Straight or angled

[boom]

i think an angled scope is easier to share with a hunting partner. it is easier to peek over each other's shoulders with an angled. a straight is much more of a yoga move. nameste.

 

[Bughalli]

I've had straight the past 5 years and every year as my neck hurts I tell myself I should get angled. Straight is nice if planning to climb high and glass down, but I don't seem to do that much. Angled is great for glassine up mountains. Better on the neck. Plus it sits lower on the tripod, which makes it more stable in wind.

 

[Hardstalk]

Once you spend some time with an angled you realize downhill glassing isn't as hard as as imagined. Going back to straight is really difficult after using an angled for a bit.

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

I think angled is the better choice as long as you have a rotating collar which most scopes have now. Without it straight is definitely the better option.

 

[jdmdavey]

I vote angled as well. Much easier on the neck. Rotating collar as well, makes adjustments a breeze.

 

[Hardstalk]

I think angled is the better choice as long as you have a rotating collar which most scopes have now. Without it straight is definitely the better option.

Im kind of the opposite. Im glad the collar is there. But, once you spin the spotter. target acquisition (for me at least) is damn near impossible!

 

[Ben]

Hello All,

I wanted to revive this thread instead of starting a new one on the same subject.

I'm looking into buying my first spotting scope (minox md 50 or vortex nomad and a vortex high country tripod) and the angled vs straight option is of course coming up. I'm leaning towards angled so my wife can use it as well but am having trouble picturing looking downhill with it. Do you guys have issues looking downhill with an angled spotting scope? Could someone post a picture?

Also, does anyone have experience with the scope/tripod combo I mentioned above?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Aron Snyder]

Hello All,

I wanted to revive this thread instead of starting a new one on the same subject.

I'm looking into buying my first spotting scope (minox md 50 or vortex nomad and a vortex high country tripod) and the angled vs straight option is of course coming up. I'm leaning towards angled so my wife can use it as well but am having trouble picturing looking downhill with it. Do you guys have issues looking downhill with an angled spotting scope? Could someone post a picture?

Also, does anyone have experience with the scope/tripod combo I mentioned above?

Thank you in advance!

I have used an angled in the steepest terrain you could imagine (look at photo on the article I wrote about telling your story). An angled wins in every situation. You just twist the spotting scope so there's no head movement.

It would be a hard choice between those two. Most spotting scopes in that price range will be close in optical performance as well.

 

[Justin Crossley]

The only time that I would prefer a straight spotting scope is when using it inside a truck with the window mount.

All other situations I prefer angled.

 

[Ben]

Thanks Aron and Justin.

I went out to my local hunting store to compare angled vs straight. With little experience in spotting scopes, I had fun playing around in them. I found the angled scope hard to get on target initially but overall all much more comfortable.

I don't spend too much time in the truck so I am definitely going with an angled spotting scope.

I couldn't find a lot of info on the tripod so hopefully I will pick one up soon. I'll get some bino, spotting scope, and camera use out of it and let you all know what I think.

Thanks again.

 

[rye_a]

I'm resurrecting this thread again rather than starting a new one. I will be ordering a Vortex Razor 11-33x50 from ElkNut in the next couple of days, and am having a tough time deciding whether to go with the straight or angled version. I hunt in Colorado at high elevation, and never scope from a truck. I also plan to use my spotter at the rifle range. I have been using an angled 65mm Viper HD for the last couple years and like the angled setup, but my concerns about the angled Razor 50mm are:

-Is the straight significantly more packable? I carry my spotter in the outside tube pocket of my DT3.
-Is the straight much better for handheld use?
-Does the fact that the angled Razor 50mm doesn't have a rotating collar make it significantly less versatile?

 

[Beastmode]

If you plan on using it without a tripod the straight would be a little more comfortable. It will be slightly easier to pack but not enough to tell the difference. The rotating collar is a must for me on an angled spotter. For your use a straight is probably the best bet.

 

[rye_a]

Thanks. I will probably use it on a tripod most of the time, but will use it hand-held when I'm on the go.

 

[boom]

after a long AZ hunt..i'd like to revise my answer. i think a Straight scope is better for me, when it comes to using my scope to find game. as a locator, it is really nice to find a deer and know in general where the beast it..

i think an angled tool is better at looking at something i already found with my binos.and the group is looking at it..taking turns with the scope. it just feels more natural breaking a mountain side into grids and working it with a straight scope...for me.