I saw some rangefinders by Leupold and Bushnell that calculate distance based on angle of slope. They are priced similarly and seem to do similar things. Does anybody have any comments or experience with either of these, specifically accurate readings on non-reflective deer-sized targets?

I don't have any experience with any of the angle calculating range finders, which is mostly a gimmick or needed only by truly long range shooters. And, to make this comment less to the point I don't have any experience with Leupold rfs. BUT I do have a Bushnell Elite 1500 range finder and I think it is a real piece of crap. My old Bushnell 800B rf was as good or better than this one and it used 12 year old technology. I'd buy any other brand before it and understand from others that Leica leads the pack.

I personally don't think you can even compare the two.

Bushnell is not even in the same class as Leupie.

Good Luck

Reloader

Thanks MThuntr for asking the question. I've been thinking about the same two pieces of gear. I have a Bushnell 800 yardage pro and it's passably effective, but I'm mostly interested in having one piece of equipment to replace two that I carry now. My pockets aren't deep enough for the Leica Geovid RF Binos, but they would be my first choice if I could afford them now. I agree in principle with Reloader's comments about Leupold, but we aren't talking about Gold Ring quality here. Leupold's RF binocular is in the Wind River product line, which I know little about. Anyone have any experience with this product line?

I'll be the bearer of bad news here...

I have one of the Leupolds, waited months for it, got a nice letter from Cabela's AND the boss at Leupold. The product itself is disappointing.
1: Made in China
2: Questionable optically, NOT up to Loopy standards (not even close, I also have a loopy spotting scope)
3: Illumination feature SUCKS OUT LOUD. It is not a normally illuminated display so in low light you have to hope you've got the target centered (black reticle) and then hit the illumination button when you think you may have a good reading. THEN (but wait there's more) the display background turns blue except for the reading, that's right, you lose what you're trying to range while you read the display.
4: If I had not bought these for other reasons I'd sell them to you for $50 that's all they're worth.

Positives: LOTS of features. compass, temp, balistics, the angle feature, reasonable rangefinder...

I also own the Swaro RF, 1 feature, ranging, well illuminated and optics to die for... It's a keeper.

Collins,

Have you used a Bushnell? Every Bushnell RFer I've looked at had about the worst optics imaginable much worse than any other RFer I've looked through. Not only are they terrible optically, they DO TERRIBLE in the field. I say that w/ frustration from having to pass deer because the darn thing would not give me a reading while MLer hunting one season. That season I saw more bruiser bucks during MLer season than I ever have and that damn Bushnell wouldn't give me a reading for nothing and all of them were flirting w/ being out of reach for my MLer. The other Bushnells I've looked through were just as pathetic as mine and one was terribly inaccurate. I've heard many bad reports on the new Elite RF as well.

I went the very next spring and bought a Nikon Monarch RFer and it is like night and day. I love the Nikon. I don't think it's the best by any means but it does exactly what I want it to.

Reloader

You guys are overlooking the obvious, Nikon !!! I've had 2 and wasn't disappointed by either. The optics are top notch and the ranging accurate and instantaneous.