Help with spotting scope selection

catorres1

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May 16, 2014
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After my first trip to Colorado to hunt, I am looking to add a spotting scope to my pack. Lots of great choices out there, and if it were not for weight/money, I would probably be done already.

Here are some of my issues that make it difficult to choose:

I wear glasses, have deep set eyes, and a lot of astigmatism. What that means is without glasses, I cannot ever get it fully 'razor' crisp. Its always just a little off.

With glasses, I cannot get enough eye relief to see the whole magnification range on most scopes. The exception on what I have been able to look through so far is the Cabelas/Meopta Euro and the Leupold Gold Ring.

Money: I am not in the Swaro class. Just can't get there. Hoping to keep it under 1500, but realize that may not happen. Very open to used.

Weight: I really like the Cabelas/Meopta. Seemed bright, sharp, I could see all the way to the edge at top power. But its an 82, and just at 4 lbs. I am going to pack this, so I think I will need a significantly lighter option.

From what I can gather, I need about 17mm of eye relief to see. I am only guessing this because on a big Razor , I can see edge to edge up to maybe 25 or 30mm, and they list their eye relief as starting at 17mm and going down to the 16's. The Meopta claims 18mm across the range.

The Leupold is light, has the eye relief etc....but the glass, especially for the money....does not seem right. I want good glass, seems pointless to do this with cheap glass. I already have a spotter like that for use at the range. *** is useless as the sun starts to fall.

I have looked at various other options, not found anything with the eye relief/weight I am hoping for...without even thinking about cost. Any suggestions would be much appreciated...FYI, as far as size, I am very open...but lighter is better and I don't want something that is useless at first and last light because of size or quality. Nor is something that I leave at camp because it is too heavy useful, so I guess balance is the way to go here.

Thanks!
 
Seems optics are viewed differently by many. If you have the opportunity to compare several on your list, your eyes will tell you which is best for you. Perhaps a Cabelas, Sportsman's or a big sporting store near you would do. Best prices seem to be online and probably some good deals now for the holidays. Good luck
 
Look at the KOWA Prominar series, its phenomenal glass, they have good eye relief, and the even offer a fixed power long eye relief eye piece. They make an 88mm, 77mm, and 66mm and I think they just came out with a 55mm. I went with the 66mm because I use it for pack hunting and I love it. I have looked through the 88mm and the 77mm and the 88mm is in my opinion the best piece of glass out there and the 77mm is up there with the best and beating out most the top scopes. worth a look.
 
Look at the KOWA Prominar series, its phenomenal glass, they have good eye relief, and the even offer a fixed power long eye relief eye piece. They make an 88mm, 77mm, and 66mm and I think they just came out with a 55mm. I went with the 66mm because I use it for pack hunting and I love it. I have looked through the 88mm and the 77mm and the 88mm is in my opinion the best piece of glass out there and the 77mm is up there with the best and beating out most the top scopes. worth a look.
Thanks for the advice! I have heard great things about the Kowa, that was, in fact, one of my top potentials. But looking at the specs, it seems the eye relief is not going to work. The weird thing about these specs, though, sometimes one seems to list a length and another lists the same, and they are NOT the same. For fun (B/c I can't afford it anyway) I looked at two Swaro ATX scopes at Cabelas the other day. At top power, I could not see the whole image. But I understand they have 20mm of eye relief all the way through, so I should have been able to. On the other hand, the Cabelas/Meopta I believe has 18 or 19, but I can still see all the way through! Not sure how that works, so I have come to the conclusion, I just need to try them myself to see what will work, which limits my choices dramatically.

Want to try a Leica, but I know the Leupold Gold Ring HD's have tons of ER, and can be had cheaply. Any thoughts on these in real world conditions (especially low light?)...say compared to the Meopta or the Razors?
 
Are you turning eye cup in for use with glasses.The Kowa 55 is on my wish list for a packer.Have a 77m,and a old 12-40x60 Leo gold ring non Hd most used because the size is so handy,looked at thousands of animals threw that scope
 
Are you turning eye cup in for use with glasses.The Kowa 55 is on my wish list for a packer.Have a 77m,and a old 12-40x60 Leo gold ring non Hd most used because the size is so handy,looked at thousands of animals threw that scope
Yeah, turn all the eyecups in as far as possible. The only two that I have tried that worked all the way through the range so far are the Leupold and the Meopta and variants. I'd go Meopta, but it's too big. Need a backpacking optic. What did you think about the Leupold...and verses the newer HD...I am guessing it leaves much to desire as you have the 77 and are going for the 55....
 
I havent used the HD but woud like to see it.It is a nice size for use.You can also get a mil version which is nice for spotter correction
 
I'll be writing a review for LRH on the Vortex 22-48x65 Razor HD as soon as I get caught up with orders. Specs for this scope show 16.7mm eye relief on the high power. Not sure if it would work or not. After my experience carrying this scope for nearly 2 weeks of hunting I would say it is worth a good look. Not super light at 3.55lbs. Should be caught up and get my review into Andy next week.

Steve
 
Cool, will look forward to reading that. But I doubt it will work ER wise, I tried an 85 and it did not. I just need to find a place to try all the scopes I am interested in. Then make a list of those that will work and those that don't. Then make a decision from that list based on what is available. So far, I have an 82 Meopta/Cabelas/NF and the Gold Ring on that list, with the Meopta being too heavy in my thoughts for carrying around in a backpack. Other options that I have on my radar based on recommendations and published specs are Leica and Kowa. Would like to hear more about some other options that are a little more economical if there are any, but that's what I have on my radar so far.

Thanks!
 
KOWA sells LONG EYE RELIEF fixed power eye pieces, I think they are about 20x to 25x, it depends on the objective diameter you are using it with, but the eye relief is quite a bit. Might want to look into them.
 
I'll be writing a review for LRH on the Vortex 22-48x65 Razor HD as soon as I get caught up with orders. Specs for this scope show 16.7mm eye relief on the high power. Not sure if it would work or not. After my experience carrying this scope for nearly 2 weeks of hunting I would say it is worth a good look. Not super light at 3.55lbs. Should be caught up and get my review into Andy next week.

Steve
Got behind one of those Razors yesterday. Unfortunately, just could not see the whole view. Pity. There is a decent deal on a Leupy 60mm HD, but I have not been able to see one, and it does not sound like the optics are very competitive at the $900 they want for it. ****, wish Meopta would make a 65mm or even a 55 like the Kowa!
 
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