Spotter
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elkassassin
Long Time Member
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CUPSY & REDDOG said: "Buy Swaro or be called a Pussssyyy"
Boy do they Hate My Ancient Bushnell Spotter!
The Dew I had for Breakfast wasn't Bad so I had one more for Dessert!
Boy do they Hate My Ancient Bushnell Spotter!
The Dew I had for Breakfast wasn't Bad so I had one more for Dessert!
Vortex, hands down. Great scope, unmatched warranty and customer service. I use the Skyline (big brother to the Nomad), my hunting partner has the Nomad. Not once,not even for a second have we ever thought, "Damn, if we only had the Swaros, our hunts would have turned out better".
travishunter3006
Very Active Member
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I bought the Nomad. I have loved it. I bought it with a manufacturer defect so Vortex fixed it with out any questions asked. I dropped it soon after getting it back.... Vortex again fixed it with out any questions asked.
I like the light weight Nomad, but that's my preference. Find the glass you like and works for you.
I like the light weight Nomad, but that's my preference. Find the glass you like and works for you.
cabinfever
Very Active Member
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Unconditional warranty don't solve the problem if the scope breaks in half and your in the middle of a hunt.My brothers skyline broke in half in the middle of a hunt on 2 different ocassions. Thank heavens I was with him and had my swaro.Lets also keep in mind that you are likely into your hunt several hundred in gas, groceries and time off work.The glass on the vortex is good, but you better handle them with kit gloves or buy one of the big 3.
Gator
Long Time Member
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Here the deal and most will agree with it.
If you had saved all the money that you spent on cheap bino/spotter you could got the best glass if you had put all that money into it to begin with. I know starting out that those cheap stuff is all you afford ,BUT if you do a payment program(credit card dedt) on the good stuff you will be money ahead.IMHO
"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
If you had saved all the money that you spent on cheap bino/spotter you could got the best glass if you had put all that money into it to begin with. I know starting out that those cheap stuff is all you afford ,BUT if you do a payment program(credit card dedt) on the good stuff you will be money ahead.IMHO
"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
LAST EDITED ON Jun-07-13 AT 09:08AM (MST)[p]Nothing wrong with a Leupold Gold Ring. Mine has served me as well as my buddies' Swaros and Zeiss. Go ahead, throw $2,000 on your credit card and you'll pay a lot more. Some guys think debt is fun though. 12% interest rate and $50 a month for 4 1/2 years. You'll pay an extra $550 in interest and worry about the purchase for 4 1/2 years. It is a wonder how people ever killed animals before $2,000+ spotters hit the market.
muleymaddness
Very Active Member
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I would get the best you can afford. Afford meaning write a check for. You'll feel more content with the purchase if you write a check for it vs put it on plastic. Or that's what I did anyway... I saved a bit and purchased the Nikon ED Fieldscope - bought a demo from Cameraland for $600 I think. Personally I don't like a big, heavy, bulky spotting scope unless you don't plan on walking far.
But the above doesn't answer your question....to answer your question - for the two you've mentioned - I would go with the Vortex.
But the above doesn't answer your question....to answer your question - for the two you've mentioned - I would go with the Vortex.
sagebrush
Very Active Member
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Of the two you mentioned, neither. I'm with Gator. It costs less in the long run to to spend $1,500 on a used top end spotter, including interest, than it does to buy a $250 spotter, then a $600 spotter, then a $1,000 spotter only to end up buying the $1,500 spotter 4 years later at a higher price. I know, I have a $1,500 spotter I've invested $3,000 after working my way up to it. I bought my Swaroski spotter on sale at Bass Pro and had a 30% off grand opening coupon. Deals can be had if you shop around and your spotter will last many years if you care for it.
dogdoc
Active Member
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- 343
+1 on save the money. I too have about 4 other spotters that I purchased before buying a Swaro. I used to laugh at my friends because of the amount of money they spent on Swaros. Now that I have one, I would never go back. Is a lesser spotter going to keep you from killing a good animal, probably not, but it sure does make the hunt easier when you can see better detail. Get the best you can afford. I wish I would have done it 3 spotters ago.
HuntElk4Fun_
Active Member
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- 502
Go with the eBay/used plan and buy what you want. Use it for a couple of months and then resell it. Optics aren't like cars, they don't lose much value in a the 2-3 months you might use them. Just have to be loyal to actually sell it after you use it. I've made money on some items and do this with all sorts of gear. You never have to settle and get what your needs are for that hunt.
sagebrush
Very Active Member
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I saw this on another site and thought of your post.
"I ran in to a good deal. Thought I would share. Nikon is revamping their spotting scope line and are dropping the regular "ED Fieldscope" line. Right now, Cabelas is selling the 60mm ED III for $499. That's with the 20-60x eyepiece. It retails for $1100-1499 depending on what's around. I have their little ED50 and love that little guy. I have been watching the price on the 82mm and it is still full price. The 60mm is not on their website but if they have any in stock, that's the price.
I took the 60 out and was very impressed. So much that 2 friends sold their Vortex Viper HD spotters and got this Nikon as well. I'm not saying its a Swaro but it spanked the Vortex Viper HD 65 and I would put it up against the Razor spotter any day. For $499 its a steal.
One day I will have Swaro, but through searching the web and using some coupons I now have my optics arsenal complete. All for less than $2k for binos and 2 spotters. I picked up some Cabelas Euro HD binos now that Cabelas is offering their "Legendary Warranty" on them. They are bulky and a little heavy but I was out with friends who have Nikon Monarchs and Vortex Viper HDs and it was not even close. Another friend has a pair of Razor HD binos and those and these Euros were neck and neck at low light."
If you want one and can't find it at Cabela's, you can get one at B&H Photo for $100 more. You will probably need to call each Cabela's store, ask for the optics department and ask them if them have one in stock, then have them ship it to you.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=482962&is=REG&A=details&Q=
If you're dead set on spending less than you would for Swarovski, at least this will get you past one level of extra spotting scopes!
"I ran in to a good deal. Thought I would share. Nikon is revamping their spotting scope line and are dropping the regular "ED Fieldscope" line. Right now, Cabelas is selling the 60mm ED III for $499. That's with the 20-60x eyepiece. It retails for $1100-1499 depending on what's around. I have their little ED50 and love that little guy. I have been watching the price on the 82mm and it is still full price. The 60mm is not on their website but if they have any in stock, that's the price.
I took the 60 out and was very impressed. So much that 2 friends sold their Vortex Viper HD spotters and got this Nikon as well. I'm not saying its a Swaro but it spanked the Vortex Viper HD 65 and I would put it up against the Razor spotter any day. For $499 its a steal.
One day I will have Swaro, but through searching the web and using some coupons I now have my optics arsenal complete. All for less than $2k for binos and 2 spotters. I picked up some Cabelas Euro HD binos now that Cabelas is offering their "Legendary Warranty" on them. They are bulky and a little heavy but I was out with friends who have Nikon Monarchs and Vortex Viper HDs and it was not even close. Another friend has a pair of Razor HD binos and those and these Euros were neck and neck at low light."
If you want one and can't find it at Cabela's, you can get one at B&H Photo for $100 more. You will probably need to call each Cabela's store, ask for the optics department and ask them if them have one in stock, then have them ship it to you.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=482962&is=REG&A=details&Q=
If you're dead set on spending less than you would for Swarovski, at least this will get you past one level of extra spotting scopes!
Outdoors
Member
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- 11
You probably have many years of hunting ahead of you. You will probably spend more time looking through the spotter than your binos and certainly more than your scope.
Say your have 100 hunts left where you plan to use a spotter. Buy a very good spotter and you are done. Now divide the extra $1000 you "save" by going "good" rather than "great" and ask your self if $10 a hunt is better spent on a great spotter or, I don't know, a couple of candy bars for each hunt.
Bite the bullet, sell a spare gun, brew your own coffee...but do not skimp on a spotter. The spotter is too valuable out West and can literally save you hours of stalking when you can i.d. a critter as worth a stalk.
Say your have 100 hunts left where you plan to use a spotter. Buy a very good spotter and you are done. Now divide the extra $1000 you "save" by going "good" rather than "great" and ask your self if $10 a hunt is better spent on a great spotter or, I don't know, a couple of candy bars for each hunt.
Bite the bullet, sell a spare gun, brew your own coffee...but do not skimp on a spotter. The spotter is too valuable out West and can literally save you hours of stalking when you can i.d. a critter as worth a stalk.
