Kowa 553 vs swaro ats/atx 65

[tdhanses]

RANT! I have dented the hell out of both the Kowa's I have owned. I wish they would get with it an put a little armor on them! I really hate having to put a cover on a spotter.

First thing I did was put a Vortex Razor 50 neoprene cover on my Kowa.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Me too, but I still hate dealing with it. It always seems to get wet then I have to take the damn thing off..... come on Kowa! Haha

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tdhanses]

Ha, I haven’t had that issue, another good reason to stay out of the ID jungle

But it still isn’t bulky even with that cover, so worth it.

 

[mcseal2]

I bought the Vortex cover but never loved it. I took it off as soon as Kowa came out with one. I have one I'd sell if anyone wants it.

My Kowa straight 55 with the stay on case and Outdoorsmans foot is at 33.5oz on the postage scale.

The stay on case Kowa came out with is expensive but I like it. I got mine from S&S archery, not everyone is selling them yet.

Re-weighed the case and spotter after a message from another member. The case is 3.5oz, the whole set up is 36.3oz.

https://sandsarchery.com/collection...ay-on-case-for-tsn-550-series-spotting-scopes

 

[coues32]

I ran cases on my Swarovski scopes, btx, but my kowa 601 gets a sock to wear

 

[JFKinYK]

Bigger question is when will companies start getting serious about weight reduction (instead of stuff like the BTX) and start using plastic lenses in these things.

I’m hoping the Kowa spurs the market in this direction and we see a couple similar size class scopes with various features soon. Its gotta happen soon if Doug is selling that many!

 

[Ryan Avery]

The BTX has its place. There are animals I would not find without it. I am hunting in the wilderness this year and have some twenty plus mile scouting trips planned, and the BTX will probably be with me.

I would like to see Swaro and other companies try their hand at lightweight 60mm or 55mm spotters. But it has to be durable. There is a reason they went away from the Magnesium housings. I think the plastic lenses are very close to happening. There was a show on awhile back talking about them in high-end telescopes.

 

[tdhanses]

Bigger question is when will companies start getting serious about weight reduction (instead of stuff like the BTX) and start using plastic lenses in these things.

I’m hoping the Kowa spurs the market in this direction and we see a couple similar size class scopes with various features soon. Its gotta happen soon if Doug is selling that many!

Plastic lenses? That just sounds cheap but I’m not up on the tech.

 

[Beendare]

I dunno if there is a perfect solution.
i have the Nikon HD 60mm scope [their older top model] and its a tweener between the big and small scopes. Its not heavy...but not UL either. I thought that would be perfect...but then I look through the BTX/95mm's and dang....a HUGE difference.

Major Optics envy..... /grin

It really is all about your needs. I've asked that question; "Do I really need it?"

I really don't need to measure points on a buck/bull at 2 miles. If he is decent, I'm going after him. The big benefit to bigger/better glass is you spot game that you can miss with lesser optics.

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[tallbuchholz]

I sold both my Swaro STM 65 and ATS 80 HD after getting the Kowa. I use Swaro 15's so much that I couldn't justify having all those spotters. The Kowa has done everything I need it to and like others say, it's always with me.

Do you use the 15's and the Kowa together? I've been debating getting a spotter but since I have the 15's already it seems like I'd need a huge one to get any justifiable advantage.

 

[223dude]

I stopped by my Cabalas last night and
Looked at the swaro Ats 65 and the Atx 65,

The Atx beat the ats for size and image But it was
A good bit heavier.

I’m looking heard at the Kowa 553.

Is the Kowa 553 going to be realy that much better
Then my Leupold 12-40x60??

 

[coues32]

Secondly, I too put the same cover on my Kowa. However I look at it as more of a theft protection device rather than protection from damage

That is funny and a hell of idea!

 

[Ryan Avery]

First off you break everything...and I mean everything so that is no longer valid.

Secondly, I too put the same cover on my Kowa. However I look at it as more of a theft protection device rather than protection from damage. Not a big deal though as I put neoprene covers on my Zeiss and Swaro spotters as well.

I agree if you can swing and big and a small spotter than the Kowa is the best small spotter I have used by a WIDE margin.

If only going to have one spotter the Swaro 65mm is still the best alrounder IMO.

As for sheep hunting:

My buddy is looking through the Kowa 553 at the sheep he shot 30 mins after I took this photo. Granted we are less than a 1/2 mile from it at this point and this sheep was an easy no doubter but I judged it legal at over 2 miles away with the Kowa as well.

I actually put a larger Vortex defender cover on the objective and taped it on there and found it quite handy and quick and I won't lose it either.

Heck we even used it to spot impacts when I was shooting rocks at just under 2000 yards away in some serious mirage. And impacts at 1200 yards on 6" rocks was very easy to spot.

Dude, its a big white ass sheep... How hard can it be to see it? Haha

 

[Ryan Avery]

You joke but there is some truth to that IMO. The binos to hunt dall sheep don't need to be much to write home about IMO (unless its snowy ) Its the spotter to see what kind of white sheep you are looking at is where to spend the money.

I could see snow being a real problem.

 

[chippewawarrior]

Ha, I haven’t had that issue, another good reason to stay out of the ID jungle

But it still isn’t bulky even with that cover, so worth it.View attachment 89337

Is that an Outdoorsman's panner on a KDC tripod? Crap! Why didn't I think of that? How did you connect that?

 

[tdhanses]

Is that an Outdoorsman's panner on a KDC tripod? Crap! Why didn't I think of that? How did you connect that?

Yup it is, just get a 3/8 to 1/4-20 adapter and screw it on

 

[coues32]

Yup it is, just get a 3/8 to 1/4-20 adapter and screw it on

View attachment 89404

What size tripod is that?
Happy with that size?

 

[tdhanses]

What size tripod is that?
Happy with that size?

It is the 33”, yeah it’s perfect for sitting.

 

[coues32]

It is the 33”, yeah it’s perfect for sitting.

Thanks, think I need one

 

[tdhanses]

Thanks, think I need one

Total weight of tripod and Outdoorsman panner is 11oz.