In the market for a new rangefinder
Equipment
In the market for a new rangefinder. Considering the RX5 but want to consider what else is out there too. Also, being able to use for rifle hunting would be a plus. Would like to stay around $600 or less. Looking forward to hearing suggestions. Thanks all!
Bushnell Broadhead if it’s for bow hunting.
Bushnell just released a new range finder sounds awesome black and red cross hairs 4 feet + or - accurate
Bought an Sig Kilo this fall based on good reviews here. Would not range over 30 yards under any conditions not at all in fog or dim light. Batteries would read 1/3 power with 3 sets of new batteries. Returned it & exchanged for a Vortex Diamondback. Seems good so far but higher priced unit.
Don’t get an Sig…cold weather kills it !
Bought an Sig Kilo this fall based on good reviews here. Would not range over 30 yards under any conditions not at all in fog or dim light. Batteries would read 1/3 power with 3 sets of new batteries. Returned it & exchanged for a Vortex Diamondback. Seems good so far but higher priced unit.
I am on my third Sig kilo and all mine have died at some point and yes… they often shut off in cold weather only to come back on when above freezing. Also a couple would only range to 300 yards in the sun and at best I might get to 600 yards here and there. All that said… I am not dumb enough to buy three of them as they keep failing. Sig had replaced two on warranty and the third I have now has been in use for last archery season… died in the middle of a stalk during my archery elk hunt and is barely having on through this winter. Not sure what I would buy…. Maybe Leica or something better but my Sigs have been poor at best.
I also have Leica ranging binos. They are more than I need for my whitetail hunt. My Nikon Archers Choice served me well for many years but finally died this fall.
5th one for Sig. I also have a Leica, and it's good as well.
Sig...had mine for six years...zero issues.
Have had a Sig for 4 years. No problems and has worked well.
I just bought one of the Tidwe rangefinders off of Amazon after seeing someone post about them a month or two ago. I have an old Nikon that works great and I bought this one for my son (it is his first "optic" and until he shows he can take care of it he is not getting anything expensive). It was like $70. Cheap Chinese disposable stuff but that is why I bought it.
Works very well; but have not experimented with it in low-light or below 25F. Wouldn't trust it for a western hunt but for treestand whitetail hunting thus far it works fine.
I would suggest going to Cabelas, or some other retailer with a wide selection of different models. Then compare each side by side. When I did that, I noticed the Leica's optics were significantly better than all the rest. That was several years ago, so maybe some of the other brands have improved.
BTW, my Leica Rangemaster has performed flawlessly in all temps, and I get at least 3 years out of a new battery. It takes a single CR2 battery.
Matt
Which Leica has the angle compensation feature? My older Leica model doesn't have it & I just lost my Leupold 1600i & need to replace it! Not wanting a bino rangefinder.
I was the person that bought the Tidewe rangefinder. Going on year 2 and no issues. Damn cheap. I’m sick of paying 8x for the big names and being disappointed, and finding out they’re made in China too.
"Which Leica has the angle compensation feature?"
I'm pretty sure all of them do, now. I have the Leica Rangemaster 1600, which has been discontinued and replaced by the 2400. Both have angle compensation.
Matt
Thanks Matt, My old Leica Rangemaster 1200 doesn't have the angle compensation. I liked the Leupold 1600 i TBR but I do think the old Leica had better optics & seemed to have a tighter laser. Less false readings in tight areas. Both have red read outs. I hadn't used the Leica in a few years but after losing the Leupold I went back to it for the rest of the year. I'll sure look at the newer Leica models!
I ran with Pats recommendation on Tidewe and have zero regrets. 1000 yard model. Works for everything I have done to date. Wt, mule deer and elk hunting. Only issue was slow display at -10f, but that is LCD. (Put it inside my hoodie and issue went away) Also use it for work measuring roof tops or communications towers (for work) I have ranged out to 600+ yards. I changed it once this season and I likely didn’t need to. Less than $100 on Amazon. You can spend more if you want.
I’m liking the looks and reviews of the Maven rangefinders.
My impression; They are all pretty good now Just be sure to check it well when you first get it.
I own or have owned: Leica, bushnell, Leopold, Nikon
I would not buy Bushnell. I would buy one of the Leopold or Nikon versions again.
Midwest has a bushnelk and likes it as he mentioned. I like you, Beendare have not had good experiences with Bushnell. Although durable, I had issues with getting readings consistently on dark targets. Was very annoying and I gave that one away.
I know this is anecdotal, but my young hunting buddy just bought a Nikon rangefinder. It was off by 7-8 yards at 40 yards right out of the box. It actually cost him a nice buck before we determined it was that far off.
Matt
I have both Vortex (Ranger) and Bushnell. To be fair, the Bushnell is a couple years old but the speed at which the Vortex reads is dramatically better than the Bushnell. Its noticeable and helpful.
Scott
After reading here and many Sig reviews, those scare me.
After reading here and many Sig reviews, those scare me.
Love the instant angle corrected reading on my Leupold RX 1600i with DNA. Works in scan mode too…excellent for spot and stalk archery hunting. My Leica takes the backup slot due to slow angle corrected yardage read out and no angle correction in scan mode.
The Bushnell Broadhead will read on black targets. The sig I had wouldn't if you remember at TAC, Aaron.
I have been satisfied with my Leupold rangefinders. I like the bright display. I think my current one is the 1600i like mentioned above. They do seem to have an issue with their displays "dying" after a certain period of time. I think I got 5-6 years out of my last one. Will likely buy again unless i find something I like better in interim.
I've been thinking about replacing my old Bushnell Yardage Pro rangefinder. It doesn't work on really cold days unless I keep it fairly warm in my jacket pocket.
Based on a couple of recent threads on rangefinders, I narrowed my search to the Bushnell Broadhead and the Leupold RX-1400i TBR/W. Like most rangefinders, they both have angle compensation, which my old rangefinder doesn't. I'm not interested in one that allows me to enter my arrow or bullet ballistic info, or pairs with a rifle scope. And while I can afford more expensive models, I can't justify spending $500 on a rangefinder that is used for bowhunting distances 99% of the time. I just need something that gives accurate ranges, has angle compensation and will work in cold weather so I can use a tether, instead of having to keep it in my pocket.
On a recent trip to Bass Pro Shops, I had a chance to try out both the Bushnell and Leopold. I liked them both, but with the Bushnell Broadhead, the yardage readout prints low on the display. I wear glasses, and to see the yardage I had to press the rangefinder harder into my glasses, or tilt it up to see the number. No such issue with the Leopold. The Bushnell automatically switches between a black readout and red, depending on how bright it is outside, whereas the Leopold only has a red readout. The Leopold reticle/readout has 3 illumination levels, and reviewers says it works fine on sunny days.
My buddy and I are taking a road trip tomorrow and I'm going to stop by Bass Pro and look them over again, but I'll likely end up with the Leupold.
Take a close look at the Vortex Crossfire HD 1400 rangefinder. Bought one to replace one of our 20 yr old Nikon units. We're quite pleased at its performance and the $269 sticker price wasn't too hard to turn down.
