Spotting Scope Recommendations?

[JDHasty]

Buy a decent spotter or don't waste your money, save until you can get a good one! The cheap ones are hard to use for extended times and they simply are not clear enough. I would get no less than a Nikon. I like the Leopold 12x40x60 the best of all spotters. It's compact, lightweight, long lasting, and good enough to look through all day. I've had the same one for 17 years and still prefer it over more costly spotters due to the reasons stated. I had a Swarovski that was great but got tired of packing the bulk and the weight. 

Funny you should say that. I have a Leupold 12-40x60 HD spotter and a Swarovski 20-60x80 spotter. I use the Leupold much more. However, I had the Swarovski out this past weekend in the Blues looking at sheep, elk, and bears - and it sure was nice.

I'm in the same shoes as you two, except I went with the big Zeiss 85mm HD.  The Leupy is priceless and was worth every penny spent.

Last November my truck was broken into in Montana, my Leupold 12-40 spotter on a Cabelas window mount, Swarovski 15x56 binos, a Mark V Stainless 340 Weatherby with Leupold 3-9 scope, Leica 1000 Rangefinder, fully adjustable trailer hitch, and 5 gallons of gas all stolen. I gave the police the numbers off the rifle in the police report but I have never heard anything back. I hate thieves! 

Fortunately homeowners insurance covered most of it, I purchased another Leupold 12-40 Spotter in the Billings Cabelas. I had Brotherhood Outdoors TV in Montana for a hunt when this happened, they called Swarovski who is one of their sponsors, who sold me a new pair of 15x at a huge discount and overnighted them to Montana by Fed EX at no charge, I had them by 10am the next morning, I was hugely impressed by Swarovski. I'm considering getting another Swarovski Spotter (newer version) to compliment the Leupold 12-40 HD.

The newer style Swarovski 15x binos are noticeably better than my older pair from 2003 that were stolen, better glass, better covers, and lighter weight, they are awesome. The new HD Leupold 12-40 Spotter is really not much better than the older one I bought in 1997, but I'm very glad to have one again and it came with a greatly improved cover, I love that lightweight compact spotter. I still haven't replaced the rifle, that particular rifle is no longer made and fairly tough to find. I'll probably have to buy the accumark which is a great rifle but more costly!

That Leupold 12-40 is a poster child for an optical instrument that way over performs in the field vs in the store.  Don't get me wrong, it looks pretty good in the store or at the shows, but the guys who use them in the field really love em'.  Me included.

And Swarro customer service - what can anyone ever say to give some of our better optical companies their due.  Swarro is one of those who you just know has your interests at heart.  OMG, they take a personal interest in your situation whether you are a long time customer, a first time shopper or someone who is in a position to do them a favor in the future.  Gotta love em'   

 

[jay.sharkbait]

We did some long range target practice this weekend and the Swarovski spotters were fantastic.

I'd save and not compromise. The high quality optics allow you to spot effectively all day.

So JAY was the man on that 'grassy knoll' 

 

If it was within a ten second time of flight it was in trouble.

[bearpaw]

Buy a decent spotter or don't waste your money, save until you can get a good one! The cheap ones are hard to use for extended times and they simply are not clear enough. I would get no less than a Nikon. I like the Leopold 12x40x60 the best of all spotters. It's compact, lightweight, long lasting, and good enough to look through all day. I've had the same one for 17 years and still prefer it over more costly spotters due to the reasons stated. I had a Swarovski that was great but got tired of packing the bulk and the weight. 

Funny you should say that. I have a Leupold 12-40x60 HD spotter and a Swarovski 20-60x80 spotter. I use the Leupold much more. However, I had the Swarovski out this past weekend in the Blues looking at sheep, elk, and bears - and it sure was nice.

I'm in the same shoes as you two, except I went with the big Zeiss 85mm HD.  The Leupy is priceless and was worth every penny spent.

Last November my truck was broken into in Montana, my Leupold 12-40 spotter on a Cabelas window mount, Swarovski 15x56 binos, a Mark V Stainless 340 Weatherby with Leupold 3-9 scope, Leica 1000 Rangefinder, fully adjustable trailer hitch, and 5 gallons of gas all stolen. I gave the police the numbers off the rifle in the police report but I have never heard anything back. I hate thieves! 

Fortunately homeowners insurance covered most of it, I purchased another Leupold 12-40 Spotter in the Billings Cabelas. I had Brotherhood Outdoors TV in Montana for a hunt when this happened, they called Swarovski who is one of their sponsors, who sold me a new pair of 15x at a huge discount and overnighted them to Montana by Fed EX at no charge, I had them by 10am the next morning, I was hugely impressed by Swarovski. I'm considering getting another Swarovski Spotter (newer version) to compliment the Leupold 12-40 HD.

The newer style Swarovski 15x binos are noticeably better than my older pair from 2003 that were stolen, better glass, better covers, and lighter weight, they are awesome. The new HD Leupold 12-40 Spotter is really not much better than the older one I bought in 1997, but I'm very glad to have one again and it came with a greatly improved cover, I love that lightweight compact spotter. I still haven't replaced the rifle, that particular rifle is no longer made and fairly tough to find. I'll probably have to buy the accumark which is a great rifle but more costly!

That Leupold 12-40 is a poster child for an optical instrument that way over performs in the field vs in the store.  Don't get me wrong, it looks pretty good in the store or at the shows, but the guys who use them in the field really love em'.  Me included.

And Swarro customer service - what can anyone ever say to give some of our better optical companies their due.  Swarro is one of those who you just know has your interests at heart.  OMG, they take a personal interest in your situation whether you are a long time customer, a first time shopper or someone who is in a position to do them a favor in the future.  Gotta love em'

I've also had exceptional service from leupold in the past, I sent them my old spotter once for repairs and I've sent a couple scopes for repairs, every time the items were repaired at no charge even though the repairs needed were due to abuse. One of my guides had a damaged Leupold scope (not Leupold's fault), he sent it in to Leupold for repairs and they sent him a new scope at no charge! I would buy from Leupold or Swarovski with complete confidence in their products and service!

Not so much with Zeiss. My son had an older Zeiss binocular he sent in for repair and they kept them and sent back their cheaper model of binocular and charged him. He is still mad about that, none of us are likely to purchase from Zeiss again.

[JDHasty]

Buy a decent spotter or don't waste your money, save until you can get a good one! The cheap ones are hard to use for extended times and they simply are not clear enough. I would get no less than a Nikon. I like the Leopold 12x40x60 the best of all spotters. It's compact, lightweight, long lasting, and good enough to look through all day. I've had the same one for 17 years and still prefer it over more costly spotters due to the reasons stated. I had a Swarovski that was great but got tired of packing the bulk and the weight. 

Funny you should say that. I have a Leupold 12-40x60 HD spotter and a Swarovski 20-60x80 spotter. I use the Leupold much more. However, I had the Swarovski out this past weekend in the Blues looking at sheep, elk, and bears - and it sure was nice.

I'm in the same shoes as you two, except I went with the big Zeiss 85mm HD.  The Leupy is priceless and was worth every penny spent.

Last November my truck was broken into in Montana, my Leupold 12-40 spotter on a Cabelas window mount, Swarovski 15x56 binos, a Mark V Stainless 340 Weatherby with Leupold 3-9 scope, Leica 1000 Rangefinder, fully adjustable trailer hitch, and 5 gallons of gas all stolen. I gave the police the numbers off the rifle in the police report but I have never heard anything back. I hate thieves! 

Fortunately homeowners insurance covered most of it, I purchased another Leupold 12-40 Spotter in the Billings Cabelas. I had Brotherhood Outdoors TV in Montana for a hunt when this happened, they called Swarovski who is one of their sponsors, who sold me a new pair of 15x at a huge discount and overnighted them to Montana by Fed EX at no charge, I had them by 10am the next morning, I was hugely impressed by Swarovski. I'm considering getting another Swarovski Spotter (newer version) to compliment the Leupold 12-40 HD.

The newer style Swarovski 15x binos are noticeably better than my older pair from 2003 that were stolen, better glass, better covers, and lighter weight, they are awesome. The new HD Leupold 12-40 Spotter is really not much better than the older one I bought in 1997, but I'm very glad to have one again and it came with a greatly improved cover, I love that lightweight compact spotter. I still haven't replaced the rifle, that particular rifle is no longer made and fairly tough to find. I'll probably have to buy the accumark which is a great rifle but more costly!

That Leupold 12-40 is a poster child for an optical instrument that way over performs in the field vs in the store.  Don't get me wrong, it looks pretty good in the store or at the shows, but the guys who use them in the field really love em'.  Me included.

And Swarro customer service - what can anyone ever say to give some of our better optical companies their due.  Swarro is one of those who you just know has your interests at heart.  OMG, they take a personal interest in your situation whether you are a long time customer, a first time shopper or someone who is in a position to do them a favor in the future.  Gotta love em'

I've also had exceptional service from leupold in the past, I sent them my old spotter once for repairs and I've sent a couple scopes for repairs, every time the items were repaired at no charge even though the repairs needed were due to abuse. One of my guides had a damaged Leupold scope (not Leupold's fault), he sent it in to Leupold for repairs and they sent him a new scope at no charge! I would buy from Leupold or Swarovski with complete confidence in their products and service!

Not so much with Zeiss. My son had an older Zeiss binocular he sent in for repair and they kept them and sent back their cheaper model of binocular and charged him. He is still mad about that, none of us are likely to purchase from Zeiss again.

Oh yea, I have even had trouble getting them to take my money when I insisted on paying for damage that was ion no way related to any manufacturer's defect what so ever.