Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Which Spotting Scope Do You Consider Best?

Hi people,

Honestly, whenever I am in my thoughts I try to figure out which brand make the best spotting scope. I had made use of a few brands, like Leica and Swarovski.

I will like to hear your opinion on this and I might consider buying the one with the best review. Thanks.

Davis.

Swarovski hands down. Best customer service in the industry. Clearest optics!

I bought a Vortex Razor three years ago. Fail on my part! It is a made in China POS. Glass is average at best, body of the scope has required loctite to stay together. Lifetime warranty that will be needed.

Interestingly today my Razor Spotting scope fell over on the tripod today and cracked the body. I am a little shocked

A crack in the body will require sending the scope back to Vortex. I am sure they will replace it. Hopefully it’s returned to you before your hunting season starts.

A Swarovski spotting scope with the BTX eye piece is nearly the perfect spotting scope.

I say nearly because the BTX eye piece is angled, If Swarovski ever makes one in a straight it will be a must have immediately !!!!!!!!!!!!

Until then I can live with my Leica just fine.

btw: you might want to ask this on the optics forum

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THIS

Leica all the way. JM

To me, Meopta Meostar S2 with the WA 30-60 eyepiece.

Best!

PH

We have several too-notch spotting scopes, including a Leica, Meopta, Nikon Fieldscope II, and Swarovski. They're all excellent, and the only practical difference between them is the size/magnification (and hence the application) of each of the scopes. Have used all of them enough in the field to know you probably wouldn't miss seeing something with one and not another--except perhaps in really dim light, where the 75mm objective of the Meopta makes a slight but noticeable advantage over the somewhat smaller objectives of the other scopes.

The problem is that there are many types of needs for different sizes. I like the ATX modular Swaro system but a lot of people who I respect like the new Kowa spotters.

I've had an 88mm Kowa for several years. Great spotter, but big and heavy. Not for backpacking.

Swarovski

In these threads I always wonder how many oi the posters with firm opinions have used a bunch of different spotting scopes.

New Guy,

How about before wasting our time you define your:

Budget?

What other high end optics do you actually own and what brand preference do you have?

Specifically what exact brand and model of bino do you own?

Will you be backpacking hunting or using it off your deck to look at the neighbors or something in between?

What game do you actually hunt?

Do you have a quality tripod?

Will you spend the cash to get a quality tripod and what head to you intend to purchase?

Do you understand angled vs straight eyepieces?

Do you understand the tradeoffs for larger and smaller objectives?

Thanks.

Didn't say what type of hunt. If sheep hunting, light weight and one you can leave behind.

Yeah, 3 to 6 weeks....good thing I have good backup stuff.
The last two I purchased were the Nikon Fieldscope and it had internal failure, I replaced it with the Vortex razor.These are compact scopes.
Vortex had already replaced the eyepiece last year.
I have a 60 year old Bushnell Spacemaster that has never failed or fogged. And it has had brutal use in the mountains for months at a time in my youth.

I just counted 22 spotting scopes in one big drawer. I was looking for some to give to a couple kids I REALLY respect and want to reward for their work. There is more than one drawer... One is getting a spotter and a Franchi Intensity...

I have seen spectacular CS from Swaro... As good as it gets...

I have seen spectacularly horrible service from Swaro... as bad as it gets. I have never seen "ordinary" from them.

I'm old school, I like my Bausch & Lomb Balscope 60 spotting scope 30x.