combo range finder/binoculars

[hoytrdye]

i would like some feed back on the bushnell yardage quest pro binoculars/rangefinders and the wind river rb800 combos- like if anyone has ethier one and what ever there opinion. i and a friend where talking about them, like the wind river is lighter 23ounces vs. bushnell's 34 ounces but i think bushnell has the better laser i would think but the technology has been around long enough, another subject would be the glass with the edge going to wind river IMO even with the 8x32vs. the bushnells 8x36 and last but not least wind river's cost $699 in cabelas with a customer silver medal rating with the bushnell's going for $599 with a $50 dollar rebate also for sale in cabelas but have seen the bushnells for less on this site but no mention of a rebate ok i've gone on long enough

 

[bighorn67]

If you are willing to pay $699 for glass, then go with the Zeiss Classics at Cabelas for $699. I've looked through them and they are incredible. As far as rangefinders go, I have no clue.

Dave

 

[hoytrdye]

well i'm not really looking to spend that much on the glass side only - but i would like to i looking at not have to carry both a bino and a range finder, plus i really would like the better magnification than what is avalibale from the range finders

 

[pmmx]

hoytrdye: I found the Bushnell Pro Yardage Quest on Binoculars.com for $499 - $50 MIR. I'm thinking about getting these as well and was wondering if you've tried them yet?

Jeff

 

[hoytrdye]

no i have not tried them yet-but i have found them on EBAY for $478 from a seller that goes by the name -golfstore1- it's a store and he's a bushnell dealer and not gray market products- so when you buy them it also has the $50 rebate--- i watched his auctions before and most of these he sell are a buy it now option-- but he did sell one buy bidding on it for $452 - i emailed him to see if he would sell me one for that price since no one else was buying it at $478 and he said he would- so try it out if you got the cash which i don't

jim

 

[bou-hunter]

My father-in-law bought the Bushnell's for our caribou hunt a couple months ago. The optics are pretty good, better than I would have expected. Also the rangefinder works very well. So I'd say they perform well in both areas. That said, for me personally they were too big and heavy and I wouldn't want to carry them around and use them as my full time binoc's.

 

[hoytrdye]

hunter what type of glasses do you carry around on a regular basis and how much do they weigh? i carried around a friend of mines 10x42 that are heavy to hold but with the bino straps crooked horn sell i did not bother me

 

[photohunter]

bou-hunter,

I've been watching this thread because I'm interested in the Yardage Pro Quest also. I talked with a Bushnell rep over the phone and nobody near me carries them. So, I haven't been able to see them.

When you say the optics are pretty good, do you mean "pretty good" for an 8X36, or "pretty good" for what you would expect from Bushnell, or what?

Chris.

 

[bou-hunter]

Sorry I haven't checked back in a while to answer the questions.

I carry 8X42 wind river roof prisms. The binoc/rangefinder is both larger (fatter)and heavier.

The optics were quite good - clear and sharp. Yes, I'd say they were better than I'd expect in an 8x36, and also better than I would have expected in a model that's combining 2 functions. Actually the rangefinder in the binoculars seemed to work better and faster than regular bushnell rangefinders I've seen.

 

[hoytrdye]

ok it sounds like the bushnell are good as far as the glass and range finder go but there size is a little too much to over come-- i have seen a few on EBAY for sale and when e-mailed the owner said the same thing just too big and heavy-- i would like to here some feed back on the wind river rb800 because they are lighter 23 verses 34 ounces and a littlew smaller size-- i would expect there glass to be of better quality thsn the bushnells--- what do you think?????

 

[hoytrdye]

well anybody know of anybody who even might of tried them

 

[photohunter]

Just thought I would add 2 cents more. I decided not to get the bushnell yardage pro quest because it turns out the yardage info only shows through the right side and I am strongly left-eye dominant.

I eventually got the Swarovski SLC 10X42 and the Bushnell Yardage Pro Scout.

Love em both.

 

[Buckeyes]

I am VERY interested in the combo units and have investigated everything from the Bushnell's ($599) to the Leica' ($1,500+). I think that it is a great idea and I wihs that more folks would consider the combo products as I, and many other folks, would love to have the rangefinder features at the touch of a button in our bino's.
However, I can only comment on two pairs of units:
I was at Bass Pro Shops yesterday and checked out the combo units...at least the Wind River unit. It was bulky, had permafocus and also had individual optic focus' on the eyepieces. I ruled it out immediately. After talking with the counter guy at BPS, I also ruled out the Bushnell. I think that the idea is great and I hope that more folks do start to make the combo units, but I think that the only reliable manufacturers now are the high priced Leica's ($1,500+) and maybe the Newcom's.
So I am going to get the Nikon Monarch's and get a separate rangefinder. Probably the Nikon or the Bushnell

Thanks
Good luck to you

 

[hoytrdye]

why did you rule out the bushnell- i hope not just on the word of the guy behind the counter- but could you tell me more about the wind river model thanks PS i also looked how much a pair BINO's of the same power wieghs and a ranger finder of the same power, put together your only talking about MAYBE 3-5 ounces