I have a big list of positive things to say about my now 4 year old Nikon Sky & Earth Series 20x60mm (fixed 20 power) Spotting Scope!
To begin with I have a batch of spotting scopes including ones made by Bausch & Lomb, Unertl, Bushnell and Burris. In the last decade I have owned others by Leupold, Zeiss (monocular?) and Redfield.
My ultra clear Unertl with 20 and 27 power eyepieces no longer goes afield with me on Big Game and Varmint Hunts as it is simply to heavy for a lot of the Mt. Goat, Elk and Spring Bear Hunting I do. Its relegated to range work and is superb at that endeavour.
I came across this Nikon when a Montana chain sporting goods store was having a sale on them a few years back. I asked to take the Nikon outside and give it a look see!
I had my Dog-Gone-Good "X" type sandbag in my vehicle and I put it on my VarmintMobiles hood "wedged" in the Nikon and gave Butte, Montana a good looking over.
I was impressed!
And I am not easily impressed with optics!
I bought the scope and began using it afield and at the range right away.
It has worked superbly ever since.
I have used it to Hunt every type of Varmint in the Rocky Mountains along with SERIOUS sojourns afield to scout for and Hunt Mt. Goats, Moose, Elk, Mule Deer, Antelope and Whitetailed Deer (yes spotting scopes are the norm for Hunting Whitetails in many parts of Montana!).
But this Hunting season I REALLY put the nifty little Nikon to the test!
It Hunted off of horses and then had extended duty bouncing along on ATV's during this seasons Elk and Mule Deer seasons!
Now my main area of recent impressiveness with this scope has to do with its "ruggedness" (durability)!
It bounced along over some of the harshest road conditions I have ever encountered in Montana - via ATV!
Each day for 16 days it made trips over rutted dirt gumbo roads that were as long as 25 miles each way and lasted as long as 2 hours and 10 minutes (again - each way!). These roads were simply HORRIFIC!
I won't go into the details of the neccessity for this "horrific" enduro but there was simply no other way to get the Elk to the oven!
I thought this horror of a Hunt would never end and each time I strapped my day pack (containing the Nikon!) to the ATV I felt sure it would be the last time those Nikon lenses would be useable!
I mean I cannot describe the body pounding I took on that high end (cost wise) ATV it was simply exhausting and painful to ride!
The Nikon came out of my daypack once game was spotted or the days Hunting afoot was commencing. Each time, with the greatest of trepidation, I would focus the Nikon!
Again, each time I set it up I was sure I had destroyed it and it would be unuseable!
Nope - that Nikon came through with flying colors!
Its as clear and as crisp of image as the day I bought it!
I am amazed and again I am impressed to no end with this easily back packable Nikon spotting scope, and its clarity and durability!
For instance during early morning with the rising sun at my back, on the opener of Antelope season, I was able to get my partner onto a 15 7/8" Buck which I spotted from nearly 2 miles away! With the Nikon I could tell this Buck was a "trophy" (from public lands anyway!) and we made the long stalk. It was my partners best Antelope!
Thanks Nikon.
During the Elk season I was using it one morning to scan for Elk "herds"! I found a "small herd" (over 200 Elk!) at over 3 miles distance and I could tell there were 37 Bulls in the herd!
I again coaxed my Elk Hunting partner to within 250 yards of this herd for a shot - but he missed (cleanly), a humongous 7x7 Bull at 250 yards! The Bull was laying down broadside and we were laying prone after crawling the last 200 yards up to the herd!
It was the most amazing and least understandable miss I have ever witnessed afield!
And I have seen some doozies!
I watched the Bull get "missed" through the amazing little Nikon spotter!
It was almost worth the expense, exhertion and exhaustion that was endured just to witness this missed shot!
At the shot the herd sprang to their feet and no further shots (misses!) were possible.
Aaahhh... my GAWD - oh well, back to the Nikon!
I think I paid $159.00 for it and I will have to rate that as some of the best dollars I have spent for an optic!
I highly recommend this spotter to anyone needing a rugged yet very clear and easily back-packable spotting scope!
The product number is - Nikon 7350.
It is viewable at "Nikon Optics" website of that name.
Thanks Nikon for a great and durable product!
Long live Nikon!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks, VG!!
Good review!

I believe they are going to or have discontinued the Sky & Earth spotters. Or so I've heard.
Pity...

A new 6.5-20x44mm Nikon Monarch w/ lit mil dot just arrived at my door last night.
Can't wait to mount up and go shooting!!

Nikon's are a great value for the money!!

Cheaptrick: I have long been a Nikon Camera fan (35+ years) and their lenses from the 1960's through the 1980's were simply splendid!
I have been trying to "ween" myself off of my Nikon 35mm cameras (and lenses) from that era for a couple years now - I simply can't, let go!
I have to make the "jump" to the new digital technology before I get any older!
ASAP in fact.
I have a couple of Nikon Rifle scopes - one of which is a 6.5x20 variable in silver finish and its about 4 or 5 years old now.
It performs wonderfully in every respect (tracking, holding P.O.I., wonderful Du-Plex crosshair design, clarity, etc etc) and rivals my numerous Leupolds variables of the same power range.
Best of luck with your new Nikon variable!
Thank you for the kind words - now I have to find out if the Nikon Sky & Erath 20's are "leaving us" so I can try and get one to be on hand for a rainy day!
I seldom see them on the used market by the way - others must be happy with them as well.
Long live Nikon.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG:
I certainly may be wrong about Nikon discontinuing the Sky & Earth, but I'm sure I "heard" that mentioned somewhere online and someone.
The internets NOT the "Fountain Of Truth" now is it?? LOL

I'll research that somemore.

The Sky & Earth seems ideal for me to take to the range and peek at my targets with.

Thanks again for your post, Sir.