ORIGINAL: TEmbry
ORIGINAL: MeanV2
For the OP. Nope you don't need it, but if you are buying new then why not. It definitely won't hurt!
Basically sums it up...buying new, it is actually kind of stupid to NOT get it...considering ARC models are basically the same costs as the non ARC models, all things equal. You never know when you might need it. I agree that MOST hunters don't need to buy a new one if they already have one, but if you are buying a first or replacing a broke one......it would be dumb to NOT do it.
So, if the OP is looking to pick up his first rangefinder, get one with ARC, no brainer.
If/When I head for steep country to bowhunt, I will have one in my pack. May trade mine up if I ever find a good deal on an ARC model, or just buy a new one and gift my current one to my dad next christmas.
Like Rob said, some terrain unless you are a math wiz, it is necessary unless you carry conversion charts. I am fairly confident enough in my math skills that i could get by without it, but second guessing yourself is the LAST thing you want at crunch time.
+1, my next rangefinder will have it, but mainly because I can see it being useful for an ELK hunt in CO or for hunting a couple of the places I hunt here in OHIO. The one deer I shot last year was bedded down and I range it for 38-38.5 yds. I held a touch low because I knew it was a pretty decent angle, but I still hit a little high. Killed him quick enough, but had the shot been 2" lower it would have been "perfect (for a shot on a bedded deer from about 45-50' above it, and line of sight being 38yds). With an ARC rangefinder, I'd have been shooting for 34-34.5yds on the number, and that would have made a significant difference as the deer was about that distance from me "horizontally." I believe the other thing that we have to factor in is that the arrow will not loose near the velocity off of the string when shooting downhill at such an angle as it would on flat or uphill shots. But that throws a whole 'nother element into the mix!!!!