HuntingNet.com Forums - View Single Post - Optics
Thread: Optics
View Single Post
Old 05-12-2014 | 07:33 AM
  #9  
Nomercy448's Avatar
Nomercy448
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,938
Likes: 2
From: Kansas
Default

For me, it comes down to economics. I can get a "good enough" set of binos and a d@mn good rangefinder for far less cost than the cost of any of the combo units. And none of the combo units are very small, which is a big turn off for me.

I tend to carry both, but I can live without binos on the stand if I'm traveling light. Hence, I prefer my RF's small, and don't mind a 'standard' sized bino.

I have two of the Bushnell 1000's (one branded Cabelas, the other bushnell) that I've been using for several years - seems like I picked them up in 2007-8ish? Very happy with them for hunting in Kansas, the ARC function works, and they give accurate and repeatable reads out to about 600yrds on game, and a true 1000 on large flat face objects (buildings, sometimes a large tree, hillsides, etc). One of these is in my truck all the time, and I can't remember a time I've gone hunting in the last several years without one of them on my chest.

Coupled with that, I like a pair of "standard" binos, usually in the 10-12x and 40-50mm ballpark. By "standard" I mean "will JUST fit in a coat pocket - barely" type of size. I'm carrying either a Bushnell Trophy 10x42mm or Nikon Prostaff 12x50mm most of the time these days.

For longer range work, I generally carry a higher magnification, longer range RF, then a set of binos and a spotting scope.

I have a Leica 1300, sad that the 1600 came out right after I bought my 13. Also picked up a Nikon 1200, happy with it as well. Very rare that I ever use these for hunting, only when I want to make a really long poke at something. By and large, these are my range/target rangefinders, but they do see some hunting, when I'm set up on a bench or laying prone on a ridge with the spotting scope nearby.

Same binos as above.

I've been a cheapskate on my spotting scopes, and I pay for it every time I go to the range. Both are "serviceable" or "functional", but they ain't Cadillac's, that's for sure. I have a Simmons that was ~$120, and a Konus that was ~$250, both are 20-60x80mm. Always intend to replace them with proper spotters, but I have them and can make them work, so my fun money gets spent elsewhere.
Nomercy448 is offline  
Reply