Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Looking for Kestrel Recommendations

I’m looking to purchase a Kestrel and honestly am stymied by the myriad of options.

For a baseline, let’s say I want to shoot to 1200-1500 yards.

Is the 3500 model sufficient or do I need the 5700 with all the bells & whistles? Are there add-on options that are a must?

Assuming regardless of model, I want the Bluetooth LINK feature.

Advice appreciated in advance!

Bob

Are there any Kestrel users out there? Happy with your current model or is there one you would like to upgrade to?

Depends what you want to do with it. For years, I used a 2500 model for wind and atmospheric readings with a separate ballistic app on a smartphone. It worked great, but I only used the Kestrel for wind-reading training and air density data. I’ve owned the 5700 Elite for a couple of years, and it provides an all-in-one solution with ballistic app functionality, skipping the need for a smartphone. There are things that I can do with Ballistic:AE that I can’t with the 5700, but for simple ballistic solutions the 5700 works well.

Bluetooth makes it much easier to transfer load data from a smartphone to the Kestrel, or to transfer wind and air data from Kestrel to smartphone in real-time, if using a smartphone ballistic app.

Again, it depends what you want to do with it.

I do not believe the 3500 has the LiNK. It is just a weather meter. In the field I use a Kestrel for the ballistic solution. A smart phone is not an option. It is nice to run the Kestrel through your electronic devices.

Hi gents,

Many thanks for the responses. You guys, of course are correct and there are three pieces to be considered: RANGEFINDER - I have a new Leica 2800.com inbound; BALLISTIC APP - currently using Ballistic AE, but do I change this? Lots of options here; ATMOSPHERICs - I’m looking to Kestrel here.

And I think 6BRAI is correct, I think I would need to get into the 5000 series before I can get the LINK function. But the 5700 Elite is a BIG step up in price.

Again, thanks for sharing your expertise.

Bob

If you want LINK, the 5700 Sportsman is cheaper than the Elite, and would do what you want. I personally prefer to use my Elite for atmospherics and continue to use Ballistic:AE for shot solutions. At times I just use the Elite, but I like having either option.

Good to know, thanks Jordan, I very much appreciate the info and advice. Hoping for a Black Friday sale. I can get a .mil discount on Kestrel products, and although this particular discount site (Expert Voice) offers the 5700, whichever model it is, it does not have the LINK. Lots of chatter on this discount site, sounds like a number of people don’t get quite what they expected to get - not quite a misrepresentation, but not quite clear presentation either. Caveate Emptor at its finest. 😎

Of course I could go the Garmin route……

I’m a bit different than Jordan. I have the 5700 Link with Applied Ballistics and When I got it I ditched the use of all the ballistic apps. It provides a one stop solution and with the Litz data provides extremely accurate data, especially once you true it at range. I’ve been using it for about 7-8 years now and love it. Kinda see it as an indespensible piece of gear.

Yeah, my friend did the same. It’s a preference thing. I still like having either option, seeing pros and cons to both approaches. I like the functionality of Ballistic:AE for target shooting and messing around, and the simplicity of a single device for shooting matches, hunting, etc.

Jordan, I actually do prefer an app when hunting. I used Ballistic AE at first but ended up switching to Shooter. I like how it produces range cards so run the data as atmospherics change and just use their range card when hunting. Generally is quick enough for the way I use it. My Kestrel is indispensable when I’m shooting a match.

Yeah, I have most all the ballistic apps, including Shooter. Ballistic: AE has that functionality, as well. Ballistic app, too, is a preference thing.

John nailed it. Akbob5: I can see a Kestrel 5700 Elite is in your future. Running Applied Ballistics in your Kestrel works for me. On my first hunt using the Kestrel, I laser ranged my target. I got no ballistic solution back. I had lost connection. Easy enough. I just used the range card in the Kestrel. Turns out the LiNK has an auto shutoff. I should have read the directions. It now stays continuously connected to my devices.

Well 6BRAI,

You weren’t wrong! Finally found a 10% military discount through another means. 5700 Elite w/LINK is on the way!

Thanks again gents for the advice and conversation.


Bob

As the years have gone by i've been fortunate enough to be to keep upgrading my Kestrels. About 14 years back I bought my first Kestrel 2500. With it and my beloved Shooter program (which I still use to this day for quick ballistic comparisons) , I was able to hunt and compete. Some years later I moved up to the Kestrel 3500, adding the humidity feature the 2500 did not have. A few years back I moved to the Kestrel 5700 Elite and life is soooo much easier and quicker. In competition, I can marry it with the Kestrel HUD and engage up to 10 different targets. All at different yardages, wind angels and even incline angels. Yes, I have actually have had 10 different targets, all at different wind angles and yardages, in competition. Now, married with my new Leica 10x32 Geovid Pro bino's, life is frickin sweet! Last month, two weeks apart, I used the Pro's in conjunction with the 5700 to take first a buck at 588 yds then a cow elk at 630. Both times I took my wind readings, dropped the Kestrel into the pouch attached to the side of my bino pouch. Then 20-30 minutes later when the animal presented itself all I did was click the range button to wake up the Pro's and connect the bluetooth to the 5700 (takes about 1 second) and range the target. Got an immediate dope and wind. The rest was all work and sore muscles.

Alan