Depends on use. I'm not an "optics" guy, but I've used some spotting scopes that work well for me.
For gun range use at 200 yards and beyond, I've found the Kowa 88 Prominar is hard to beat, but it's not cheap. For game spotting, it's much too bulky and heavy for daypack carry, at least for me.
For short gun range use, my 30+ year-old Bushnell Spacemaster 15x-45x is fine, and, as long as conditions are okay, is adequate for 200 yard spotting. I haven't shopped lately, but would guess there are many scopes in the $500.00 (or less) category that are optically superior to the old Spacemaster.
