Rangefinder

[Neill_Prater]

I recently bought a new pair of Vortex binoculars to replace the old porro prism pair I've had for years. I never had a harness, so often when I needed binoculars, because they were a pain to carry, they were back at the Jeep stowed under the seat. To that end, I purchased an Alps X harness, and in keeping with my more minimalist approach to hunting as of late, added a pouch via the MOLLE attachment straps so that I can carry pretty much all the necessities afield.

That said, I hunt properties where binoculars are seldom of any more use than the proverbial stone around your neck, so I will use the cheapy Amazon hip pack I bought last Spring, and really like, on those occasions.

My plan is to set up both packs with everything I consider essential so that I can simply grab and go whatever I am in the mood to carry on any given day without having to remove and repack individual items, and probably leave something important in the one I'm not carrying.

I'm not good at judging distance, and seem to get worse as I grow older, so I like having a rangefinder with me. I have an old Nikon that works well and must be at least 25 years old. In keeping with having everything packed up ahead of time, I am considering buying another one, but don't want to invest much money in something that will never be used for anything other than checking the distance to a couple of trees when I set up.

I'm wondering if any of you have experience with some of the models on the lower end of the price scale? Brass Pro, for example, has one for $100 right now which apparently uses an infrared system rather than laser, which I know nothing about. I don't want to break the budget, but I don't want to regret buying a piece of junk that isn't reliable either. Any input is welcome. Thanks.

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[Tail Feathers]

I bought a Sig Sauer 1500 last year.  It works great as a monocular and it's lighter than the lightest binos so it pulls double duty.  A good thing when you are going light.  I know Bushnell has a good reputation, but most are over your price range.  I see the Tidewe on Amazon have good reviews and are well under $100.

[Yoder409]

Been using a Bushnell Chuck Adams for both spring turkey and archery whitetail for a lotta years.  Compact and reliable.

There's one (used) on eBay right now for $80+ shipping.

[joey46]

Always carry a Bushnell Sport 450.  Had it for years.  It doubles as a 4x monocular.  It must have been reasonably priced or I wouldn't have it.  You may find a used one at a golf pro shop. Good luck.

[deerhunt1988]

I bought a Sig Sauer 1500 last year.  It works great as a monocular and it's lighter than the lightest binos so it pulls double duty.  A good thing when you are going light.  I know Bushnell has a good reputation, but most are over your price range.  I see the Tidewe on Amazon have good reviews and are well under $100.

Ive had a Sig Kilo 1600 since fall 2019. Actually lost the original on a turkey hunt in 2022, and immediately bought another. At the time, it was Sig's lowest model with the red OLED readout. The red OLED is MUCH better than the standard black readouts. What most impressed me about the Sig was the quality of the glass for a rangefinder. It blew my old Bushnell rangefinder away. I routinely use it as a monocular while turkey hunting rather than carrying a pair of binos. A little more than you wanted to spend, but I HIGHLY recommend the Sig.


A quick Google and I found one on sale for $200.

https://www.nativeoutdoors.com/sig-sauer-kilo-1600-6x22-laser-range-finder-max-distance-2000yds.html&currency=USD&language=en?srsltid=AfmBOor0kkqvffmBX4VZ1PeNZGKWmN4vrFBJEyyW6MdBhPWjkBDhDmsc1C4

[tracker#1]

I had a Bushnell 1200 for many years, with no issues. But when I picked up a Vortex 1300 with a "RED" recital, game changer, especially in low light conditions. I gave my 1200 to my hunting daughter with much-younger eyes...

[captpete]

Sorry, I can't answer your question about some of the lower price units. I have 2 Nikon rangefinders that I have had for years. One I bought new and the other I bought used. If you are a member on Archerytalk.com , check out the classified section. I bought the used one on there for about $50. Another place to find a used one is Ebay.  If wanting a new one keep an eye on Camofire.com.  They regularly have new rangefinders on there for $100 or less. They are usually the Halo brand, which I don't have any experience with. They do seem to have pretty good reviews. 

Good luck in your search.

[Dtrkyman]

Get the cheapest new Vortex you can find, if there is ever an issue with it their warranty is great!

[Twowithone]

Bushnell Yardage Pro cant go wrong.

[mountainhunter1]

For the money and in your desired budget, I also like the Tidewe. He is another one which is liked by a lot of folks, and it too can double as a monocular so that you can leave the binoculars at the house:

https://www.amazon.com/Rangefinder-Waterproof-Magnification%EF%BC%8CDistance-Functional-Shooting/dp/B0B4FKHW9Z/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=rangefinders&qid=1692196831&refinements=p_72%3A1248957011&rnid=1248955011&sr=8-18&th=1


A rangefinder is one of the most critical pieces to have in tow when turkey hunting. I don't go to the woods without one. It is very easy to be sitting on a mtn ridge that rolls off really bad and be willing to bet that tree in front of you is 40 yards, only to pull out the range finder and that tree is actually at 50 plus. If you are hunting fields, it can get even easier to misjudge a bird's distance.

BUT - you don't have to have a 200-300 dollar range finder to do what a turkey hunter needs it to do. All you are doing is ranging a tree or two every time you sit down before the bird shows up to make sure you know if he is going to be inside of 40 yards or not. It does not take a whole lot of rangefinder to do that simple task.

[firedup]

Rangefinders work great as lightweight monoculars in additon to the rangefinder ability. Whatever you price point is, do yourself a favor and get a 6X instead of the 4X.  Size and weight almost the same. It does make a difference.

[Sir-diealot]

I stopped bringing my binoculars after I got my first rangefinder this past year (Halo XL 450), I can only see with one eye at a time anyway so binoculars have never worked for me.

I do wish it had a bit more magnification but it was is first and I wanted to see what I thought of them before I spent a lot on one. I will run this until it dies or I find somebody in the same financial situation as myself and then I will buy a better one and donate it to them.

[Neill_Prater]

Thanks for all the input. After reading a lot of specs and reviews, the idea of having a lighted reticle began to grow on me. Eventually, I decided to take the advice of Dturkeyman and ordered a new Vortex 1400 for $150 on eBay via a seller in, of all places, Brooklyn, NY. Lighted reticle and only 4.8 ounces.

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