Maven spotting scope reviews?

[PLO5]

Anyone used the maven 85mm spotting scope? How’s it compare to razor and swaro? Thanks a lot for help

 

[Dreed4]

Same boat here. There’s not a whole lot of info out there about the Maven spotter. I feel like I want more than 50x but not sure if it’s that big of a deal or not?
Also wonder how the Maven stacks up to the Meopta MeoPro (the cheaper line)

 

[aaronoto]

I've wondered the same on the lack of reviews on the Maven. Matt said it nipped the heels of the 85mm ATX in this review:

Review: Maven S.1A Spotting Scope

Review: Maven S.1A Spotting Scope by Matt Cashell, Rokslide Staff I had the opportunity last year to test Maven’s B1 series binoculars and found them to be an excellent entry into their market blending an attractive price with near-elite optical performance with the added benefit of...

www.rokslide.com

 

[HuntNTag]

I've wondered the same on the lack of reviews on the Maven. Matt said it nipped the heels of the 85mm ATX in this review:

Review: Maven S.1A Spotting Scope

Review: Maven S.1A Spotting Scope by Matt Cashell, Rokslide Staff I had the opportunity last year to test Maven’s B1 series binoculars and found them to be an excellent entry into their market blending an attractive price with near-elite optical performance with the added benefit of...

www.rokslide.com

I would agree with the heel nipping. I’ve looked through both and have the 80mm maven in a straight configuration. It blows the razor out of the water and stands it’s own against the swaro. I don’t use it much, really from the truck or side of the road off the truck and pack in my Athlon ares most of the time when I’ve scouted this season but when I need it, it’s incredible. My ares is better than my gen 2 razor I had so I sold that puppy and then went with the bigger maven after looking through it compared to the swaro.

If you are thinking about pulling the trigger on a spotter, there isn’t a reason to go up to a swaro unless you are going to do a btx. Otherwise, that maven is too close to call and will save you $$.

 

[HuntNTag]

I can’t say since I haven’t looked through the nightforce. All I can say is you won’t be disappointed with the Maven.

 

[Page Master]

I can't imagine, that you see virtually all professional guides and most successful hunters running Swaro and Leica and Zeiss because they like burning money. The Maven/NF aren't going to compete with the high end German glass at critical times and conditions. That's what you're paying for.

I wish there was a way to field test some optics at stores. That's the best thing about the Ass Pro near me, they have a giant window alongside a lake next to the highway where I can stand and use optics to see pretty far in all conditions.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

I can't imagine, that you see virtually all professional guides and most successful hunters running Swaro and Leica and Zeiss because they like burning money. The Maven/NF aren't going to compete with the high end German glass at critical times and conditions. That's what you're paying for.

I wish there was a way to field test some optics at stores. That's the best thing about the Ass Pro near me, they have a giant window alongside a lake next to the highway where I can stand and use optics to see pretty far in all conditions.

Don't forget that all those guides have an image to keep up too. I know we so say that we don't care if it performs, but a guide doesn't want to have the discussion with a client about how they saved $500 on a spotting scope for the clients $10k hunt. If you have a problem in the field and you have a new swaro people will give you the benefit of the doubt because you spared no expense to make the clients hunt extraordinary.

Where I'm at there is a birding store that actually has a patio where you can take scopes out and compare, unfortunately Covid has made this challenging and Dawn/dusk comparisons are outside of normal business hours.

 

[HuntNTag]

I can't imagine, that you see virtually all professional guides and most successful hunters running Swaro and Leica and Zeiss because they like burning money. The Maven/NF aren't going to compete with the high end German glass at critical times and conditions. That's what you're paying for.

I wish there was a way to field test some optics at stores. That's the best thing about the Ass Pro near me, they have a giant window alongside a lake next to the highway where I can stand and use optics to see pretty far in all conditions.

Guides really should have the best gear hands down just to ensure the client thinks highly of them. Also, it’s a business expense so it gets to be written off which helps greatly at the end of the year.

I wouldn’t want to roll into camp after spending thousands and they have a crap vortex spotter and I have better optics than them. I can tel you that’s happened before and it’s embarrassing for them when I ask them about it.

 

[GoatBoat218]

I have the maven S.1a . Great glass compares easily to any top notch glass. I just don't like the specs 25-50x80 just seems weird to me and I don't need a 80mm. Planning on selling it to get a lighter scope for next season, maven optics seem heavier than average I have the B.1 10x24s too love em. If it's what your looking for I'd recommend it. I just want lighter so I don't need the 80mm.

 

[shedfinder7]

Gonna bump this and ask if anyone else has experience now since it’s been awhile since posted. I also am interested in the 25-50 maven spotting scope and was wondering if anyone has hands on experience. Thanks

 

[Mashthegas]

I compared the maven sxs with a swaro and the difference didn't warrant the extra money and I thought that the vortex didn't even compare. I bought the maven and have no regrets.

 

[GoatBoat218]

Gonna bump this and ask if anyone else has experience now since it’s been awhile since posted. I also am interested in the 25-50 maven spotting scope and was wondering if anyone has hands on experience. Thanks

Which scope are you asking about to start with? Maven does not make a 85mm scope assuming your talking about the 25-50x80.

 

[shedfinder7]

Which scope are you asking about to start with? Maven does not make a 85mm scope assuming your talking about the 25-50x80.

Yes the 80mm. Thanks

 

[Block]

Seems like only people that own and like their Maven stuff have jumped on this title.. I can’t tell you the exact models,, but I borrowed a set of maven 15XS, and 65mm spotter 2 years ago..,neither were anywhere close to the SwarO stuff in low light... PEROID... sure mid day they were comparable... wish I had some evening phone Skope footage still for you to compare both.. it was pretty much like adding 15 minutes to ur evening hunt by using SwarO... sorry maVen nuts...

 

[Firehawk]

Seems like only people that own and like their Maven stuff have jumped on this title.. I can’t tell you the exact models,, but I borrowed a set of maven 15XS, and 65mm spotter 2 years ago..,neither were anywhere close to the SwarO stuff in low light... PEROID... sure mid day they were comparable... wish I had some evening phone Skope footage still for you to compare both.. it was pretty much like adding 15 minutes to ur evening hunt by using SwarO... sorry maVen nuts...

Not going to say they are the same as Swaro, but I will say that Maven did not produce a 65mm spotting scope until this summer, so I am not sure what you had that you were comparing. The orginal 15s were the B4, and the newer versions are the B5. I have not spent time with either beyond the hunt expo, but the B4 didn't fit my face well. The B5 seemed very similar to my B2 bino which I love.

My 15s are Meopta and I like them plenty, but the Swaro SLC 15x I used seemed better. They were terrific. That said, my 9x Maven B2 hangs with anything else I have looked through, including the Leica Duovids that I sold in favor of my B2.

 

[Block]

Not going to say they are the same as Swaro, but I will say that Maven did not produce a 65mm spotting scope until this summer, so I am not sure what you had that you were comparing. The orginal 15s were the B4, and the newer versions are the B5. I have not spent time with either beyond the hunt expo, but the B4 didn't fit my face well. The B5 seemed very similar to my B2 bino which I love.

My 15s are Meopta and I like them plenty, but the Swaro SLC 15x I used seemed better. They were terrific. That said, my 9x Maven B2 hangs with anything else I have looked through, including the Leica Duovids that I sold in favor of my B2.

You know it may have been an 80mm ,,, I wanna day it was an S2 but I’m not sure.. it was good glass for sure,,, just at really low light it wasn’t anywhere near SwarO is all I’m saying.

 

[ChavezChavez505]

Really considering the Maven S.1 scope so if anyone does have phoneskope images for comparisons sake that would be handy as hell.

 

[Matt G.]

I had a hard time deciding between this and kowa 774. I went with the kowa due to FOV, weight, length and stellar reviews. Plus not that long ago price was lower then the maven.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

 

[GoatBoat218]

Really considering the Maven S.1 scope so if anyone does have phoneskope images for comparisons sake that would be handy as hell.

These are all out of my Maven S.1A some look pretty good and some look not so good. It kinda depends on the guy and the conditions rather than the scope sometimes, I wouldn't use phoneskope images for a deciding factor.