Cabelas Krotos HD Spotting scope is $500 off; worth buying?

[KenLondregan]

I just saw that Cabelas has the Krotos HD 20-60-86mm spotting scope on sale for $699 (normally $1199).

I dont currently own a spotting scope. I eventually plan on buying one, however at this time, I dont have much disposable income to play around with. I have a boatload of cabelas points to apply to this purchase, which is tempting me. The alternative is I wait and keep saving for a high end spotting scope like a swarovski.

Does anyone have any experience with this scope? Would a swarovski which would cost about 3 times the amount of money be worth the extra cash?

 

[MarkCO]

Ken, I think it depends on what you want to do with it. For matches and hunting, I prefer a 10x or 12x. For seeing holes in paper at distance, I would not buy anything I have not looked through myself at what I want to be able to see. A good high-magnification spotter is great for shooting groups on the KD ranges, but the clarity is the main factor for me.

 

[KenLondregan]

I'm looking for something that would be good all-around. Right now I would use it primarily for hunting. It would also be nice to clearly see holes out to 300 yards.

Long term I could for see myself needing something for longer-range trophy hunts. Plus it would be nice to have something I could use for some long-range glassing at a national park.

 

[MotorOilMcCall]

You'll appreciate the quality of the glass for $700. For $1200, it's still good glass, but not great at that price.

IMO, if you can find the 15-45x65, go with that one for the extra hundred or two less. It's a great scope for that price. I have one, and it really does rival the lower mag range Razor's in terms of glass (had them side by side to compare in numerous lighting conditions). The 65mm is quite compact for what you get out of it, the 86mm is bulky. I looked through the 20-60x86 Saturday inside Cabelas, but that's kinda pointless as there's nothing more than a hundred yards from the optics counter, in crappy lighting...

For punching paper at 300 yards, you'll be happy with it. At 500yds, I don't know of any scope that can reliably see holes at that distance (unless you're shooting a 50BMG), so how much better performance are you going to get for 2-5x the price with a Swaro, Meopta, etc?

 

[Iron Worker]

I had one 20x60x86mm . Its not a Razor ,I took it back after one trip in the field trying to precision focus on targets at 350 yds. I say save your cash .

 

[HayStax]

I bought Cabela’s Meopta binos and 65mm spotter and sure wish now I had saved for Swaro or Leica. Granted this was 10 years ago before HD glass but I’m still upset every time I use them.

 

[MotorOilMcCall]

Go look through a 15-45 Razor, then the 15-45 Krotos... You'll be hard pressed to say the Krotos isn't as good, if not better.

For the higher power, I agree the Razor is better, but its also significantly larger and more expensive. I'm not trekking out with an 80+mm spotter, ever, so I won't ever bother with a scope that size unless I move to the mountains and want one on my porch...