I’m thinking about getting a spotting scope mostly for range use. What should I look at?
Straight vs Angle?
What power

What would you get? I’m not sure in price yet but I dont need the best elite models

Straight, Leopold., 15 X 60

There are many quality options from Hawke, Athlon, Kowa and even Konus (for a more affordable option). It's our pleasure to discuss different options with you if you have a few minutes to give a call

I prefer straight b/c I use it a lot from the truck and mule.

If you only want to see hits I’d go kowa or used Vortex Razor 65mm.

If you want to take pictures and spend a lot of hours glassing id start with Maven at a min and go up from there.


Not to say a vortex Viper or hawke etc wouldn’t work, it will, but as the heat goes up cheaper optics mirage out quicker IMO.

I go strictly angled because when I spott for myself prone or seated at the range, its usually easier to get situated behind. Im right handed, rifle in front of me, spotter just to its right. I can then turn my head to about the 2 oclock position and see through the spotter by moving only things above the shoulder, so I dont have to "re-situate" between every shot. I prefer it for hunting becasue it allows me to "hang" my head while looking through it when Im sitting on my [censored] glassing for hours at a time.

Frankly, its personal preference for both. 20 minutes of playing around with them in a store will probably tell you which you prefer. In terms of brand I have a bunch of experience with, Id go in the following order, as high as you can afford
Swarovski
Leupold
Vortex
Athlon

Some overlap between Vortex and Athlon based on specific models.

Power Id go 15-XX (45 or 60). anything more than that is straight mirage in Texas

Straight only.

With straight you can use both eyes to get your glass on what you want to look at, then close your non-dominate eye. The days I'm behind it for 6 hours, my neck does not hurt at all. If I were looking down, through an angled scope my neck would hurt using it that long.

As is the case with all optics, clarity trumps magnification, and clarity can get pretty expensive. It's the same as rifle scopes, what are you willing to spend?

angled

I have an Athlon Talos. Works fine for me but I prefer cheap optics.

I’ve had both and I prefer the angled. The straight you almost always have to raise the center of the tripod to get to your eye to align with your scope. Any tripod, that potentially adds movement/rigidity issues. It also hurts my neck as I never could get It adjusted correctly and it always was sore after an all day session bird dogging behind it. The FOV is large enough on mine that alignment isn’t an issue and if so I just turn mag down.

It really is a personal preference.