Straight or angled

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May 20, 2012
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Im getting ready to buy my first spotter and not sure which way to go. I've only used straight spotters what everyone's opinion on an angled one?
 
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I am 100% in the angled spotter camp. Takes a few minutes to get used to aiming it but that comes quickly and the comfort during extended use can't be beat.
 
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If I was going to use mine primarily out of a vehicle, for whitetails back east, I would have got the straight. Being out west, using it in the mountains, the angled is the way to go. Some people say that it takes some getting used to, as far as finding the point you want to glass, but after about 10 mins of using mine it was pretty simple. I also like to glass sitting down, so that was another factor.

I love my angled spotter.
 

ElkNut1

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I just went Angled, we'll see! I've been a straight guy for the most part!

ElkNut1
 

RosinBag

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I have always had the straight. I am one who has found the angled ones hard to get used to.
 

Matt Cashell

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This thread feels like deja-vu a little bit.

Ahhh, the classic question.

Typically the arguments go like this:

Straight:

1. Easier to get on target.
2. Easier to glass from above.
3. Easier to glass from a vehicle.

Angled:

1. Easier on the neck.
2. Easier to glass up.
3. Easier to use with multiple people of different sizes.
4. You can use a shorter/lighter tripod.

I use angled, because most angled scopes have a rotating color that more or less evens the field with the straight, except about getting on target easier. After some practice, though getting on target with an angled scope is second nature.

Also, angled eyepiece support a digiscoping camera much better.
 

Becca

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We have used both, but are pretty sold on the angled at this point. It is nice to be able to use the scope from a seated position, both for glassing in the evenings when I want to relax or if it's windy. Another big advantage is that the angled scope can more easily be used by people of different heights. I am always the shortest one (go figure) and as long as the tripod is set low enough for me from the get go, Luke or our other hunting partners can find something in the spotter and I can have a look without having to adjust the height and risk losing whatever it was from the field of view. Nice when you are spotting with a group, and one person is running the spotter while the other(s) spot with binos...
 
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I'm a straight guy, always have been.... ;)

Reasons being that for the kind of country we hunt, we are almost always (80%+) glassing downhill... I could see for places like colorado or (especially) Alaska where you are sheep hunting that angled would be better. As others have said about the straight, is that I couldn't get used to it hardly at all. Simply wasn't a fan!

It basically comes down to hunting style and personal preference. Both of them work thats for sure... There is no optical design that allows for a clearer image in the straight vs. angled debate (to my knowledge). I will say that digiscoping is better on angled, but my camera is small enough that it still works just fine!

Mike
 
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flatlander51
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Sorry If this is a repeat thread I looked back a couple of pages and didn't see anything. But thanks for all the replies
 

Matt Cashell

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Worry not fl51! I am sure this is a topic that will come up pretty often.

On the glassing from above issue, angled spotters work just as well as straight, in my experience, if you just adjust the rotating collar.
 

Dixie07

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I poured through about everything I could find when trying to decide if I wanted straight or angled. I ended up with angled and I am very glad I did, it seems very hard on my neck with the straight, plus you have to have a taller tripod, and make more adjustments when you want to change what you are looking at.
 

Browtine

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Reviving an old thread......

I know the straight spotters work better out of a vehicle, but do any of you angled guys use them out of the truck? I'm assuming you can make them work ok with out too much trouble?? I'm really wanting the angled for the mountains and when I'm out of the truck, but also do a fair amount of glassing out the truck here in Oz so I'm kinda on the fence.
 
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Reviving an old thread......

I know the straight spotters work better out of a vehicle, but do any of you angled guys use them out of the truck? I'm assuming you can make them work ok with out too much trouble?? I'm really wanting the angled for the mountains and when I'm out of the truck, but also do a fair amount of glassing out the truck here in Oz so I'm kinda on the fence.

Most of the scopes now have a collar so you can rotate the spotter. So instead of the angle pointing towards the roof it would face towards you if that makes sense.
 

Browtine

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Most of the scopes now have a collar so you can rotate the spotter. So instead of the angle pointing towards the roof it would face towards you if that makes sense.

I don't really need a big scope, so was looking at the 50mm Razor which doesn't have a rotating collar. I'm thinking I can combat that with a good window mount with ball head though.
 
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