Lightweight 600 dollar Spotting Scope

[bisblue]

I know there are tons of spotting scope threads and I've read almost all of them but I was hoping for some specific help where weight and price collide.

I was hoping to find something decent for 600 or less, and I'm happy to buy used. I like the Vortex Viper HD since you can find used ones easily, but at 3.3 pounds it isn't exactly light.

So is there hope for a decent lightish spotting scope in the 15-45x range for 600 or less? I'm going to have one scope for eveything, but if I'm hunting alone I'd go for lighter as I come from the rock climbing world where the adage "ounces make pounds" is fairly true.

Some others I've seen but have limited feedback on are the Nikon Prostaff 5 @ 1.63 Lbs which I've been told has durability issues, and the Leupold SX-1 Ventana 2 20-60x80 which is 2.3 Lbs but seemingly cheaper quality than the vortex.

I packed a friends Vortex Razor 80mm solo on my first elk hunts this year and it felt like a cannon.

Thanks in advance folks,
Also I've got Vortex Viper HD 10x42s and a Ranger 1000 in my kit

 

[tater]

A few thoughts: 3# for a 65mm spotter is right about average. A Kowa 601 will be a bit lighter and in your price range, and a little Nikon 50ED will meet your weight requirement. The new Hummingbird by Celestron may be worth checking out (they are a "sleeper" company in my eyes, that birders rave about all of the time. Nice optics for the price point with as good a warranty as any in the business).

I don't carry a spotter elk hunting (too thick where i hunt), but for scouting during the off season and bears, mulies and goats i carry an 82MM Leica. I would rather carry the extra weight in optics that will allow me to find what i am chasing, than carry something that is not up to the task but a pound or two lighter. I kind of go by the thought of "if carrying an extra two pounds in the eight miles is hell, how will a hundred pounds coming out the same eight miles be?".

 

[hflier]

Sent you an email.

 

[bisblue]

So maybe 3 lbs is the cost to play. I'm trying to go fairly simple and use this for antelope, deer, elk, sheep... whatever I can. So 45x seems like it the minimum I would want.

 

[Muley Buck]

Have you looked at the razor 50mm? You might be surprised at the performance, especially given the price and weight.

 

[bisblue]

I just assumed it wouldn't have enough magnification

 

[Muley Buck]

I have learned at least for me, clarity beats out magnification if it comes to it. Just my .02

 

[rileybassman]

For under 600 bucks, tough to beat the Vanguard Endeavor HD

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[mtwarden]

Have you looked at the razor 50mm? You might be surprised at the performance, especially given the price and weight.

I have this spotter; the optics are brilliant, it's very compact and lightweight- before you write this one off, I'd take a peek through one; these can be purchased in near new condition for around the $500 mark

 

[mcseal2]

I like my ED50 for elk hunting. It is a lot of scope for the money/size, I haven't tried the Razor 50mm. I'm probably not the most particular elk hunter, if I find a big 5x5 or 6x6 that will break 300" and doesn't have broken points I'm going for him where I hunt. I fill my tag about half the time hunting for an elk this size.

I like a more powerful spotter for judging deer and antelope, I have a Swaro STM65 I use for this most times. I will pack the extra weight to be able to see the smaller, usually thinner, headgear of these animals. From the truck I use a Swaro ATS80HD. I would prefer to have a straight, but found a deal on the angled so I bought it.

My advice would be to go one of two ways. I'd either buy the 50mm spotter now and plan to add a bigger, more expensive spotter later or save up for a really good 65mm. I really like having two spotters if I will be doing any glassing from a vehicle like when hunting antelope. I leave the bit spotter on a window mount and have the smaller spotter and tripod in my pack ready to go if I spot something worth stalking. If I see something I can be on the move quickly, hopefully before the antelope moves.

If going with a single spotter I'd save up for a used Swaro. I got my STM for about 1k or a little more, can't remember. I know it's out of your price range, but after working my way up on optics I really wish I'd just bought the good ones to start, it would have saved me a lot of money in the end. I'd then get an Outdoorsmans adapter for your tripod, and one of their heads and window mounts. That makes it pretty darn convenient to switch them from one to the other. The vehicle window mount might not matter for you. I find that I use it a great deal scouting and looking over country when learning a new hunting area.

 

[Muley Buck]

I like my ED50 for elk hunting. It is a lot of scope for the money/size, I haven't tried the Razor 50mm. I'm probably not the most particular elk hunter, if I find a big 5x5 or 6x6 that will break 300" and doesn't have broken points I'm going for him where I hunt. I fill my tag about half the time hunting for an elk this size.

I like a more powerful spotter for judging deer and antelope, I have a Swaro STM65 I use for this most times. I will pack the extra weight to be able to see the smaller, usually thinner, headgear of these animals. From the truck I use a Swaro ATS80HD. I would prefer to have a straight, but found a deal on the angled so I bought it.

My advice would be to go one of two ways. I'd either buy the 50mm spotter now and plan to add a bigger, more expensive spotter later or save up for a really good 65mm. I really like having two spotters if I will be doing any glassing from a vehicle like when hunting antelope. I leave the bit spotter on a window mount and have the smaller spotter and tripod in my pack ready to go if I spot something worth stalking. If I see something I can be on the move quickly, hopefully before the antelope moves.

If going with a single spotter I'd save up for a used Swaro. I got my STM for about 1k or a little more, can't remember. I know it's out of your price range, but after working my way up on optics I really wish I'd just bought the good ones to start, it would have saved me a lot of money in the end. I'd then get an Outdoorsmans adapter for your tripod, and one of their heads and window mounts. That makes it pretty darn convenient to switch them from one to the other. The vehicle window mount might not matter for you. I find that I use it a great deal scouting and looking over country when learning a new hunting area.

I couldn't agree more!

 

[7-Pointers]

Totally agree with clarity beats magnification, I'll take a small clear image way before a big poorly resolved one.

I had the ViperHD 15-45X 65mm at 3lbs, too much weight for my backpack and clarity started breaking down at 30X anyway so I went with a Razor HD 11-33 and couldn't be happier. Less than 2lbs and clarity all the way to 33X. WAY better for my backpacking setup IMHO.

 

[JO.]

I have the razor 11-33x50 and it is a good scope. My old viper hd 80 spent most of its time in camp or the truck. The little 50 is light enough I rarely think twice about taking it. I always pack my tripod for binos so it was a no brainer for me.

As others have mentioned, to me clarity beats magnification. The little 50 is impressive up to 33x. Only downfall may be light transmission at full power in low light. I will say that this 11-33 weighs less than my heavy Meopta 12x50's.

I would try and look through one of these scopes and give it a consideration. In my world, if I can't tell if I want to shoot an animal at 33x I'm probably to slow to get there in time anyway.

 

[dotman]

I would give the Kowa a good look, it gets rave reviews and isn't much heavier then the vortex 50mm.

 

[cowboy]

I have a ED50 that I would consider selling if interested.

 

[Jimbob]

Kowa 601 20-60x60, 34.7 ounces - $540 right now at B&H (regular $780)

Opticron MM3 15-45x60, 34.5 ounces, ED glass - $819

These are the two scopes that have come up in my research for lightweight and affordable. That kowa seems like a great deal right now.