straight or angle lense for your backcountry spotter?

[Bean Counter]

If you have a partner who is close to you in height, but not exactly, you'll like the angled better. With the straight you'll adjust each time you guys switch. Its just easier to adjust your posture when the eyepiece is angled. I like my angled one when glassing straight out or up. As stated earlier  a straight scope will be much less awkward when looking down a steep angle from a high point.

[WAcoueshunter]

I glass with 15s (on a tripod), then use the spotter to get a better look once I've found something.  A straight spotter is easier to relocate what you've already found.  Straight can also do every angle.  Angled is difficult when looking downhill.

If you're going to buy a spotter for basic glassing, consider whether 15s might be a better choice.  Some of that depends on how far you are glassing - if your terrain dictates that you're normally looking miles away, you want a spotter.  But if the size of your hills/drainages are usually a mile and under, 15s are the better choice.   Neither is perfect all the time, but if you're only going to carry one (which is likely in the backcountry), figure out which is better most of the time. 

[huntnphool]

 I've owned both models of Swaros and much prefer strait, I can line up and lock on critters quicker with it.

[X-Force]

if your going to use the spotter for short sessions, out of the truck or down hill you will probably want a straight. in the back country where you want to reduce weight, will be glassing high, low and everything in between you will want an angled. angles use shorter tripods=less weight, glassing at all elivations will not require as much adjustment for viewing with angles... there are a million opinions best option is to barrow one or both and try them out.

[longwalker]

Seems you can always find a straight bodied spotter in the classifieds, there's a reason for that

[WAcoueshunter]

Seems you can always find a straight bodied spotter in the classifieds, there's a reason for that

...because 90% of spotters that are bought new from retailers are straight?

[huntnphool]

Seems you can always find a straight bodied spotter in the classifieds, there's a reason for that

...because 90% of spotters that are bought new from retailers are straight?

+1

[addicted2hunting]

I like the idea of trying both out. Isn't there a guy on here that advertises renting optics?

[Bean Counter]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,156276.0.html 

[longwalker]

Seems you can always find a straight bodied spotter in the classifieds, there's a reason for that

...because 90% of spotters that are bought new from retailers are straight?

Strait bodied spotters are for bench rests and road hunters so your probably right and there probably pretty popular on this web site. The OP is asking about a " back country" spotter. Try sitting on a 40% grade and glassing up hill from hard right to hard left with out moving your tripod a dozen times. Even if you can after five minutes your neck will hurt so bad you'll hike out sell the thing and buy an angled one. If you just want something to throw on a window mount then yeah, buy a straight one

[MtnMuley]

Seems you can always find a straight bodied spotter in the classifieds, there's a reason for that

...because 90% of spotters that are bought new from retailers are straight?

Strait bodied spotters are for bench rests and road hunters so your probably right and there probably pretty popular on this web site. The OP is asking about a " back country" spotter. Try sitting on a 40% grade and glassing up hill from hard right to hard left with out moving your tripod a dozen times. Even if you can after five minutes your neck will hurt so bad you'll hike out sell the thing and buy an angled one. If you just want something to throw on a window mount then yeah, buy a straight one

Weird, because I think angled is a lot more comfortable off a window out of a truck.  I just don't like time it takes to find the animal and it is probably because I didn't spend enough time getting used to it.

[WAcoueshunter]

Seems you can always find a straight bodied spotter in the classifieds, there's a reason for that

...because 90% of spotters that are bought new from retailers are straight?

Strait bodied spotters are for bench rests and road hunters so your probably right and there probably pretty popular on this web site. The OP is asking about a " back country" spotter. Try sitting on a 40% grade and glassing up hill from hard right to hard left with out moving your tripod a dozen times. Even if you can after five minutes your neck will hurt so bad you'll hike out sell the thing and buy an angled one. If you just want something to throw on a window mount then yeah, buy a straight one

I'm trying to think of where I could ever be glassing at spotter distances with a 40% uphill grade? 

Regardless, I carry a full size tripod so I can raise it and still get in a comfortable uphill glassing position.  But try sitting on that same 40% grade and glassing downhill with an angled spotter.  I think straight does the full range better than angled. 

As mentioned, I'm generally behind a pair of 15s (on a tripod) instead of a spotter.  They are straight, of course.  I have no problem with neck strain, moving the tripod, or anything else of that nature.  And every person I know that has gone from a spotter (angled or straight) to 15s as their primary glassing tool has not gone back. 

[addicted2hunting]

when you guys go with 15s is it like a 15x40 or 52?

Thanks for the link also!

[steeliedrew]

Dude,

I fully support your spotter purchase or some bigger binos.    Funny story everyone...So this september, AD2H and I were on an open sage brush hill side.  We had split up to glass more efficiently.  He radios me and says he's got eyes on 2 bedded muley's. So off I go on a 2 hour blind stalk as he guides me via radio.  I get to where the deer should be and it turns out that in his 8x42's, what he thought were bedded muley's were actually deery looking rocks! 

I'll never forget that.  Funny stuff.

[bowhunterty]

Sounds like it is a personnel preference. I like straight. Do more with the binos. Use the spotter to get a better look.