Range Finder Binoculars

[GermanHunter]

For the ambitious long-range hunter/shooter, I highly suggest taking a look at the new Vector X from Vectronix ---> VECTOR X - VECTRONIX SHOOTING SOLUTIONS
Comes with Applied Ballistics Elite inside, a HUD screen, rang enhancers, etched reticle and a lot of other great features. Seems to be a well-thought-out concept at an acceptable price.

 

[Utectok]

Only thing I would say is try them, I have an eye dominance problem (central vision with preferred left eye) that meant I couldn’t easily see the range read out. Worth checking before shelling out the readies

Same here I got the Leicas as the display is all in one eye unfortunately the right eye but I can squint and see it. I think some split display and readout between both eyes which never works for me

 

[baguio]

I used to have a monocular but it was not a patch on RF Binos. Firstly it's something else to lose, drop and fill your pockets with. Took too long to get out and range. Also very difficuly to hold something one handed and keep it on the target that I was trying to range whilst pressing the button. None of those problems with RF binos. I have Swaro TAs but visually, the picture is no better to my eyes than my old Leicas BNs and I have tested them at last light. The big 3 will all be amazing for sure. Don't care about the warranty because these things are robust and Swaro Customer service is brilliant. I will never put up with something less than I can afford because of a warranty that I will probably never need anyway. If my TAs were to ever go wrong I'm confident that Swaro would look after me.

 

[Hunter1973]

I was thinking of changing my swaro's for a set of Geovids, but got a leupold range finder instead with ballistic adjustment. where half my stalking is woodland I don't need to range things so the extra weight wasn't worth it. Only take my RF onto the open hills. So another option could be a used set of Swarovski as they are at good money now and a pocket range finder. IMO

 

[Dogtra UK]

For the ambitious long-range hunter/shooter, I highly suggest taking a look at the new Vector X from Vectronix ---> VECTOR X - VECTRONIX SHOOTING SOLUTIONS
Comes with Applied Ballistics Elite inside, a HUD screen, rang enhancers, etched reticle and a lot of other great features. Seems to be a well-thought-out concept at an acceptable price.

Where are they available in the UK?

 

[gelert]

I had a pair of Leica Rf Binoculars for years. It's no secret leica make a lot of camera lenses too and the clarity is superb. I found mine just a bit too big and have literally last week swapped over to a set of GPO 8 x 32.The clarity is first class and the rangefinder is very quick from first impression, they look like a great pair. Also very ergonomic in size.

 

[Brighty3006]

Swarovski el range . Wouldn't be without them

 

[jthyttin]

I thought this was a pretty fair and unbiased review.

Maybe for the guy doing the review (and the time of review). But about a year later GEovid HD-R were selling for 1000-1500 Euro here in Finland, depending on magnification and place of purchase. I almost pulled the trigger with them, but they were twice the weight of my existing binos in same mag / lens size so didn't.

With RF binos you're not buying the rangefinder. You're buying the binos, and RF is added value. There might be high moisture etc. situations where one RF would actually perform better than other, but in most conditions all would be fine. Regarding Vortex warranty, I think it's like "get Vauxhall with lifetime warranty" or "get BMW with the warranty they offer". If you really want to discern in optic quality, give them to bird watchers for opinion. And also pay attention to how the HUD readings are displayed. Even with top European names, there previously were some arrangements that severely restricted the low light capability in the eye where readings were shown (threre was some kind of film in the optic path, on which the readings were projected).

 

[old keeper]

Don't do it buy a good thermal and a Leica rangefinding monocular. My Geovids only get used on country walks. I would not go out shooting without my thermal and monocular lives in truck. Monocular is v compact so no issue tucking it away in my jacket. Its got v good optics.
The way things are going LR will be standard in all thermals.
D

I totally agree with this. Leica rangefinders have served me well for years and in many situations are far more convenient to use the RF binos.

Whilst I stick to Leica, I have to say that I've had several other makes of rangefinding monoculars and they've all worked perfectly well

 

[nun_hunter]

Regarding Vortex warranty, I think it's like "get Vauxhall with lifetime warranty" or "get BMW with the warranty they offer".

I think there is more to it than that though. If you're using your kit to the absolute limit then spending a lot more money to gain 5% performance makes sense.

For most stalkers buying top of the line Swarovski makes about as much sense as an overweight middle-aged guy working a corporate office job buying a £5k carbon race bike and lycra to potter around at the weekend. Both of them will never truly reap the benefits of spending over twice as much as someone with the ability and desire to maximise their kit.

As to the warranty, 100% guaranteed repair or replacement beats hoping great customer service will do the same but never being totally sure, for me anyway.

 

[GermanHunter]

Where are they available in the UK?

I heard it will be available in Europe from September 2024. I can't say anything about the UK.

 

[maximus otter]

Swarovski EL Range 8 x 42 here. Buy the best and only cry once.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”​

Benjamin Franklin

maximum otter

 

[Heym SR20]

Range Finder Binoculars are one of those bits of kit that have been developed to provide stickiness to customers or fill a need that doesn’t really exist.

You take a very good pair of binoculars that will last a lifetime.

You add electronics to the equation. This adds a button that flashes up little numbers, its add weight and it adds considerable expense.

If you look at the warranties most optic manufacturers offer, its for optic part and often this is for lifetime. The electronic bit is not covered and usually only a few years. And when it fails you have a heavy pair of binoculars.

Instead spend your money a really good pair of straightforward binoculars. Use them as binoculars.

For range finding - other tools to use

1) your scope reticle - look at your book of words and see the subtension between centre of thin and thick reticles. You can very quickly learn how a deer that is in range looks.

2) Google earth on your phone. You have a good accurate range measuring tool on there. Drop a pin where you are and a pin where the target is and it gives you the range.

3) ordanance survey maps - again you can measure ranges.

2) and 3) are best done as part of looking at new land. Measure key obvious distances across fields - or distance from the wall to woodland edge. You really need to know that a deer is within point blank range. If its too far its too far so does not matter if its 623 of 859m.

4) if you want portable range finding either buy a dedicated little range finder or a thermal optic with an embedded range. Most have these. Expect such devices to have a finite life and that they will disposed of at some point - ie just like any other electronics. And take this when you need such capability.

 

[Kevgun]

Range Finder Binoculars are one of those bits of kit that have been developed to provide stickiness to customers or fill a need that doesn’t really exist.

You take a very good pair of binoculars that will last a lifetime.

You add electronics to the equation. This adds a button that flashes up little numbers, its add weight and it adds considerable expense.

If you look at the warranties most optic manufacturers offer, its for optic part and often this is for lifetime. The electronic bit is not covered and usually only a few years. And when it fails you have a heavy pair of binoculars.

Instead spend your money a really good pair of straightforward binoculars. Use them as binoculars.

For range finding - other tools to use

1) your scope reticle - look at your book of words and see the subtension between centre of thin and thick reticles. You can very quickly learn how a deer that is in range looks.

2) Google earth on your phone. You have a good accurate range measuring tool on there. Drop a pin where you are and a pin where the target is and it gives you the range.

3) ordanance survey maps - again you can measure ranges.

2) and 3) are best done as part of looking at new land. Measure key obvious distances across fields - or distance from the wall to woodland edge. You really need to know that a deer is within point blank range. If its too far its too far so does not matter if its 623 of 859m.

4) if you want portable range finding either buy a dedicated little range finder or a thermal optic with an embedded range. Most have these. Expect such devices to have a finite life and that they will disposed of at some point - ie just like any other electronics. And take this when you need such capability.

This is what I do as well.

I have measure map pro on my phone, Ordnance survey map on my phone as well, I use the recording feature , then I can look back where I walked before.
Having a the MBPR set for the Rifle/ammo combo your using helps and a good understanding of your Scope and mil dot reticle makes life easier as well.

I do have a rangefinder in my thermal, but not used most of the time, because when I look through my scope I know if the shot is on or not.

The problem lies when you keep changing kit for the latest/greatest carlos fandango kit, and never get the time to use before you've bought something else.

Telegraph poles across a field for instance are about 100 yards apart, at least they are my way.

If I go to a new piece of land, I study it on google maps beforehand that way you can see the unseen that help make safe decisions on backstops,
you can measure distances to and from a point, so you have a good idea before you get there.

 

[nun_hunter]

Range Finder Binoculars are one of those bits of kit that have been developed to provide stickiness to customers or fill a need that doesn’t really exist.

You take a very good pair of binoculars that will last a lifetime.

You add electronics to the equation. This adds a button that flashes up little numbers, its add weight and it adds considerable expense.

If you look at the warranties most optic manufacturers offer, its for optic part and often this is for lifetime. The electronic bit is not covered and usually only a few years. And when it fails you have a heavy pair of binoculars.

Instead spend your money a really good pair of straightforward binoculars. Use them as binoculars.

For range finding - other tools to use

1) your scope reticle - look at your book of words and see the subtension between centre of thin and thick reticles. You can very quickly learn how a deer that is in range looks.

2) Google earth on your phone. You have a good accurate range measuring tool on there. Drop a pin where you are and a pin where the target is and it gives you the range.

3) ordanance survey maps - again you can measure ranges.

2) and 3) are best done as part of looking at new land. Measure key obvious distances across fields - or distance from the wall to woodland edge. You really need to know that a deer is within point blank range. If its too far its too far so does not matter if its 623 of 859m.

4) if you want portable range finding either buy a dedicated little range finder or a thermal optic with an embedded range. Most have these. Expect such devices to have a finite life and that they will disposed of at some point - ie just like any other electronics. And take this when you need such capability.

Firstly if you buy from a company offering a full lifetime warranty, no questions asked on everything, such as Vortex, then you don't have the worries you have outlined and the binoculars are cheaper in the first place. The differences in optical clarity are probably mostly unnoticiable to 99% of the people who would buy them and not worth the extra £1k.

Other than using the reticle to range which is good for rough estimates the other methods you suggest all take long enough as to be not hugely practical when trying to shoot a deer that is moving and changing distance.

If you're happy to estimate range and use the MPBR method then you probably don't need it want a range finder at all. If you want or need to range accurately enough to compensate for sufficient bullet drops or aiming at a small target then estimating range using the methods you describe aren't going to be accurate enough.

 

[jthyttin]

Vortex is 20y old company, and basically nobody had heard of it 10y ago.

From this you can deduct the reasoning EU had when they banned lifetime warranties and such. I think even Meopta 30y warranty is against the rules.

 

[Heym SR20]

Firstly if you buy from a company offering a full lifetime warranty, no questions asked on everything, such as Vortex, then you don't have the worries you have outlined and the binoculars are cheaper in the first place. The differences in optical clarity are probably mostly unnoticiable to 99% of the people who would buy them and not worth the extra £1k.

Other than using the reticle to range which is good for rough estimates the other methods you suggest all take long enough as to be not hugely practical when trying to shoot a deer that is moving and changing distance.

If you're happy to estimate range and use the MPBR method then you probably don't need it want a range finder at all. If you want or need to range accurately enough to compensate for sufficient bullet drops or aiming at a small target then estimating range using the methods you describe aren't going to be accurate enough.

By the time you have tanged your moving target and twiddled your turrets the deer has already died from old age.

I know how far distances are on land I stalk. I have spent a bit of time learning the distances.

Thus when I see a deer I just concentrate on shooting it.

And with a reticle if you know the length of your typical deer and sub tensions in your scope it really is a quick method of confirming range.

But then I did learn my stalking before all these money extracting devices came along.

It was very simple - get into a group of hinds. Look out the cull animals and shoot them. Ffs we did it with 6x42 abd 10x42 fixed power scopes and no moderators and wooden stocks. On the one estate I stalked a lot we were shooting 300 plus hinds a year, taking 15 to 20 a day at times.

 

[baguio]

By the time you have tanged your moving target and twiddled your turrets the deer has already died from old age.

I know how far distances are on land I stalk. I have spent a bit of time learning the distances.

Thus when I see a deer I just concentrate on shooting it.

And with a reticle if you know the length of your typical deer and sub tensions in your scope it really is a quick method of confirming range.

But then I did learn my stalking before all these money extracting devices came along.

It was very simple - get into a group of hinds. Look out the cull animals and shoot them. Ffs we did it with 6x42 abd 10x42 fixed power scopes and no moderators and wooden stocks. On the one estate I stalked a lot we were shooting 300 plus hinds a year, taking 15 to 20 a day at times.

Talk about blowing smoke up your own arse!

 

[bowji john]

Height in inches divided by mils multiply by 25.5 (if I remember correctly) gives range in meters

Look up on your dope sheet and dial

Hope that the prevailing conditions don’t cock things up

Or …

Zap with your ballistic bins. Send to kestral. Read off your HUD

PS

There are many alternatives between those two extremes

 

[Heym SR20]

Talk about blowing smoke up your own arse!

You really like making stupid statements don’t you.