Spotting Scope... Angled or Straight???

[Boot]

Looking to get a new spotting scope. I have yet to pull the trigger on one. I have narrowed it down to the Vortex Viper HD 15-45x65. Now the big question... should I go with the angled or straight?

I don't know have much experience with these so any help would be appreciated.

[Branden]

I personally prefer angled unless using it for a window mount in a pickup.

[HUNTaHOLIC5]

I don't have much of a preference and am comfortable using both. Most people I know prefer the straight eye piece. Id go with the straight unless you plan on glassing mostly uphill.

[JJB11B]

I find it easier to locate stuff with the straight ones, the angled one makes it difficult to get my bearings

[Boot]

Good points... I lot of the glassing I do is from the top of one ridge over to the other or looking down into the bottom.

[JJB11B]

I would think a straight one would be easier, having to get up above the scope messes with me

[Bango skank]

Buy both.  Then, whichever one you like less you can send to me.  Ill even pay the shipping.

[Mark251]

If you are going to spend most your time glassing from a ridge top, I would suggest straight.  It might be a little more comfortable on your neck and game acquisition is can be quicker with a straight scope vs. an angled scope (especially for folks who aren't accustomed to using an angled scope).

[Boot]

Sounds fair enough Bango... I will keep you in mind. 

Thanks for the info everyone!

[huntnphool]

Here are a couple other threads. http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,112618.msg1475536.html#msg1475536

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,96731.msg1250129.html#msg1250129

[coachcw]

Quicker to use a strait if your a all day pro the angled is easier on you.

[JDHasty]

OK, we have both.

I have owned three different 20 or 25x50 Leupold Compact Spotting Scopes over the last thirty years and every single one was stolen.  Plus I got a 12-40x60 from Leupold back about the time they first came out and have owned it for north of 20 years.  So I guess it would be fair to say that I thought that straight eyepiece scopes were "the way to go." 

After my third Leupold Compact was stolen I was talking to the staff at Eagle Optics about whether to buy a replacement Leupold Compact on the used market or try something different.  I was pretty jacked up about the theft because at the time my daughter was about three years old and I would set up the 20-50 Compact on a short tripod and the 12-40x60 on a tripod I could stand or sit comfortably behind.

They suggested that I try an angled scope because it can be used by people who vary in stature and it also is far more comfortable for using with a window mount. 

The long and short of it is that a Vortex rep handed me a Razor 85 and said take this and try it for a week or so to see if you like it.  Shortly after returning it I bought an angled Razor 85.

It has been a bit of a challenge to get used to getting the angled scope lined up, but the learning curve was fairly aggressive and now I am fairly comfortable with either scope when chuck shooting or glassing for big game.

So which to buy?  I am still minus a compact spotting scope, and have been for three years now.  That situation does not please me one bit and it is a situation I intend to remedy one of these days.  Is the replacement going to be a straight compact scope of an angled scope.  Straight.  The straight scope is just much more ergonomically efficient when looking down from a landing. 

Now, it sounds like this is your first spotting scope and I am going to suggest that if you just cannot decide, Eagle Optics will allow you 30 days to return any binocular or spotting scope and so long as it is in the condition it was in when they shipped it to you, they will exchange it.  You may want to consider them.         


   

[WAcoyotehunter]

I find it easier to locate stuff with the straight ones, the angled one makes it difficult to get my bearings

Same here. 

[huntnphool]

 One aspect I really find the advantage of strait over angled is when looking at a critter and developing a plan of attack. Looking strait through and then looking over the top at landmarks, and then back through and then over the top at landmarks, while picking a route is much easier than looking down through the spotter, then lifting your head and trying to locate the exact direction again, then back down through the spotter and back up and try to locate direction again. This is much easier with smaller head movements.

[Bill W]

I've got both.   I like the angled for target shooting as its easier to use off of a bench.   I like the straight for hunting as it's easier to point at and find animals.

The hard part is figuring out which power is best for hunting situations.

[Bean Counter]

If you are going to spend most your time glassing from a ridge top, I would suggest straight.  It might be a little more comfortable on your neck and game acquisition is can be quicker with a straight scope vs. an angled scope (especially for folks who aren't accustomed to using an angled scope).

^ that

I have an angled one because that's what was on deep discount when I bought. I manage even from the hilltops.

[2MANY]

Straight is the correct choice.

Angled was made to sell more scopes and look at asteroids.

[JDHasty]

The Vortex Viper HD has a very neat feature, it has a short piece of Weaver rail attached to it.  You can use a cheap pair of Weaver compatible Chinese QD rings and a cheap pistol scope to line the scope up with, or better yet something like an IER scope and all of the arguments about lining THAT particular angled scope up and are nothing but hooey.

I don't own one, but I have used one in the field that was set up with an old Burris IER scope and what I can say about that setup is: I sure wish my scopes had that feature. 

Unless you are looking down a lot, angled scopes can be worth consideration.