Kestrel 5700 Elite AB vs Leica Geovid Pro with AB

[aranagabriel1]

Hi everyone, I have a serious question, for what ive read, the Leica Geovid Pro with AB has a very nice enviromental computer in it, so, putting the wind speed and direction aside for a moment, why would I need a Kestrel if the Leicas have the AB integrated and have all the enviros updated as soon as you range an animal? at the end, the wind at the shooting point vs the wind at the target might be completely different so i rather learn to read the mirage at distance than complicate things with too much tech on my whole hunting, am I right? *** Please correct me if I missed anything, I'm a total newbie in the LR hunting arena.

 

[mpardun]

Following…I am wondering the same.

 

[Daniel Norwood]

Hi all, I've got the same question as well!

 

[carbonbased]

Now, I’m no expert in this area but I believe an argument for having a separate weather device apart from your binos is for getting it away from your body heat and from the sun.

Many people will have the binos in-hand/on chest and also in the sun which might mess with temp, humidity etc readings.

Having the Kestrel on your hip will have less an effect, and of course you can stash it in the shade easier as you’re not using it constantly like a bino.

One also can spin a Kestrel a bunch on its long, very well-attached leash (moulded-in) in order to “reset/clear” it. Sort of a way of isolating it from your body’s “very local weather” lol. Although I imagine if it’s very hot from the sun or your closed car that it would take a while to cool down (I just bought a lower grade Kestrel this winter…not a lot of experience).

I learned the spin tip from Frank or from replies to one of Frank’s posts.

Rapidly spinning a heavier-than-a-Kestrel multi-thousand dollar pair of binos with perhaps a less-secure attachment seems…less than ideal?

I think that’s the rationale for a Kestrel even if you own a fancy LRF weather-reading bino.

Or at least a rationale.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

Spinning your binos will not have the same effect since many of them are sealed units anyways so you won't get free flowing air over the sensors.

 

[carbonbased]

Spinning your binos will not have the same effect since many of them are sealed units anyways so you won't get free flowing air over the sensors.

Ahhhhh interesting (and good point).

 

[usafa77]

You pay for AB when you buy the Pro. It’s also a weather station minus wind. Got all you need. My kestrel is still in the pack cause it doesn’t weight much. The bino is hanging in a case outdoors. You could run a profile and see how much difference 20 degrees makes on the firing solution. Sounds like you are only interested in hunting so I wouldn’t spend money on both. Competition is another matter.

 

[Long Range 338]

I'm not familiar with the specs on the Leica but the obvious question in my mind is what inputs are you lacking without the Kestrel? How would you manage the inputs without having the Kestrel? If you think you've got it covered, you have your answer.

 

[codym]

I have both. Geovid pro with the full ab suite and my kestrel 5700 elite. So far my geovids and kestrel line up exactly. I find myself using the kestrel for wind only. I got the geovids for the nrl hunter matches I’m shooting this year. I’m really impressed with the glass. I need more time but so far it looks like the kestrel will be relegated to back and wind calling duty.

 

[Absoluterock]

I have both. Geovid pro with the full ab suite and my kestrel 5700 elite. So far my geovids and kestrel line up exactly. I find myself using the kestrel for wind only. I got the geovids for the nrl hunter matches I’m shooting this year. I’m really impressed with the glass. I need more time but so far it looks like the kestrel will be relegated to back and wind calling duty.

Just picked up a pair of 10x32 pro’s for NRL hunter matches. I also have a kestrel 5700 elite with Bluetooth link.

I’m trying to decide if it is worth the $150 to upgrade the AB in my binos or if the kestrel link is adequate.

Any advice?

 

[aranagabriel1]

Just picked up a pair of 10x32 pro’s for NRL hunter matches. I also have a kestrel 5700 elite with Bluetooth link.

I’m trying to decide if it is worth the $150 to upgrade the AB in my binos or if the kestrel link is adequate.

Any advice?

I ended up getting both, the Kestrel and the Leicas Geovid Pro 10x42 AB and also the Sig Sauer KILO10K AB Gen 2 for my son, all these three have the same AB and they all match very identical in the ballistic calculation, If one says 12.5 MOA the other is 12.51 and the other 12.49 so basically all are the same so I still bring the he steel as backup just in case but I ended up going hunting and using only the Leicas.

 

[Absoluterock]

I ended up getting both, the Kestrel and the Leicas Geovid Pro 10x42 AB and also the Sig Sauer KILO10K AB Gen 2 for my son, all these three have the same AB and they all match very identical in the ballistic calculation, If one says 12.5 MOA the other is 12.51 and the other 12.49 so basically all are the same so I still bring the he steel as backup just in case but I ended up going hunting and using only the Leicas.

So it was worth the extra $150 to get AB+ on the leicas? I kind of figured for most situations pairing the kestrel for shots over 800 yards wouldn’t be a big deal?

 

[aranagabriel1]

So it was worth the extra $150 to get AB+ on the leicas? I kind of figured for most situations pairing the kestrel for shots over 800 yards wouldn’t be a big deal?

If does worth it, kestrels and binos tend to drain batteries quite fast at cold weather and therefore they are each others backup if that makes sense

 

[Absoluterock]

Thanks!

That totally makes sense.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

So it was worth the extra $150 to get AB+ on the leicas? I kind of figured for most situations pairing the kestrel for shots over 800 yards wouldn’t be a big deal?

The Leica Geovid Pro AB+ come with Elite on them plus more that you cannot get (at least not at this time) with the Geovid Pro upgrade.

 

[Absoluterock]

The Leica Geovid Pro AB+ come with Elite on them plus more that you cannot get (at least not at this time) with the Geovid Pro upgrade.

Thanks for the clarification.

I currently have the regular Leica Geovid Pro 10x32's. I'm trying to decide if I should pony up the $150 to upgrade their AB to get solutions past 800m. I have a kestrel 5700 Link that can integrate via bluetooth. So far it sounds like the BT link puts a pretty heavy strain on the batteries and is slow.

Any experience with this?

Right now I'm thinking after a trial run over the weekend I'm going to be buying the upgrade.

 

[aranagabriel1]

The Leica Geovid Pro AB+ come with Elite on them plus more that you cannot get (at least not at this time) with the Geovid Pro upgrade.

That’s correct, mine has the plus and also the kestrel 5700 Elite so I don’t have to pay extra anything, also I have the Garmin Tactix 7 pro which also has the AB

 

[FimRire RongLifle]

Im similar to you down to the watch and I dont use a kestrel, I range with Sig Kilo however since it can talk to the watch. at the time my leicas couldnt perhaps thats changed. I range to the watch for targets and use a cheap wind meter (when I use a wind meter)

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

Thanks for the clarification.

I currently have the regular Leica Geovid Pro 10x32's. I'm trying to decide if I should pony up the $150 to upgrade their AB to get solutions past 800m. I have a kestrel 5700 Link that can integrate via bluetooth. So far it sounds like the BT link puts a pretty heavy strain on the batteries and is slow.

Any experience with this?

Right now I'm thinking after a trial run over the weekend I'm going to be buying the upgrade.

I would say yes. You will get 95% of the total upgrade. I have not noticed a heavy strain on the batteries, but I replace ALL batteries once per year on my birthday week. I mean all of them. Alarm sensors, smoke detectors, optics, lasers..... All the batteries everywhere. It is a good habit.

Im similar to you down to the watch and I dont use a kestrel, I range with Sig Kilo however since it can talk to the watch. at the time my leicas couldnt perhaps thats changed. I range to the watch for targets and use a cheap wind meter (when I use a wind meter)

Leica's can talk to the Garmin 901 and Tactix 7 watches.

 

[aranagabriel1]

I would say yes. You will get 95% of the total upgrade. I have not noticed a heavy strain on the batteries, but I replace ALL batteries once per year on my birthday week. I mean all of them. Alarm sensors, smoke detectors, optics, lasers..... All the batteries everywhere. It is a good habit.


Leica's can talk to the Garmin 901 and Tactix 7 watches.

I was just in Tajikistan last November with temps in the -5 to -15 and had to replace batteries daily

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

I was just in Tajikistan last November with temps in the -5 to -15 and had to replace batteries daily

Lithium batteries will perform "better" in the extreme colds. If the difference is worth the added cost is a personal experience and depends on just how cold. But some Lithium brands are good to -40 degrees F.

 

[carbonbased]

But some Lithium brands are good to -40 degrees F.

Which brands? I live/shoot in MN/ND and this would be good info.

 

[aranagabriel1]

Lithium batteries will perform "better" in the extreme colds. If the difference is worth the added cost is a personal experience and depends on just how cold. But some Lithium brands are good to -40 degrees F.

I use ONLY lithium batteries on all my electronics, they not only perform better but also if left for a while they don’t produce the sulphates.

With lithium batteries the cold also affects and I had to replace almost daily on my Binos and kestrel, I used Energizer and Duracell and same results

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

Which brands? I live/shoot in MN/ND and this would be good info.

The best I have found so far are Energizer, SureFire, Streamlight, Panasonic, and Tenergy.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

I use ONLY lithium batteries on all my electronics, they not only perform better but also if left for a while they don’t produce the sulphates.

With lithium batteries the cold also affects and I had to replace almost daily on my Binos and kestrel, I used Energizer and Duracell and same results

I have had nothing but trouble with Duracell. Had a pack of their batteries go bad, un-opened. Thought it was fluke... Had it happen again a month later... Never will I buy them again.

 

[carbonbased]

The best I have found so far are Energizer, SureFire, Streamlight, Panasonic, and Tenergy.

Are there particular lithium “sub-brands” or models within a brand that warrant particular notice?

Sorry for the slightly off-topic swerve, but since you appear to know something about this subject, what is the data on rechargeable NiMH Eneloops and Li-ion 18560’s in below-zero weather?

I read that using some types of rechargeables in sub-zero weather can permanently damage the battery.

I see posts like this and would love clarification:

Kestrel Meters Ballistics Official Thread

Interesting Observation: Kestrel 5700 Elite Ver 1.42 Gun: 300NM, MV 3004fps, DM Custom, BC 1.000, BW 230gr (Berger OTM Hybrid), BD .308, ZR 100yds, BH 2.20in, ZH 0.00, ZO 0.00, RT 1:10.00in, Eunit mil, Wunit mil Target: TR 1768 yds, DOF 91 deg, Ideg 0, Icos 1.000, TS 0.00, Environment: UPDATE...

www.snipershide.com

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

Are there particular lithium “sub-brands” or models within a brand that warrant particular notice?

Sorry for the slightly off-topic swerve, but since you appear to know something about this subject, what is the data on rechargeable NiMH Eneloops and Li-ion 18560’s in below-zero weather?

I read that using some types of rechargeables in sub-zero weather can permanently damage the battery.

I see posts like this and would love clarification:

Kestrel Meters Ballistics Official Thread

Interesting Observation: Kestrel 5700 Elite Ver 1.42 Gun: 300NM, MV 3004fps, DM Custom, BC 1.000, BW 230gr (Berger OTM Hybrid), BD .308, ZR 100yds, BH 2.20in, ZH 0.00, ZO 0.00, RT 1:10.00in, Eunit mil, Wunit mil Target: TR 1768 yds, DOF 91 deg, Ideg 0, Icos 1.000, TS 0.00, Environment: UPDATE...

www.snipershide.com

I don't use rechargeable but temperatures below freezing damage rechargeable lithium ion batteries across the board. This is well known enough that home backup batteries have a heating system and will not provide power if the battery drops below 40 degrees internally.