Most Cost Effective Back Packing Scope?

[TimberHunter]

Recently picked up a set of Maven 9x45 B.2s and now have decided to sell my vortex Viper 15-45x65 Spotter. Selling because I never wanted to put it in the pack due to the size and overall weight.

I’m also looking to keep the $$$ spent reasonable.

My spotter use in the past has only been to get a better look at what I find in my binos but I’m going to start trying to incorporate a spotter into my glasses sessions in hopes I can locate more animals.

Spotters I’ve been looking at are: vortex diamond 60mm(have owned in the past and it’s surprisingly decent and only 33 ounces), vortex razor (25 ounces), Luepold 15-30x50, Kowa tsn-501.

Are there any other ones I should consider? I don’t mind buying used!


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[letrbuck]

not top of line glass, but been impressed with it for the price. Nice and small and light too

Hawke Endurance 12-36x50

 

[TimberHunter]

not top of line glass, but been impressed with it for the price. Nice and small and light too

Hawke Endurance 12-36x50

Are you able to quantify the Endurance’s quality against companies like Vortex, Nikon, or Leupold? Just so I have a reference point in what the quality of the scope is

Another one I’ve looked at is Athelon’s 50mm Scope


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[zeroforhire]

I'm selling two 50mm spotters right now. Minox md50 and the hawke. Both are very good performers.

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[idahohikker]

65mm Athlon Ares is what I'd go for. Viper quality or better class and smaller/more packable. Otherwise, the small Razor if you have a lower budget allowance or a 50mm Kowa or maybe a Nikon if you can spend some more.

65mm spotters has a lot of value to me versus the small ones.

 

[Huntingpreacher]

Lots of folks here like the Nikon 50ed. I tried it and an Athlon Cronus 12-36x50 Ed. Thought the Athlon was the better overall performer. Might put those in your list to consider.

 

[letrbuck]

Are you able to quantify the Endurance’s quality against companies like Vortex, Nikon, or Leupold? Just so I have a reference point in what the quality of the scope is

Another one I’ve looked at is Athelon’s 50mm Scope


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Check out reviews on birding forums. Usually really good info, and what made me decide to get the Hawke. I would put it above Vortex, (can't compare to Nikon), and glass on par with Leupold, but better focus and ergonomics. I know this isn't a ton of help, I just haven't had the chance for many side by side comparisons. The Hawke compact does not leave me wanting more and will be my go to mini from here on out. I like it enough I may go with one of their full size spotters instead of other brands. I do hear tale that Maven may be coming out with a compact spotter in the coming year or two

 

[Newtosavage]

Love my tiny little Nikon ED50. At first I thought they were too small and light to be any good. After 10 days of packing them around the mountains (and forgetting which pocket they were stored in a few times!) I really began to appreciate that little scope. Optics are razor sharp. IMO they are the perfect companion to a pair of all-day binoculars when you need a better look at something.

 

[OakStuddedAcres]

There is a lot of value in the Minox MD50 especially if you snag one from the classifieds. Personally I sold mine and stepped up to a 65. Just wasn’t getting enough out of the 50.

 

[TimberHunter]

There is a lot of value in the Minox MD50 especially if you snag one from the classifieds. Personally I sold mine and stepped up to a 65. Just wasn’t getting enough out of the 50.

I’ve seen those get decent reviews, how effect are they at just gushing if the buck/bull is a shooter? Is it effective at telling if an elk is a spike vs a small fork at 600 yards and under?


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[OakStuddedAcres]

I’ve seen those get decent reviews, how effect are they at just gushing if the buck/bull is a shooter? Is it effective at telling if an elk is a spike vs a small fork at 600 yards and under?


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If that’s all your looking for it would work fine.
I would actually recommend putting your binos on a tripod. You should be able to see pretty good detail with stabilized binos out to decent ranges.

 

[Newtosavage]

I’ve seen those get decent reviews, how effect are they at just gushing if the buck/bull is a shooter? Is it effective at telling if an elk is a spike vs a small fork at 600 yards and under?


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600? Easy peasy.

I could tell a few bulls out of a herd were legal with my little ED50 from 2.4 miles away!

That piece of information resulted in my buddy killing his first elk - a 6x6 the next day, exactly where we were looking the evening before. So you could say - in a way - that little ED50 was responsible for him killing his first elk. His huge old Nikon spotter could barely even see the elk, if we could find them in it.

 

[TimberHunter]

If that’s all your looking for it would work fine.
I would actually recommend putting your binos on a tripod. You should be able to see pretty good detail with stabilized binos out to decent ranges.

I agree, I run bino on tripods all the time but usually like to be 100% that when I get behind the gun it’s a legal spike and not a small branch 2 point elk.

Here in Utah, in the spike units, you can only shoot a spike. No excepts. The reason I say 600 and under is because that’s the extent that I will shoot to ensure I make ethical shots on game.

When I’m archery hunting, I can just use my binos or bare eyes because shots are obviously close haha


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[TimberHunter]

600? Easy peasy.

I could tell a few bulls out of a herd were legal with my little ED50 from 2.4 miles away!

That piece of information resulted in my buddy killing his first elk - a 6x6 the next day, exactly where we were looking the evening before. So you could say - in a way - that little ED50 was responsible for him killing his first elk. His huge old Nikon spotter could barely even see the elk, if we could find them in it.

Hmm that Minox sounds pretty decent. I’m just Skeptical because it’s price so cheap (when compared to my binos at $1000)


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[zeroforhire]

The minox will handle that with ease. It's perfect for what you are looking for.

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[zeroforhire]

Remember, you aren't doing a ton of scanning with the spotting scope in the scenario you describe. The spotter is just for quick looks. Your binos are doing the heavy lifting.

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[TimberHunter]

Thanks for all the info on Minox!

Does anyone have experience with the Kowa TSN-501? They seem to be around $300 and I can get them locally from a dealer for $275. Not as inexpensive as the Minox but if the optics were much better than it could easily be worth it


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[zeroforhire]

Thanks for all the info on Minox!

Does anyone have experience with the Kowa TSN-501? They seem to be around $300 and I can get them locally from a dealer for $275. Not as inexpensive as the Minox but if the optics were much better than it could easily be worth it


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It's pretty good. The hawke ED is better.

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[tdhanses]

I would ask Doug at cameralandny, he sells both and will be honest with you. Also I recommend you let Doug know your from Rokslide and see what he can do price wise, he used to have demos of the Minox for a good price so we’ll worth your time to talk to him.

The Minox 50 was my first spotter and it was great, very packable and optics are not bad for the price. I’ve since upgraded to high end glass but I never hesitate to recommend the Minox for a first spotter.

 

[belly-deep]

I'm pretty fond of the Vortex 50mm. Been carrying it for two seasons now.