Spotting scope straight eyepiece vs angled eyepiece

[justin davis]

I’ve had both and gone back and forth. But currently use strait. I like Angled however most of my glassing is with binos. I will use the spotter time verify size or something. I’ve found I can acquire what I’m watching in the binos quicker with strait then having to adjust the tripod for the angled scope.

 

[Muleyman92]

The angled eye piece will catch more snow and rain....

Excellent point

 

[mrabe1979]

I have used both and can make due with either. Looking uphill or if you have multiple people of different heights looking through a angled scope is nice. That being said I prefer straight and will buy whatever I can get the best deal on.

 

[kylem]

Listening to Jay Scott talk about angled vs straight really has me leaning towards getting a straight spotter

 

[Extrapale]

Angled all day everyday, and twice on Sundays.

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[Catahoula]

I run an angled spotter. Comfortable transition from binoculars to spotter for me.

 

[pc3]

I like angled.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I believe Doug at camera land says they sell almost 90%angled... I could be wrong on the number but it’s skewed heavily to angled spotters. So resale value is probably better.

With an angled spotter I can cover all my spotting needs, not most of them. I’d rather buy just one spotter every 20 years personally. I don’t really fancy a trip to the chiropractor after a sheep or goat hunt because my spotter was intended mostly for looking down off the mountain tops. And an angled spotter rotates sideways when you look downhill. It’s not hard to look way down into canyons.

With an hour of practice I learned to acquire my target quickly when transitioning to/from binos. I always want a landmark in case I’m stalking an animal anyways. It’s easy to point the tripod that direction and dial in if you’re paying attention to the topography of what you’re glassing.

 

[JGRaider]

Straight is the easy choice for me.

 

[motts]

I prefer angled and haven't experienced any issues transitioning from binos to spotter. As others have mentioned, it is definitely easier to share the scope with others if it is angled as well.

 

[Jimss]

Definitely straight for me! I would like to time how long it takes someone with angled vs late to spot 10 different critters. Hands down it's quicker lining up with straight!

Another huge advantage that straight has over angled is my head and body is at or below the horizon when glassing with straight. I see that alone as a game=changer! Game can obviously spot your head and body movement above the horizon when glassing with angled. Glassing with angled for hours and hours tilted down or on the side must not be very comfortable and even tougher to line up and locate game.

As mentioned, straight is a lot more comfortable and easy with a window mount. Same thing is true....uncomfortable and tough to find critters if an angled is tilted to the sides or down.

If you look at weight the angled weighs a hair more than straight and takes up a little more volume loading in and out of a pack.

To me it's a no brainer....go straight young man!

 

[4ester]

It’s personal preference. Look at all the different answers you’ve already seen.

To me angled works better. There is a bit of a learning curve with alignment, but that gets better over time. I get neck and back pain when trying to look through a straight for very long.

If all you are doing is checking animal size after finding them with your binos, then hands down I would go straight. But I spend a lot of time actively searching using my spotter and the angled allows me to spend more time behind the glass comfortably.

From a vehicle I still think angled is better. Try looking at something slightly behind with a straight......you can roll that angled any which direction.


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[eaglemountainman]

Straight, compact, light. For me that = Kowa 554

But, like has been said, it's all about personal preferences. Good luck with your decision.

 

[JGRaider]

If you're going to spend hours behind a spotter, to "glass" with it, I'd really suggest 15x binos. They cannot be beat for long range glassing.

 

[Jimss]

I can understand how high power binos would be great for glassing and spotting game all day. They definitely have their limitations though...especially if you do much field judging from long-distance.

I guess I need to try angled because I really can't understand those that say it is more comfortable glassing through angled for hours? Around 90% of the time when I use my spotter I'm sitting on the ground with my tripod adjusted so my head and neck is straight glassing through my straight lens. Oddly enough if a person is sitting on the ground with an angled lens the person would have to bend their neck and look down into the lens from above? If a person's neck is bent all day I can see where it would not be very comfortable. The same is true when sitting and the angled lens is faced down..kinked neck. I can understand where it may be possible to not kink your neck with angled lens if the lens is turned to the sides.

I also use my spotter a lot for scouting and glassing sitting in my truck. The same thing is true but possibly worse with an angled lens in a truck due to having limited ability to move your body inside a small space. With a straight lens your head and neck is pretty much upright and in line with what you are glassing if the window is up or down at the right height.

Anyway, I wonder how an angled lens is more comfortable for glassing when head and neck is usually kinked? Maybe I am missing something and someone has an explanation? If you have an angled and it seems more comfortable great!

 

[Pacific_Fork]

@Jimms I agree, and I used angled for 5 years before switching to straight for those reasons you listed plus I was getting annoyed having to constantly adjust my tripod height when switching back and forth. I don’t want to discount anyone who has used both and prefers angled for any reason, I just think most people buy angled without testing both because that’s what is popular for some strange reason. I would again urge someone in the market for the first time to listen to the Jay Scott podcast for as close to expert opinion as you can get on the subject.

 

[KRoch]

Buy it for How you anticipate looking the most. (Down/even or up)
The general saying is lazy, road hunters buy angled, because they are usually looking up.
Guys who put boots to the ground, find themselves looking across canyons and down into canyons, and buy straight.

That's interesting most guys I know have angled and you primarily find us at the top of the mountains. Another hunter who you may or may not know, Aron Snyder, seems to be using an angled but he's known to be lazy and hunting from the truck. Honestly does that made up quote need to be added into a discussion. No offence but the idea of these forums is for information not to cause controversy go on social media for that.

As far as straight or angled there are definitely things that must be considered as noted above. I have used both and prefer the angled as it gives you the versatility to move the eyepiece so that you can be comfortable from 1 position and not constantly moving and adjusting to keep a full field of view.

If you are not in mountainous terrain or use your spotter just to identify an animal after spotting it with your eyes or binos, I would consider the straight as noted above it is easier for target acquisition and you are looking in one general direction. It definitely takes some time to learn how to pick up animals you have spotted with an angled but once you figure it out is a non issue. Also the eyepiece will not have rain/snow collect on it as easy as it could on an angled.

I find in the mountains of BC I prefer the angled. It allows you to sit in 1 position and look up and down the mountains and left to right. Again this is only if you are using your spotter to glass/grid. In a day I would say I spend no less than 2 hours behind my spotter so comfort and less movement are 2 very important things to consider. Moving the centre post up and down is not a big deal, especially if you have a decent tripod, when switching between binoculars and spotter or just to realign for full field of view. Were hunting so the less big movement the better. No amount of camo is better than less movement. Also as was stated above I have found that if you are hunting with others the angled is easier to setup for everyone to look into from one position especially children.

On another note you get what you pay for with spotters as the glass makes a major difference at higher magnifications. I would say use the cry once buy once principle when buying a spotter but also be realistic about your needs. I now use the Swarovski ATX because as stated before I spend a lot of time behind glass in heavily forested mountainous terrain in some really big country with point restrictions and counting rings, so the need for top tier glass saves my legs and precious time going after the wrong animal. I would buy the spotter that will fit your needs for the type of hunting you do and not for the once in a lifetime hunt, but for your regular hunting, as a guide will have the spotter or you could rent one from Rent Guns and Gear for those special tags.

Nothing new here, but consider your personal hunting style and areas and only use these as information to aid you in your decision. If someone says this is the best that only means it's the best for them. I hope this helps.

 

[excaliber]

Angled scopes to me only have an advantage when glassing uphill. I like to be high as possible and glass down. I tried glassing down with an angled spotter and having to turn the scope and look through it that way didn't cut it for me. Straight just works so much better when glassing across and down. Out of the truck straight is better also. Finding animals or targets when going from binos to straight is allot easier too.

I don't mind having to use a slightly taller tripod. I feel it's easier to keep my head straight than it is to bend my neck and look into an angled eyepiece. Good thing they make them both ways.

 

[AKborn87]

Not that big names in the hunting community should influence what gear someone buys, but it looks as though some of the most well known backpack hunters have been using angled spotters...at least recently.

Billy Molls - AK Hunting Guide (Spirit of a sheep hunter video) - Swaro ATX
Kurt Racicot - Owner Stone Glacier (Evo 40/65 Bag Dump video) - Swaro ATX
Adam Foss - What's in my pack (Journal of Mtn Hunting article) - Swaro ATX
Proving Trail Adventures gear list article - Two guys who've killed 20+ dall sheep between the two of them - Leica APO angled

Just saying...and yes I've been internally conflicted on angled vs. straight spotters for weeks now!

 

[downtownbrown0610]

Angled for me all day everyday. It is so much easier on my neck.