Rangefinder

[BLJ]

@gr8fuldoug. Are the electronics on the Athlon covered by there warranty?

 

[JGRaider]

From what I understand Athlon and Vortex are the only brands that honor the lifetime warranty on electronics.

 

[nobody]

Maven is your best bet in the price range. It is physically LARGE, and be warned your options are limited for pouches that will fit them (relative to other options on the market), but feedback from guys I've talked to who use them has been nothing but positive. If I was buying today, I would buy Maven.

Second place would be Vortex, and some of the newer Vortex units are large too (Viper and Razor). FWIW, my Dad runs a Razor and has gotten handheld ranges, unsupported, out to about 3k yards. I got a screaming deal on a Viper when they first came out, and I've done the same out to about 2500. So far, I've been impressed with both, but if I had to do it all over again I would've waited for the Maven to come back in stock and gone that direction. But the Viper will easily glass well beyond what I would ever shoot.

Personally, I'll never purchase Athlon again. I was grossly underwhelmed by the one purchase I made from them, even when I took into account Cameraland's discount price. I personally wouldn't be surprised if Athlon doesn't survive the coming recession, but that's just one random dude's opinion (mine).

 

[nobody]

From what I understand Athlon and Vortex are the only brands that honor the lifetime warranty on electronics.

So does Maven, so the OP is barking up the right tree if that's a deciding factor for him (product quality aside).

 

[BLJ]

From what I understand Athlon and Vortex are the only brands that honor the lifetime warranty on electronics.

I knew about Vortex. Didn't know if Athlon was the same or not.

 

[Venom One]

I was skeptical of the side wheel, but find myself using it all the time adjusting the brightness. From the bright afternoon to the low lights at sunrise/sunset; it keeps everything from getting washed out by the red text. I also never have a issue adjusting it with one hand on the fly.

I can see how the wheel would be very handy for brightness adjustments, and very easy to use because of it's location.

My hang-ups on the RF.1 are:
1. Size -
2. The wheel getting caught on the pouch
3. The wheel getting damaged if dropped

 

[Venom One]

Maven is your best bet in the price range. It is physically LARGE, and be warned your options are limited for pouches that will fit them (relative to other options on the market), but feedback from guys I've talked to who use them has been nothing but positive. If I was buying today, I would buy Maven.

Second place would be Vortex, and some of the newer Vortex units are large too (Viper and Razor). FWIW, my Dad runs a Razor and has gotten handheld ranges, unsupported, out to about 3k yards. I got a screaming deal on a Viper when they first came out, and I've done the same out to about 2500. So far, I've been impressed with both, but if I had to do it all over again I would've waited for the Maven to come back in stock and gone that direction. But the Viper will easily glass well beyond what I would ever shoot.

The Viper was on my list so I'm glad you posted up. My only concern with the Viper is the size as you mentioned, and I don't need that kind of range either. I'm almost exclusively a bow hunter, but with a rifle, 500 yds would be about the longest shot I'd take.

 

[nobody]

The Viper was on my list so I'm glad you posted up. My only concern with the Viper is the size as you mentioned, and I don't need that kind of range either. I'm almost exclusively a bow hunter, but with a rifle, 500 yds would be about the longest shot I'd take.

Upside to being able to range further is you can use it to plan your stalk. I'll never shoot 3k yards, but being able to range that far tells me how much closer I need to get to a target. Also, rangefinder performance dips in cold temps. So if, in perfect conditions, you can get 750 yards (250 more than you want to shoot), you're good as long as weather and conditions are perfect. Add in some cold temps and hazy conditions and some moisture in the air and all of a sudden you can only range 400 yards.

Your rangefinder max distance should NEVER be the reason you can't/don't take a shot. Whatever you think you want, double it, and then find a rangefinder that will do at least DOUBLE that much.

By that, you want a rangefinder that will consistently range at least 2k yards on good days in warm temps.

 

[Gseith]

I can see how the wheel would be very handy for brightness adjustments, and very easy to use because of it's location.

My hang-ups on the RF.1 are:
1. Size -
2. The wheel getting caught on the pouch
3. The wheel getting damaged if dropped

The wheel doesn’t get hung up going into the marsupial gear pouch. I think it just needs a pouch that is big enough.
As for dropping it on the wheel. I’m sure it would be fine. It feels really well made, not cheap or fragile. It is an electronic device, so there is always a chance it could break from a hard fall.

 

[Waterboy]

So I’ve emailed athlon twice since I took to the slide for answers, first time I emailed was after https://rokslide.com/forums/members/4720/ posted his response. The second was this morning. Still no word. I’m leaning maven crf but it is out of stock.

 

[sndmn11]

Realistically around 5-600 yards and in. With maybe a range day out to 1000 yards once a year. So both rangefinders are available without the wheel? Is the price the same for each model with/without the wheel?

No, the RF.1 has the wheel, the CRF.1 does not. Different specs/capabilities beyond wheel/no wheel as well.

 

[sndmn11]

. I’m leaning maven crf but it is out of stock.

Call Maven and ask Mollie if you're can order a demo RF.1, but have the demo time extended to when the CRF.1 is back in stock.

Something that might be overlooked if one is a bow hunter is that the field/forest performance is also improved between the two, not just the distance ranged. If one were hunting thick stuff, that would be a very important thing to consider.

 

[Jimss]

Do yourself a favor and sell your current binos and put that plus rangefinder $ towards a bino/rangefinder combo. It's a pain in the rear carrying both......and going back and forth between binos and rangefinder. Having just one may also be the difference in time between getting a monster buck or having him run over the ridge! I live on a popper's budget and sold a bunch of old gear to afford the best. I also bought a demo pair off cameraland for a chunk less $. If you keep your eyes open you may also find one almost new on this website's classified section. I bought my Swaro spotting scope almost new on this website for close to 1/2 off!

If you just want to buy one in your lifetime I would suggest a Leica bino/rangefinder combo. I can guarantee you will be thrilled with the lifetime investment!

 

[Flashlight Guy]

With your budget of $500. I highly recommend Vortex Razor HD 4000. The glass is very clear and isn’t as tinted as others in that price point. Vortex has an unconditional warranty and with a rangefinder that can be extremely useful. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that other brands have but its ranging is accurate. (Sigs are faster at ranging. Leupold, Kahles, and Leica have more information that can be entered.) Overall I think the Razor HD 4000 is one of the best optics Vortex makes.