if that critter gets a chance to duck out of sight in some way you wouldn't have thought of... at the moment you're not looking! Most of the times, if you've got hustle, and if you're real patient you can re-acquire and re-find the game animal... but not always though! Stay out there long enough and you'll have a game animal go missing on you without having a clue where it went and when it snuck out of view. Usually happens when you spot some game, but wanna scan the whole ridge first and then come back to that animal if no others to be seen. Then when you try to re-acquire that first animal again... you're left scratching your head as to where it could have went, and you're shocked that you can't find them! And if it's at all during mid-day when you lost them.. chances are more likely they've stuffed themselves deep into a bush for shade and so now you won't be able to see em anyway.

 

[truehaun]

There’s a viper in the classifieds for $450 I’d recommend over those. I just sold my older model Diamondback non HD 20-60x80. Clarity def went down significantly as you increased the magnification. Maybe newer model is better. I agree with others though grab a nice pair of binos before a spotter.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Normally I read the previous posts before commenting, I’ll apologize in advance. I’ve been a gear junky for fifty years. Hunted from Alaska to Mexico, owned all manner of optics. I do own a very good high end spotting scope I use only because I feel guilty having bought it. It also goes to the range. I’m not the guy who rejects a canyon because it’s only a 330 bull. I own a pair of really good binoculars that cover 95% of my glassing needs. Think about a pair of Swarovski or similar Binos. I understand budgets all my kids are done with school etc. but buy once cry once is the best piece of advice you’ll get with optics.

 

[truehaun]

Normally I read the previous posts before commenting, I’ll apologize in advance. I’ve been a gear junky for fifty years. Hunted from Alaska to Mexico, owned all manner of optics. I do own a very good high end spotting scope I use only because I feel guilty having bought it. It also goes to the range. I’m not the guy who rejects a canyon because it’s only a 330 bull. I own a pair of really good binoculars that cover 95% of my glassing needs. Think about a pair of Swarovski or similar Binos. I understand budgets all my kids are done with school etc. but buy once cry once is the best piece of advice you’ll get with optics.

What spotting scope and binos do you use?

 

[flatlander51]

Hi all I’m looking for some guidance on a spotter. I’m looking at the two below (pics and links)
I have done research and everyone says to spend more money, but I’m really on a budget… I’ll be on my first western hunt chasing public land mule deer in MT this fall and I’ll use it whitetail scouting from the road.

Any guidance on the pros and cons of each would be beneficial I’d appreciate it.

thank you

Diamondback HD 16-48x65 (Angled)

Designed for workhorse reliability and no-nonsense performance, Diamondback® HD delivers sharp images and excellent low-light capability for gritty, hardworking hunters.

vortexoptics.com

SX-2 Alpine HD 20-60x60mm Angled

Built for the harshest conditions, the SX™-2 Alpine® HD 20-60x60mm angled spotting scope is a must have for all serious hunters or shooters who want a little more HD magnification and the weight savings offered by a smaller objective. It features a rugged design and an oversized eyepiece that...

www.leupold.com

View attachment 328712View attachment 328713

I have a used viper hd for sale if your interested!

 

[S.idahohunter]

Definitely don't skimp on quality when you go with a higher power spotting scope. The cloudiness and lack of focus will be too much to be effective above 20x. Buy good binoculars and save later to purchase a clear more expensive spotting scope. The less expensive spotting scope will be wasted money you can put toward a good used or new spotter

 

[Blue72]

I agree with others about the bino's

for the price of those scopes, I bought a set of Maven C1 12x42. They are excellent for several miles out…..don’t forget the tripod

 

[Salmonchaser]

What spotting scope and binos do you use?

I have a Leupold spotter, Swarovski binos

 

[Grease]

Kowa makes awesome lightweight spotting scopes.