Test drive Swaro

Mike,

I have them now and plan on putting them head to head againist the 1200!!!

My review of the Swarovski 8X30 rangefinder.

            I know I'll catch some grief for this but hopefully even those than may disagree with my opinion will say I was balanced with it.  First off, I only spend 1 day putting the Swaro head to head with the Leica 1200 in the field (the 1200 was not mine.) and really it was apples and oranges. The Swaro feels like it’s built to be around the neck of a tank commander not a deer hunter I wouldn’t worry if I dropped this thing.  Not being one of my toys I was not going to do a drop test. (Sorry L.a.r.r.y.)!!! In the weight department the Leica 1200 wins out. But don't drop the Leica 1200 or that’s how many pieces you may pick up. The Leica1200 easily fits into the top pocket of a shirt. Whereas the Swaro needed cargo style shirt pockets to do the same. The glass on the swaro was hands down head and shoulders above the Leica 1200 but for the 1/3rd higher price tag it better have it.  I personally like the smaller ranging circle of the Swaro over the big square of the Leica 1200. I ranged a deer at 138 yards with the swaro and then the Leica 1200 and got a reading of 168 yards on the 1200 hit it one more time and got 138 yards.  So I felt it ranged OK but you have to be steady with the Lieca 1200.  At well after astronomical twilight I ranged a deer at 281 yards in a known 300 yard field.  I think that is where the glass of the Swaro just can't be beat. It's always better to spend the money on the better optics if you got the coin.  Not to say the Leica 1200 was shabby.  

            Now stepping out of the hunter mode and moving into a boater mode.  I ranged a water tower that I know from our site drawings to be 1NM (2000yrds).  I did not have the Leica 1200 with me at this point in time. I lined myself up with other targets with known distances from my starting point. This was really the fun part for me as to see if the ranging of this Swaro would confirm the surveyors’ lay-out of the plant. At a few feet behind the CP the Swaro gave a err reading, two steps in and it ranged the tower at 1999 yards I hit it again and it ranged at 1998 yards.  I had my starting position ranged an air duct at 50 yards walked to it and shot the tower 1949 yards I did this 3 more times with the same results.

This range finder in my opinion is AWESOME!!! And it was quicker than the 1200 to range, again in my opinion. 

So here are the Pro’s

1.      Well built and rugged.

2.      Great glass (as expected)

3.      Highly accurate.

The Con’s

1.      Heavy

2.      I didn’t like the way the display had orange dots in the field of view.

3.  I didn't care for the belt holder, it was to loose and without set screws to lock it to your belt.  (hint to the engineers)

4.      Is the cost prohibitive to you? (Only you can decide.)

I personally think this is the better range finder but I’d go with the Leica 1200.