Spotting Scope Advice Needed

Ltsheets

Very Active Member
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1,127
So I'm in the market for my first spotting scope for hunting here in NM. I'm hoping to get to use it on 3-4 hunts a year between me and my wife along with as many scouting trips as I'm able to take. I also will be using it for any weekends I can get away to hunt with friends on their hunts. I plan on most of my hunting being pack-in DIY hunts. The only experience I have so far with a scope is using a Vortex Nomad 20-60x60 on my elk hunt this past Dec. I spent several hours a day for 3 days behind this scope trying to pick through all the bulls to find a legal 6x. My understanding is that the clarity on this scope isn't that great so my "bar" is set pretty low right now. I've got it narrowed down to 4 different scopes in 2 different price ranges (ordered from least to most expensive).

Vortex Viper HD 15-45x65
This was the first scope I considered as I know it's better than the Nomad and won't break the bank either.

Vortex Razor 11-33x50
I'm really considering this one as the price is similar to the Viper and it would be very easy to pack in and out. My only real concern is that I'll end up wanting more magnification than 33x sometimes but I'm not sure. If I got this one, I would probably try and convince the wife to leg my buy an 80mm in the future to compliment this one.

Vortex Razor HD 15-48x65
I've only heard good things about this scope overall for the price.

Zeiss Dialyte 15-45x65
I've heard this is one of the best all-around scopes if you're only going to buy one and is great for packing due to it's durability and relatively light weight. My concerns are that it's the most expensive of the group and I'm not sure how I'll like the focus being on the obj as well as the straight design. I think I prefer the angled design.

Any and all experience or advice will be appreciated and put towards making my decision.
 
Go and get the Feb issue of eastmans journal. They went through the top 8 spotting scopes for the money and quality. My opinion is swaro with out a doubt but a bit expensive. I also have a leupold gold ring HD and it is a very good scope and isnt near as expensive as the higher brands.
 
One thing to consider when getting a spotting scope is to think about what you are going to be putting it on top of. Let the quality of your tripod drive the quality of your spotting scope. You can by the best spotting scope in the world but it will be made useless with a pour quality tripod. You would be better off purchasing a medium quality spotting scope and a top dollar tripod.

400bull
 
Great advice. I'm already planning on not skimping on the tripod so no worries there!

>One thing to consider when getting
>a spotting scope is to
>think about what you are
>going to be putting it
>on top of. Let the
>quality of your tripod drive
>the quality of your spotting
>scope. You can by the
>best spotting scope in the
>world but it will be
>made useless with a pour
>quality tripod. You would be
>better off purchasing a medium
>quality spotting scope and a
>top dollar tripod.
>
>400bull
 

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