Best budget spotting scope

4600HNTR

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Been trying to find a good do-all spotter that's light enough to use for backpack hunting. I've been looking at the Vortex Razor HD 16-48x65. But it's at the very top of my budget. Is it worth the money? Also have a 40% off code to Hawk Optics, do they make quality stuff? Thanks for your input
 
no purchase more regrettable then glass. you tell yourself ill save some money and then when your out there you'll be like "i cant see $hit with this thing im packing around. buy once, cry once, then comes the joy when your looking through it.

id honestly rather have no spotter then a mediocre one. your binos on a tri pod do more at that point
 
^ agree with above. Sell your camera you’re using for YouTube and take the time you have into YouTube and get a side job to save for a quality spotting scope
The cameras I use are my iPhone and a GoPro lol, and they are both slowly paying for themselves from YouTube. Already work 25-30 hours a week but I'm recovering from buying truck, So $3,000 Swaros are not an option. I'm listening though, I'll look into some better used ones.
 
I have the vortex razor 16-48, they are a decent entry level scope, but a lot of my hunting involves timber and not needing glass. I will say it isn’t amazing but probably a fair value if you get it around 500/600. I use it mule deer rifle hunting and will using scouting this summer, but I will replace it in the future probably with a kowa, Zeiss, maven or something along those lines. Biggest gripe is the lower power setting is crisp and clear, but on highest power it gets a little grainy. I pack a spotting scope for the highest power setting so think about that.
 
If You Can Afford a 70K-80K Truck You Can Damn Surer Afford Some Quality Glass!:D




The cameras I use are my iPhone and a GoPro lol, and they are both slowly paying for themselves from YouTube. Already work 25-30 hours a week but I'm recovering from buying truck, So $3,000 Swaros are not an option. I'm listening though, I'll look into some better used ones.
 
Don’t buy cheap glass. Keep an eye out and you can find great used glass. I bought Vortex RZR spotter because my Swarovski was in for repair and wasn’t sure if it would come back in time. NO COMPARISON.
 
I have a used gen 1 angle vortex razer HD just as you mention. $550 + shipping. Like new, comes with box and cover. Used on 2 hunts from a truck window.
 
I have the vortex razor 16-48, they are a decent entry level scope, but a lot of my hunting involves timber and not needing glass. I will say it isn’t amazing but probably a fair value if you get it around 500/600. I use it mule deer rifle hunting and will using scouting this summer, but I will replace it in the future probably with a kowa, Zeiss, maven or something along those lines. Biggest gripe is the lower power setting is crisp and clear, but on highest power it gets a little grainy. I pack a spotting scope for the highest power setting so think about that.
In your opinion how does it do in low light conditions?
 
It is decent, my FIL has a swaro with the BTX that hopefully he wills me, but with other scopes in that price range I think it has decent low light, but it’s a 500 dollar spotter for a reason. You are just starting out and would serve you well for some years, and eventually you could upgrade down the road. What kind of binos do you have?
 
Buy the best you can…I LOVE MY ATS 65 hd I have had tons of spotters and wouldn’t run anything but that … but if top of your budget is a Razor…. Don’t pay retail! Find it used for a lot cheaper…. Then if you have problems take it to a sheels or send it to them….. I hate seeing anyone pay full price on anything vortex…..
 
It is decent, my FIL has a swaro with the BTX that hopefully he wills me, but with other scopes in that price range I think it has decent low light, but it’s a 500 dollar spotter for a reason. You are just starting out and would serve you well for some years, and eventually you could upgrade down the road. What kind of binos do you have
I've got vortex crossfires, will probably need to upgrade them eventually. Getting a job at Sportsman's after Christmas so I'll be getting really good deals. Might end up getting a better spotter. Thanks for the help.
 
Buy the best you can…I LOVE MY ATS 65 hd I have had tons of spotters and wouldn’t run anything but that … but if top of your budget is a Razor…. Don’t pay retail! Find it used for a lot cheaper…. Then if you have problems take it to a sheels or send it to them….. I hate seeing anyone pay full price on anything vortex…..
Yeah I would never pay full price. Saw the spotter on an overstock website for like 30% off
 
This isn’t the question, but my recommendation would be to sell those binos, take both budgets and buy the best 12x50 binos you can and stick them on a tripod. Then glass as often as you can and really learn how to use them.
 
I've got vortex crossfires, will probably need to upgrade them eventually. Getting a job at Sportsman's after Christmas so I'll be getting really good deals. Might end up getting a better spotter. Thanks for the help.
No problem man, there can be a big barrier to entry getting started and the top end gear is very expensive, I understand I came from a non hunting family and have to buy all my own gear. Some of it has become a lot nicer over the years when budget and life would allow. I think a solid pair of 10x or 12x binos would probably help you the most, but if your heart is set on a mid range spotter, get it.

What kind of glassing are you doing? Think about where you hunt primarily, how you hunt, will a spotter with more magnification help more or maybe just better binos? 85% of my hunting is in places where I don’t carry a spotting scope, only use/ carry it for rifle mule deer hunting and it has served me well enough, but like I said I’m not expecting 4k or 5k worth of performance for something I paid 500 for. It is loads better than what I had and the cheap stuff it has been compared to, but loads worse than any swaro I’ve looked through

You can upgrade it down the line, and as time goes one new lines of optics come along. You could look for some deals on stuff on the classifieds here or other hunting websites, just be careful because every once in a while there is a scammer, but most guys are solid.
 
15x swaros are better then a cheap spotter. Actually, a toilet paper tube is better than a cheap spotter. Save your money and look for a used Swaro unibody spotter. They’re around for $1200-1500 and will be worth the same amount of money in a few years when you decide to upgrade. If you drop $1000 on a new vortex or hawk it’ll be worth $150 and a pack of Marlboro reds in a few years of you’re lucky.
 
No problem man, there can be a big barrier to entry getting started and the top end gear is very expensive, I understand I came from a non hunting family and have to buy all my own gear. Some of it has become a lot nicer over the years when budget and life would allow. I think a solid pair of 10x or 12x binos would probably help you the most, but if your heart is set on a mid range spotter, get it.

What kind of glassing are you doing? Think about where you hunt primarily, how you hunt, will a spotter with more magnification help more or maybe just better binos? 85% of my hunting is in places where I don’t carry a spotting scope, only use/ carry it for rifle mule deer hunting and it has served me well enough, but like I said I’m not expecting 4k or 5k worth of performance for something I paid 500 for. It is loads better than what I had and the cheap stuff it has been compared to, but loads worse than any swaro I’ve looked through

You can upgrade it down the line, and as time goes one new lines of optics come along. You could look for some deals on stuff on the classifieds here or other hunting websites, just be careful because every once in a while there is a scammer, but most guys are solid.
Thanks. Before last season all l did was still hunt in thick cover occasionally glassing hillsides, so my 10's were more than enough. But last season I started solo backpack hunting in the high country, and my binos were almost useless, glassing those alpine basins. I've got plenty of time to decide what I want. Like I said I might end end up buying some better ones.
 
Get a side job. Sell some stuff around the house. Sell some gear you never use.

I’m being honest when I say having a top shelf set 10x42 binos, a top shelf spotter, and a quality tripod are three items I use 365 days a year. I’m so sick of people saying “they will get me by”, “good for the money”. Blah blah blah.


Good glass held steady will allow you to glass more hours because of lack of eye fatigue and find you more animals because you can look from first light till after other glass goes dark.

Having good glass is probably the cheapest form of long-term entertainment you can get.
Find the money. Get them. Enjoy them.
 
save up for good glass. i bought some cheap spotter from cabelas first for the warranty and they are worse then my cheap vortex 10x42 diamondbacks. complete loss of sharpness after 25-30x
 
just got a slc 17x40 mini swaro for 2200 and I know it isn't 2 or 3 times better as standard glass but it is small and lite and I carry a pair of 18x56 and a 10x42 on my neck and know I can bring a spotter. it is all about weight for me now,I also changed to a badland pack and a christensen rifle and cut my weight by nearly 10 pounds.I have a sequoia leopold 20x60 big and heavy spotter without tripod that if you want it I will give it to you.
 
I'd look into the hawke endurance 50mm sub compact for backpacking. Hawke is a good product for the money. Although the newest edition of the vortex razor 65mm is a good scope ( I have one) it's too heavy for backcountry pack trips imho. I always take my sub compact 50mm Leupold gold ring when I'm on those type of hunts.
 
The Razor is an OK spotter for $550 bucks, better than most if not all in that price range. Not comparable to $2000+ glass but it’s 1/4 the cost. However it is comparable to high end 65mm spotters which also don’t compare to high end 80mm+ spotters.

I disagree with the 56mm binos being as good, it really just depends on what they are being used for. With glass you pretty much get what you pay for. A pair of Sworo or Meostar 15’s at $1500+ will be better than a $550 spotter, a pair of Vortex or Leopold 15x binos won’t be.

I was happy with my 65mm Razor for a long time and it’s spotted a pile of deer, elk and shed antlers with it. It’s a great spotter in perfect conditions, cool mornings before the sun is up it’s great.
 
just got a slc 17x40 mini swaro for 2200 and I know it isn't 2 or 3 times better as standard glass but it is small and lite and I carry a pair of 18x56 and a 10x42 on my neck and know I can bring a spotter. it is all about weight for me now,I also changed to a badland pack and a christensen rifle and cut my weight by nearly 10 pounds.I have a sequoia leopold 20x60 big and heavy spotter without tripod that if you want it I will give it to you.
just got a slc 17x40 mini swaro for 2200 and I know it isn't 2 or 3 times better as standard glass but it is small and lite and I carry a pair of 18x56 and a 10x42 on my neck and know I can bring a spotter. it is all about weight for me now,I also changed to a badland pack and a christensen rifle and cut my weight by nearly 10 pounds.I have a sequoia leopold 20x60 big and heavy spotter without tripod that if you want it I will give it to you.
Wow! That is a very gracious offer. I will take you up on that. I would cover shipping. Let me know how we can proceed.
 

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