Optics Renting??

bighornhunter · Jun 25, 2014

I'm curious what you all think about renting optics, mainly premium quality setups, instead of buying. Have any of you rented before?
For most hunters optics are usually only used for a couple of weeks a year, and spending thousands of dollars on optics is plainly unrealistic and unnecessary.
However if you happened to draw a good tag would you consider renting high quality optics for the hunt if you couldn't afford to buy them?

Cornhusker · Jun 25, 2014

I think your idea is flawed with a couple of assumptions.
1. I use my Swaros a couple of days a week all summer, all fall in various hunts and then in the winter as well. Renting wouldn't work for a guy who spends time scouting and just being outdoors.

2. Guys that would rent high quality optics and use them only for a week or two hunt wouldn't have time to learn the skill needed to use them we'll enough to get the full benefit of a several thousand dollar piece of equipment.

I occasionally take a guy or two hunting with the low end $100.00 to 300.00 optic it would make very little difference if they had high optics. I don't think it would work but then again I didn't see Facebook becoming a big deal.

SMELLYBUCK · Jun 25, 2014

Memory serving, dropper9 has experience with this. I think he helped someone on a Henrys hunt who rented a scope. Send him a pm. I don't think he is on here much though.

Founder · Jun 26, 2014

I was just talking to my wife the other day about offering such a thing, along with offering other gear as well. I have no experience with it though. Haven't looked at any numbers either.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
Will you LIKE MonsterMuleys.com on Facebook! I need a friend....

Zeke · Jun 26, 2014

>I think your idea is flawed
>with a couple of assumptions.
>
>1. I use my Swaros
>a couple of days a
>week all summer, all
>fall in various hunts and
>then in the winter as
>well. Renting wouldn't work
>for a guy who spends
>time scouting and just being
>outdoors.
>
>2. Guys that would rent high
>quality optics and use them
>only for a week or
>two hunt wouldn't have time
>to learn the skill needed
>to use them we'll enough
>to get the full benefit
>of a several thousand dollar
>piece of equipment.
>
>I occasionally take a guy or
>two hunting with the low
>end $100.00 to 300.00 optic
>it would make very little
>difference if they had high
>optics. I don't think
>it would work but then
>again I didn't see Facebook
>becoming a big deal.

PLUS ONE to Mr Cornhusker!

I can't imagine a MM member not investing in his hunting present and future with the best opics he can afford. To say ownership is not necessary seem foreign to me. But what do I know?
I also agree that many folks are served just as well with a lesser optic (whatever that is nowadays) since they haven't the skill or patience to use them.

I won't judge anyone by his binoculars as long as they're spotting their share! haha

Zeke
There's them, then there's us. Can't be both.

2_Point · Jun 26, 2014

7-8 years ago we ran the numbers pretty hard on renting optics. Our final assessment was that the hunting seasons were so compact that the inventory would have to be extremely high for a 3 month or less window of solid rentals. Add in that some are bound get damaged or returned late and you'd have to carry some optics to replace those mishaps. At $1,500-2,000+ per optic, that is a lot of money sitting around for a large part of the year and as extras in case of failure. Factor in the manpower to package or meet with clients and it just wasn't worth it. A large company might pull it off, but if it was that viable, someone would already have done it.

280ack · Jun 26, 2014

you would have an easier time renting my wife than my optics!

sageadvice · Jun 26, 2014

280AI, send pic of wife and dates available.

Cornhusker said, " 2. Guys that would rent high quality optics and use them only for a week or two hunt wouldn't have time to learn the skill needed to use them we'll enough to get the full benefit of a several thousand dollar piece of equipment."

My glass may not be the best but there are plenty of guys out there, without the best optics, that know how to glass and know how to do it well. I think i know what you were getting at but it still sounds to me like you think too much of yourself.

Finally, yes, i'd probably at least "look" into it. lol

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

mulecreek · Jun 27, 2014

This is very common with photography equipment. Renting lenses and bodies is done all the time. And not just by your average user either. Just last weekend a friend rented a macro lens for his trip to Yellowstone. He is a very accomplished photographer and his wife wanted to take pictures of flowers and bugs. His typical setup is for animals at a distance so rather than buy a $1,000+ lens he rented for a few days. Essentially the same. Whether he was experienced enough to get the full benefit is really not the issue. The only real difference is the photography market is much larger than the hunting world. Your market is small but the target is the same.

Cornhusker · Jun 27, 2014

Sage sorry if it came off as if I was an expert I'm certainly not and didn't mean for it to come off that way. I'm not above averaging on glassing in fact I would say it is a skill I continue to work on. I've also seen guys with mid to lower optics outdo me. I do feel that the highest grade optics you can afford really make a difference.

I get used to a certain bino or spotter like my rifle and my bow. To me renting would be like borrowing a rifle or bow for a hunt. I know guys do it but for me my skill level isn't good enough I can do it without practice. I'm not an optic elitist for years I used lower level Nikons then purchased ED2's before I was able to afford a higher level of optics

sageadvice · Jun 27, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Jun-27-14 AT 01:14PM (MST)[p]husker, no biggie. sorry if i read into something that wasn't there.

For years and years, i've hunted $100 to $500. glass and the same with my always with me spotter. Though i made the best of them that i can/could, no doubt that i would have liked to have better glass.

With this economy and how it effects my small seasonal plumbing bus, there are no outa state trips planned or wanted this year, i just can't afford to go. Most years past and this coming season as well, it will be a huge drain on my spendable moneys just to hunt our long in state local Deer season and past out of State trips were cause for things to go unpaid sometimes. A couple thousand on top for bino's was a dream but really out of reach if i wanted to go hunt and then not go bankrupt.

Anyway, i'm pretty sure there are guys out there that could benefit from better glass, like i could probably have, if a rental was available at a reasonable price.

Edit: I looked at the link posted below, post 11. Those prices seem fair to me. I know for a fact that there have been 2 hunts in the past few years where i would have highly considered being a client.

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

Willametteriveroutlaw · Jun 27, 2014

http://www.optics4rent.com/

Its already being done.

DaleT · Jun 27, 2014

It is nice to be able to get the best glass at a reasonable price for a special occasion.

I have a full set of Swarovski glass 10's, 15's and spotter and still rent at times. My wife does not hunt enough to warrant buying a set, so we will rent some 10's for her as she draws tags.

Cornhusker · Jun 27, 2014

I couldn't figure out how that would work for a business model with being only to rent your inventory 3 months a year. I read the reviews, big market for birders and vacationers must work well for the company nice idea.

Castnshoot · Jun 27, 2014

Founder, You should start an exchange where one MMer can rent not only optics but other gear from another MMer.

You make a small cordenator fee. It could all be done from your computer. No invetory or real cash out put needed.

There is affordable insuance that can be sold for this type of thing. You get a cut of that as well.

Take a look a www.airbnb.com .. That will give you a good idea how something like this works. I use them all the time, it works great.

A win win for everyone!

Except some of your add buyers