The fine folks at Scheels let me look through a Leupold SX5 spotter and a swarovski STS spotter (outside). I don't know why there is not much on the Leupold through the innerweb. Everyone puts the Leupold just barely ahead of the Vortex razor which made me skeptical of Leupold. Even-though, I love all other leupold optics. I've owned the razor now for 4 years. The first and last 30 minutes of daylight is where spotting scopes earn the cost. Razor sucks in lowlight. Leupold beat the razor hands down. Swarovski hands down beat Leupold. I have not spent any time looking through a KOWA, meostar, or other spotters everyone is wound up on. Outfitter I work for runs a 95mm Swaro which is impressive. However, virtually not packable on your back. 80mm ATS is liveable. 80mm Leupold does hang with 65mm Swaro. I spend a lot of months every year looking through spotting scopes. Swarovski 80mm spotting scope is worth the money hands down.
I have been trying to retire form guiding for a few years now. Hunters get to pulling at my insides and I end up guiding again. this is public land OTC guiding. Most of hunters are older and not in very good shape. So, I spend a ton of time sitting behind glass watching, waiting for game to be in a huntable spot. During rifle season these are long cold sits. During the daylight vortex does ok. Come prime time the vortex is not very good, even with 85mm objective. Have to say, I did make it work for a few years now. Been a pain. I have run other spotters of different sizes and quality over the years. The vortex does beat every other spotter I have owned except one.
While other guides are out hiking around trying to get closer to look stuff over. I am sitting out of wind with my hunters, looking through glass. Sipping on hot coffee and snacks until we find something worth chasing. Over the course of a week the glass saves the body of these hunters. Anyone who has guided much is steep country know when hunters get tired and sore it is tough to keep spirits up when hunting is slow.
What I really wish is for American engineered, made and manufactured that equals the German engineering. Pipe dream I recon. Really trying to not spend money on anything from Asia. Another pipe dream.
At any rate I am going with the Swaro 80mm STS. Have not been able to personally spend time with other spotters. Scheels is only place relatively close to me I could finally look through a Swaro and Leupold in low light situations. That 80mm swaro is impressive!
2 cents worth of rambling from a moron. merry christmas
I have been trying to retire form guiding for a few years now. Hunters get to pulling at my insides and I end up guiding again. this is public land OTC guiding. Most of hunters are older and not in very good shape. So, I spend a ton of time sitting behind glass watching, waiting for game to be in a huntable spot. During rifle season these are long cold sits. During the daylight vortex does ok. Come prime time the vortex is not very good, even with 85mm objective. Have to say, I did make it work for a few years now. Been a pain. I have run other spotters of different sizes and quality over the years. The vortex does beat every other spotter I have owned except one.
While other guides are out hiking around trying to get closer to look stuff over. I am sitting out of wind with my hunters, looking through glass. Sipping on hot coffee and snacks until we find something worth chasing. Over the course of a week the glass saves the body of these hunters. Anyone who has guided much is steep country know when hunters get tired and sore it is tough to keep spirits up when hunting is slow.
What I really wish is for American engineered, made and manufactured that equals the German engineering. Pipe dream I recon. Really trying to not spend money on anything from Asia. Another pipe dream.
At any rate I am going with the Swaro 80mm STS. Have not been able to personally spend time with other spotters. Scheels is only place relatively close to me I could finally look through a Swaro and Leupold in low light situations. That 80mm swaro is impressive!
2 cents worth of rambling from a moron. merry christmas
