I feel that the “buy once cry once cliche” is a bit overused.
I agree with your point in a good many instances. However, his #3 point is, "backpack-able for Elk in CO", and in my mind that warrants better glass than a simple range spotter.
Out west, my gear priorities are:
1) Glass - to see if it's worth using your boots
2) Boots - to get to what you want to shoot, and get back to camp/home
3) All else.
I spend accordingly. Just my $.02.
...Realize that all long range hunting in PA where i hunt is done by glassing. ...Virtually all hunters there are using 2 spotting scopes in an adjustable bracket for glasses. Of those more than 50% at least, are using the older Bushnell Spacemaster scopes. And, until recent years that percentage was even higher. But some, myself included, have bought into the idea that better scopes will find more game.
I personally own 5 different sets of those type glasses with different scopes including a set with 77mm Kowas.
Are the Kowas better than the Spacemasters ?
Yes they are at least slightly, when compared side by side on the same day aimed at the same thing.
Have they made a big difference as to the amount of game I’ve found with them? No they really haven’t.
This also makes good sense in your situation. I have alpha 8x42's that will very seldom show me anything in SW Ohio, or Texas game ranches, that $200 binocs won't. However, in wide open spaces (i.e. - Colorado), it's a different ballgame. During an Alps hunt, I was able to see li'l goats 2 ridges away, that neither my hunting partner nor I could find with a $1,000 (retail) pair of 8x43's. But for the distances and terrain involved, the 2 sets of glass would work just about equivalently.
We can argue ad infinitum about the "best compromise" in a spotter for his uses, and for certain some offerings may well punch above their price point. But in this scenario, a buy-once-cry-once spotter is probably a good idea.
FC
