collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Budget friendly spotter  (Read 7453 times)

Offline Vmascorro89

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: May 2018
  • Posts: 32
  • Location: United States
Budget friendly spotter
« on: June 13, 2018, 10:28:03 PM »
Hey every one, looking for input on a budget friendly spotter scope. Personally I am a nikkon guy with nikkon scope and binos. But open to another brand that KS in advance.

Offline jackelope

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+27)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 49017
  • Location: Duvall, WA
  • Groups: jackelope
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2018, 10:51:20 PM »
What is your budget?
:fire.:

" In today's instant gratification society, more and more pressure revolves around success and the measurement of one's prowess as a hunter by inches on a score chart or field photos produced on social media. Don't fall into the trap. Hunting is-and always will be- about the hunt, the adventure, the views, and time spent with close friends and family. " Ryan Hatfield

My posts, opinions and statements do not represent those of this forum

Online bearpaw

  • Family, Friends, Outdoors
  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+10)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2009
  • Posts: 37053
  • Location: Idaho<->Colville
  • "Rather Be Cougar Huntin"
    • http://www.facebook.com/DaleDenney
    • Bearpaw Outfitters
  • Groups: NRA, SCI, F4WM, NWTF, IOGA, MOGA, CCOC, BBB, RMEF, WSTA, WSB
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2018, 06:48:26 AM »
The Leupold 12x42 Gold Ring is a good choice for a mid range priced scope and it's very compact and light compared to the top three.
Americans are systematically advocating, legislating, and voting away each others rights. Support all user groups & quit losing opportunity!

http://bearpawoutfitters.com Guided Hunts, Unguided, & Drop Camps in Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wash. Hunts with tags available (no draw needed) for spring bear, fall bear, bison, cougar, elk, mule deer, turkey, whitetail, & wolf! http://trophymaps.com DIY Hunting Maps are also offered

Offline Holg3107

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2009
  • Posts: 1274
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2018, 07:50:29 AM »
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/999169-REG/vortex_rzr_50a1_razor_hd_11_33x50_spotting.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/957084-REG/vanguard_endeavor_hd_65a_16_48x65_ed_glass_angled.html

Here are the two that I would consider the best budget spotters. Personally your money should go to optics quality over zoom capability. Meaning, its better to get less magnification with better quality glass than more magnification but less quality glass. For an honest to goodness budget spotter I think you're going to have a hard time beating the Vanguard Endeavor HD especially at $399. The 11-33 Razor also comes with a really nice tripod included in the price so for a tripod and spotter package at $700 I would still consider that in the budget category but that means something different to everyone.

Offline mallard

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 39
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2018, 08:15:26 AM »
Since budget is relative, I'll offer a very affordable option. Bushnell Trophy Xtreme. Bushnell is running a $50 rebate.
http://www.bushnell.com/global/promotions

eBay recently had the 16-48x50 as low as $119. Stack that with a 10-20% off from eBay and your talking $50-60 to your door.

Offline jackelope

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+27)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 49017
  • Location: Duvall, WA
  • Groups: jackelope
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2018, 08:47:46 AM »
I think I've done pretty well maintaining a budget by buying a lot of used optics. I have decent stuff but not top tier. It's always seemed to work "well enough" for me. Seems like there's always a few spotters for sale in the classifieds here. I've heard decent feedback on the Vanguard spotters. There was one for sale here a few days ago in the $350 range if I remember correctly. The Vortex Viper HD can be had for $400-ish. The Vortex Diamondback spotter is decent too. Their Nomad <$300 new was a good bang for the buck scope but it's discontinued now.
:fire.:

" In today's instant gratification society, more and more pressure revolves around success and the measurement of one's prowess as a hunter by inches on a score chart or field photos produced on social media. Don't fall into the trap. Hunting is-and always will be- about the hunt, the adventure, the views, and time spent with close friends and family. " Ryan Hatfield

My posts, opinions and statements do not represent those of this forum

Offline ctwiggs1

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+10)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2009
  • Posts: 4178
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2018, 08:50:58 AM »
Vortex is on camofire all the time for like half off retail.  :twocents:

Offline Pathfinder101

  • The Chosen YAR
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jan 2009
  • Posts: 11736
  • Location: Southeast WA
  • Semper Primus
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2018, 08:55:09 AM »
I think I've done pretty well maintaining a budget by buying a lot of used optics. I have decent stuff but not top tier. It's always seemed to work "well enough" for me. Seems like there's always a few spotters for sale in the classifieds here. I've heard decent feedback on the Vanguard spotters. There was one for sale here a few days ago in the $350 range if I remember correctly. The Vortex Viper HD can be had for $400-ish. The Vortex Diamondback spotter is decent too. Their Nomad <$300 new was a good bang for the buck scope but it's discontinued now.

That's kind of what I have done.  Bought my binoculars refurbished.  Bought my Leupy Goldring spotter used off ebay. Got my Leupy VX3 rifle scope in the bargain cave at Cabela's (was a return).
 Cool thing about Leupold is that if anything is wrong with it, just send it to Leupold and they fix or replace it.  I have never been nervous about buying used Leupold stuff because their warranty is so good.
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes.  That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Offline Bushcraft

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2008
  • Posts: 1120
  • Location: Olympic Peninsula
  • Groups: NRA, SCI, NSSF, RMEF, RMGA, MDF, WSF, DU, HHC, WWC, WDAC
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2018, 08:59:18 AM »
Do you want to budget now, and then budget later, and then budget again later, etc., or would you rather buy once, cry once and be done with it?

Save your money and buy a top tier spotter at a significant discount online from a retailer or classified ads.
Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy; its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. - Winston Churchill

Work hard. Hunt hard. Lift other hunters up.

*Proud supporter of NRA, NRA-ILA SCI, SCIF, SCI-PAC, NSSF, RMEF, RMGA, MDF, WSF, DU, WWA, HHC, WWC

Offline Vmascorro89

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: May 2018
  • Posts: 32
  • Location: United States
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2018, 10:26:22 AM »
This will be my first purchase of a spotter and I see the can b into the thousands. Which I'm not looking to spend right now. So I'd say 600 would be my top dollar at this time, so what and why would you buy?

Offline bobcat

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 38900
  • Location: Rochester
    • robert68
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2018, 10:30:57 AM »
A used Leupold 12-40x60

Offline bobcat

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 38900
  • Location: Rochester
    • robert68

Offline JeffRaines

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 538
  • Location: Roy
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2018, 11:27:48 AM »
Do you want to budget now, and then budget later, and then budget again later, etc., or would you rather buy once, cry once and be done with it?

Save your money and buy a top tier spotter at a significant discount online from a retailer or classified ads.
:yeah:

This is the rub. If hunting is something you enjoy, you'll end up buying a budget spotter now... then in a year or two you'll eventually look through a nice spotter and go "MAN! WHAT A DIFFERENCE!". You'll then sell your budget optics at a loss to buy the "nice" optics.

Or you could just save a little longer and buy something nice, used preferably, and have something that you may not want to sell... and if you do, you'll take much less of a loss(if any). It sounds like you don't have a spotter now, so whats going another season without one?

Offline Vmascorro89

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: May 2018
  • Posts: 32
  • Location: United States
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2018, 11:51:25 AM »
Do you want to budget now, and then budget later, and then budget again later, etc., or would you rather buy once, cry once and be done with it?

Save your money and buy a top tier spotter at a significant discount online from a retailer or classified ads.
:yeah:

This is the rub. If hunting is something you enjoy, you'll end up buying a budget spotter now... then in a year or two you'll eventually look through a nice spotter and go "MAN! WHAT A DIFFERENCE!". You'll then sell your budget optics at a loss to buy the "nice" optics.

Or you could just save a little longer and buy something nice, used preferably, and have something that you may not want to sell... and if you do, you'll take much less of a loss(if any). It sounds like you don't have a spotter now, so whats going another season without one?

Very true. At this point I don't own a spotter. Inhunt with my dad and he has more gear then me, but I'd like to have all my own equipment. So I'm looking into buying my own gear.

Offline Wolfdog2314

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2011
  • Posts: 1085
  • Location: Washington
Re: Budget friendly spotter
« Reply #14 on: June 14, 2018, 11:58:01 AM »
I was in your spot last year. I was going to go with like a Vortex Viper or Razor. My buddy told me “grow some b@ll$ and buy a Swarovski”.

I did. And I don’t regret it one bit. I will never have to replace this spotting scope. Ever. (I am kind of a gear junky so maaaybe a decade down the road) But even at that point itl still hold good value.

I want to upgrade my vortex viper binos now to Swarovski. I looked thru a pair while buying my spotter and it ruined me. If you do buy a “budget” spotter, don’t ever look through one of the “high end” spotters. If you do you’ll wish you had just spent the cash. It is a big chunk of change, but if you’re going to use the heck out of it for years to come, look at the best one you can afford, and go a step better and buy that one!

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal