Laser Rangefinding Binocular for Hunting

azwizard · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 1

Need Help!!!

So for the last 30 years I've been an avid hunter/fisherman and have gone through 4 pairs of Binoculars and and 1 Optical + 3 Laser Rangefinders.. I don't feel I'm abnormally hard on my equipment, But I do hunt in some harsh environments. From the Frozen North of Michigan's Big Forests to The Scorching Deserts of Arizona.

There are Temperature extremes and the terrain to be considered. As I usually wear my Binos around my neck and while hunting they do get bumped/knocked around a little and are exposed to the immediate environment. I usually get 7-8 years of use out of them... Haven't bought any with really great warranties as of yet.

The Rangefinders usually reside in either my pack or my pocket depending on their size. Again they are also bumped and knocked around a little. They unfortunately only seem to last as long as the Electronics warranty on the laser itself i.e.. About 3 years.

The thing is I am currently in need of replacing both at this time and I like the idea of having the 2 combined, less things to carry but I can't find any reliable reviews about LRB's. Since most of my hunting would be Deer, Elk, Antelope sized animals I don't think I'd need to range them any further out than say 600 yards. I probably wouldn't take a shot that far away as I'm pretty sure I could close the Range to under 300-400 yards at least which would be more in my comfort zone for taking the shot. Prairie dogs I've never hunted at more than 200 yards anyway but I could always range a nearby rock or mound for an accurate range if they wouldn't pick up the dogs at that distance.

So far everyone seems to dislike the more inexpensive brands/models i.e. Bushnell/Lepould/Burris/NewCon, and I said inexpensive even though they seem to run anywhere from $400-$800. The catch with them is you might get a lifetime warranty on the optics but only 3 years on the Electronics.

Enter the only brand that they ever get compared to, which is the Cream of the crop Leica's. But at over $2000 for a pair, really just how much better are they. Also in researching the Leica USA warranty it seems and I could be mistaken but there might also be a catch on the Electronics with a 5 year limit?

Since I hope to still be able to hunt for another 30-40 years or so I need some help in picking something that will hopefully last longer and possibly give a better return on investment. The Leica's are not unobtainable just I'm having a hard time justifying the expense to myself as this is not a purchase I'll just be able to pick up on my way home from work tomorrow... LOL

Any realistic help or advice would be great. Thanks
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Regards, azwizard

Jne_K · Site Admin Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Posts: 5207

Hi

I am not a fan of putting an LRF in a binocular for some of the reasons you mention. Also, does it really make sense to sacrifice handling (more bulk, more weight and typically mediocre balance), binocular performance (LRF binos typically have smaller objectives to keep the size down) and warranty to add a feature to a binocular that you will only be using 1% of the time? Besides, if it is a serious durability issue, your only real option is the Leica. There is simply very little on the market in the way of an LRF bino. I'll take a good binocular with a separate rangefinder every time.
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