Are Rangefinders now completely commoditized?

[King_Slender]

I'm only on my second rangefinder, both have been Leupolds (current is a Leupold GX-2i 3) and my son who just started golfing more wanted a rangefinder.  Wasn't ready to drop $200+ on one so I ordered one for $58 off Amazon (Henyu SH003 - some generic Chinese) and there were several similar in the $50-90 range.  Basically the price of a dozen premium golf balls. 

 

Got it, thought it was off by about 10% comparing to my Leupold, then realized I had it on meters - D'OH! 

 

Changed it to yards and it's right in line with my Leupold.

 

Even with some of the advances I've seen from Bushnell incorporating more GPS like features into the rangefinder view, if you're just looking for a stock rangefinder, why buy a name brand for $200-400 when they are basically a commoditized product now and cost about the same as a dozen golf balls?

[WasatchBogey]

Totally agree. A couple years ago when I wanted to try one out, decided to get a cheap one off Amazon for about $50 to see if I liked it, then replace with a “real” one at some point. Same, generic Chinese, something like Anyu, I think.

 

Still going strong, matches up within a yard or two of any high end one I’ve compared it to. 
 

For me, no need for anything else.

[vandyfan]

Tested my Cobalt (expensive) vs my previous (Amazon TecTecTec $90 at the time) vs a Bushnell. The yardages were never off by more than 2% (and I would say unless you are scratch or better, 2% is not going to matter much for you) and many times they were within .2 yds. Why I like my cobalt better is the additional features. The zoom on it is amazing as is the pin locking ability. The TecTecTec did not zoom as well and had trouble locking on in overcast conditions. But yes, on a sunny day, they basically gave me the same numbers. 

[Gabbagool]

I have a caddytek i got from costco for $120

in 2021 and it is still going strong, had to change the battery once. Every time I compare it with a bushnell it gives the same readings. I have no idea why you would pay for a bushnell other than the name

[Abh159]

I love my Bushnell. I bought it on sale (previous gen model) direct from Bushnell about 4 years ago for around $250-300 I believe. Aside from having to change the battery once or twice I've never had a single issue with it.

 

I've known a few people who have gone the off brand route, and while they are accurate enough they have seemed to crap out after a year or two of normal use. It's a smallish sample size, but still something to think about.

 

To each their own, but I'm more of the "spend more buy once" type of person. If I can get 7-8+ years out of my Bushnell I think that's better than spending $100 on a new, off brand one every other year.

[King_Slender]

We'll see how long this one lasts - it has an internal battery, which I'm not thrilled about, but says it should last about 3 months.  

[MattM97]

Most laser will do the basics just fine, many of the higher end ones will have much better optics/lenses, better processor if you need to save 0.5sec getting distance, the display is usually better, the unit is more robust and better sealed, usually better customer support but most of the cheap ones just buy another. 

 

For me I like a better unit for the optics and some features as well vs a basic one. 

[cgasucks]

When I bought my first rangefinder 18 years ago it was a Bushnell.  Don't know what model it was but it was top of the line and paid over $600 for it at my local Golftown.  It crapped out in about 6 years and bought another one for about $400.  That crapped out too in a few years and bought a cheap Chinese one from Ebay.  That one crapped out on me in about 2022 for about $120.  Got another one from AliExpress for about $90 and it's still going strong to this day.

 

What I'm trying to say that these rangefinders are getting cheaper and cheaper with the same amount of features.  All of the rangefinders I use had a slope feature.  Yes...rangefinders are getting commoditized.

[__jimmyd]

I think they are.  I have a "Flysocks" brand rangefinder off Amazon that had the exact same reads as everyone else on a recent trip.  In many cases, it also estimated the slope/distance better.  Its $69 right now.

[Pepperturbo]

2 hours ago, King_Slender said:

I'm only on my second rangefinder, both have been Leupolds (current is a Leupold GX-2i 3) and my son who just started golfing more wanted a rangefinder.  Wasn't ready to drop $200+ on one so I ordered one for $58 off Amazon (Henyu SH003 - some generic Chinese) and there were several similar in the $50-90 range.  Basically the price of a dozen premium golf balls. 

 

Got it, thought it was off by about 10% comparing to my Leupold, then realized I had it on meters - D'OH! 

 

Changed it to yards and it's right in line with my Leupold.

 

Even with some of the advances I've seen from Bushnell incorporating more GPS like features into the rangefinder view, if you're just looking for a stock rangefinder, why buy a name brand for $200-400 when they are basically a commoditized product now and cost about the same as a dozen golf balls?

It would be poor judgement to assume cheap is just as accurate or trustworthy as expensive; the reverse can be true as well.  Lasers are like cars, you get what you pay for.    

 

IMO, it's more about the courses you play, and what you want functionality wise, and what is affordable.  Example: Recently back from a golf trip where we played a number of unfamiliar courses.  We faced blind shots into pins that have no reflectors, elevation changes, numerous hazards in fairways, trees obstructing line of sight, etc., which normally would lead to guessing.  None of my Bushnell's would work.  Fortunately, we didn't have to guess.

 

I've been using range finders since early 2k.  Had multiple Bushnell lasers along with the way, mostly because of my trust for the name in the shooting world.  Anyway, in 2020, Garmin brought new laser/GPS technology to market named Garmin Approach Z82.  I was a bit surprised at how much more costly it was; wondered if the technology was justified, yet bought it.  In retrospect, glad I did, as the technology is far superior to the standard laser.  It's made my wife happy too when they question their GPS watches. 

Edited June 4 by Pepperturbo

[bekgolf]

I purchased a Nikon a few years ago (4?) for $159.  The 6x optics are good and I can scan different targets for up to 7 seconds on one button push.  It was inexpensive imo, I'm on the second battery, the unit is waterproof, it's small, came with a great belt holster, and it's still going strong.

 

Friends have all other brands and some of them have a difficult time using them.  It might have to do with shakiness and the inability to hold steady on a target for some, for others they just stopped working consistently.

[dcmidnight]

25 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

It would be poor judgement to assume cheap is just as accurate or trustworthy as expensive; the reverse can be true as well.  Lasers are like cars, you get what you pay for.   

 

I think the knock off brands on Amazon work...fine. If you only play a few times a season, they might be the perfect option for a lot of people who want one.

 

But a few years back when it seemed like every company had shipping issues, I used an Amazon brand one that was available right away - I got what I paid for. It was $89 vs $259 or so for the Bushnell (at the time). It worked...fine. It was lighter weight and felt cheaper but sure, it worked. However, right off the bat I had issues with readability in low light, it just wasnt picking up the pin as quickly as the Bushnells which is something I ran into in anything but really good weather.

 

At the end of the day I went back to Bushnell. 80+ rounds a year, it wasnt a place I was going to skimp.

[nsxguy]

22 minutes ago, dcmidnight said:

At the end of the day I went back to Bushnell. 80+ rounds a year, it wasnt a place I was going to skimp.

 

Yup. I skimp here and there on stuff I don't consider that important, but not golf.

 

I always had trouble with reading those LCD displays; black on gray - no bueno. And some of them have very small print/indicators/etc.

 

Bought the Nikon Cool Shot II Stabilized almost 6 years ago for ~$340 and it's still going strong. Battery wears out a bit faster but I don't care. The color display, especially the green circle confirming the target is golden afaic.

 

For most of us 1-3 yards in accuracy doesn't mean diddly so if the less expensive versions work, fine. For the best players, 1-3 yards can definitely make a difference.

 

[Archimedes65]

Drop that Chinese knock off a few times, let it get wet, use it for a year, and then see how it compares to your more expensive rangefinder.  Amazon is basically a Chinese storefront selling garbage to Americans.  It’s actually a brilliant business model.

 

That said, my Bushnell sits in a cabinet in my garage because the app on my phone gives me better information, quicker than a rangefinder.

Edited June 4 by Archimedes65

[thezinfan]

I've used a Caddytek from Costco for the last 3 years. Approx. 450 rounds, numerous drops. Still works fine.

[Gabbagool]

6 hours ago, Archimedes65 said:

Drop that Chinese knock off a few times, let it get wet, use it for a year, and then see how it compares to your more expensive rangefinder.  Amazon is basically a Chinese storefront selling garbage to Americans.  It’s actually a brilliant business model.

 

That said, my Bushnell sits in a cabinet in my garage because the app on my phone gives me better information, quicker than a rangefinder.

I throw the caddytek all the time, it’s gotten completely soaked many times, etc. works perfect. 

[J13]

Biggest different nowadays with electronics is the internal components and their durability.  I paid a lot for my Bushnell but the last one I had went for 10 years and still works fine.  I only upgraded because it didn't have pin lock or slope plus it was big and bulky compared to the new ones.

[FirstFlight]

There's a course I frequent that has rod iron fencing separating the course from homes and streets...and seemingly always in the background whenever lasing the pin. Talk about frustration...pin lock or no pin lock, the backgroung rod iron fencing is chaos with our rangefinders unless the flag is broadside to us. 

The youngest member to our regular group recently bought a $50 'camo' shooting rangefinder...works just as good as ours, and also has the same rod iron fence issues.

[NittanyCPA]

I've owned only two - a Bushnell Pinseeker 1500 w/ no slope function (purchased in 2007 I believe), and my current Bushnell Pro XE. Zero issues with either one.

 

I gave away the old Pinseeker to someone a few years ago and it is still in use today, amazing.

[lincjones09]

I've had both, expensive Bushnell range finders ( top of their line when purchased ) and then I guess mid-tier ( Precision Pro, a couple of models ).  Haven't gone the $100 Amazon route yet.  The differences between actual performance for me has been negligible.  The difference for me is when I had issues that I wanted Bushnell to address, they flatly refused.  I wasn't expecting them to replace it out of warranty.  I just wanted them to, I don't know, attempt to repair a piece of equipment that cost a lot of money.  I was certainly willing to pay for them to try.   If all $600+ gets me is the same two year warranty offered by models that cost less than half of the Bushnell, and I can't tell much difference in performance, then what is the point of spending the extra $$?  I know some people have had them last 10+ years, which is what I thought I was getting for buying a "tank" of a rangefinder, but the actual experience wasn't what I hoped for. 

 

When my current $250 Precision Pro eventually dies, I'll probably look at options for half of that cost.  Trying to think of them more as an occasional expendable asset now, because there are tons of cheap options that did not exist 5 years ago.

[J13]

13 hours ago, NittanyCPA said:

I've owned only two - a Bushnell Pinseeker 1500 w/ no slope function (purchased in 2007 I believe), and my current Bushnell Pro XE. Zero issues with either one.

 

I gave away the old Pinseeker to someone a few years ago and it is still in use today, amazing.

agree.  They are tanks and just keep going.  Despite the high price tag I feel like I'm getting a great value.

[betarhoalphadelta]

On 6/4/2024 at 7:43 AM, Gabbagool said:

I have a caddytek i got from costco for $120

in 2021 and it is still going strong, had to change the battery once. Every time I compare it with a bushnell it gives the same readings. I have no idea why you would pay for a bushnell other than the name

 

I've got the same. Seems to be solidly accurate against every other rangefinder anyone else in a group playing with me has used. 

 

The one thing I wish it had was a pin lock feature. I have a slight essential tremor which can make it hard to hit the flag sometimes. I don't worry about it too much, because I also have a Garmin watch and if the watch says center of the green is 170 and the rangefinder says 215, I know I'm hitting something in the background, not the flag. 

[0iron]

So what really separates the "cheap" ($~150 and less) and "expensive" ($350+) rangefinders? Sounds like...

 

-Durability? How long the product will last?

-Maximum yardage (i mean unless your hunting or shooting stuff this seems irrelevant) I don't need to get a distance 1300 yards on a golf course or even anything over 330 max, realistically.

-I've read the higher end ones might give you a reading on your target faster? Maybe a half to a second faster? Seems irrelevant for large majority of golfers.

-Sleeker display/interface?

 

For the large majority of distances youll encounter or need to know on a golf course, it sounds like the "Cheap" ones will be as accurate and reliable with the number as the "Expensive" ones? Does that sound about right? 

 

Durability seems like the big thing here. Bushnells seem to last several years based on comments here and other forms. I bought a Callaway 200s 3-4 years ago and it just died. I did like it and am considering buying it again since it's only $127 on Amazon, it did it's job well before it died.

 

Considering the 200S again or the Shot Scope PRO L2 Rangefinder which is $129 on Amazon. If anyone has any input or experience with the latter i'd like to know

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gabbagool]

4 hours ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

I've got the same. Seems to be solidly accurate against every other rangefinder anyone else in a group playing with me has used. 

 

The one thing I wish it had was a pin lock feature. I have a slight essential tremor which can make it hard to hit the flag sometimes. I don't worry about it too much, because I also have a Garmin watch and if the watch says center of the green is 170 and the rangefinder says 215, I know I'm hitting something in the background, not the flag. 

My v2 has pin-lock. It doesn't work great, but I've had the same issues with Bushnells when it's a busy background behind the pin. 

[Blaiser]

I lost 2 bushnells in a pretty short amount of time (I'm an idiot), so being frustrated I just bought a tectectec for cheap since I didn't want to shell out another $500 at the time.

 

Honestly the thing is awesome. When I bought it, the plan was to just use that to hold me over until the new generation of top end rangefinders came out. But I haven't felt the need to upgrade.

 

There are some shortcomings to note with the cheap vs expensive.

 

- If you're directly into the sun, the cheap rangefinders really struggle to get a yardage.

 

- If you're playing twilight the cheap rangefinders struggle/will not detect anything in the last couple holes when it's getting a bit dark.

 

- You can't always trust the first number you get. You typically have to shoot both the pin and something behind the pin to make sure your first number wasn't the tree or the hill behind the flag (I famously did this on 18 at Halfmoon Bay. Almost hit the patrons and ruined a solid red figure round)

 

This actually isn't a huge deal once you get used to it, takes an extra second to just snap something behind the flag and all you are looking for is a different number.

 

- build quality just isn't as good. I had to super glue the eye cap back on, and also had to mess with the wiring for the battery.

 

- lens quality isn't nearly as good. The 7x magnification on the expensive ones is great. You can see slopes on the green to have an idea of where you want to land it, hard to do with a cheap one.

 

So if the price of a high end model stings your *as a bit, going with those cheap ones is perfect.

[Dewdman42]

I had a Nikon callaway LR800 range finder for years that was awesome until the focus knob stripped out.  I gave it away and bought a bushnell v5 which has been terrible in comparison, I have constant problems getting a lock on pins that dont have the special mirrors on top.  I can never tell for sure whether it has locked on the pin or the background behind the pin.  I am moving more and more to just using gps instead.  The Nikon was so much better it is just ridiculous.  Maybe the so called “pin seeker” technology is trying to be too smart and just getting it wrong, I dont know.  I also do find it really hard to hold steady

Edited June 6 by Dewdman42

[dcmidnight]

I do want to say, new Bushnells are - IMO - a lot cheaper than people are making them out to be especially if you go back one release. I honestly dont know who is paying $500 or $600 for a rangefinder. Yes the top end Bushnell is $599. But the new Tour V6s are $249, Tour V5s on Amazon are $200.

 

If you want to cheap all the way out and go generic - sure you can do that. But you can also pick up a brand new Bushnell for pretty reasonable.

[Nessism]

30 minutes ago, dcmidnight said:

I do want to say, new Bushnells are - IMO - a lot cheaper than people are making them out to be especially if you go back one release. I honestly dont know who is paying $500 or $600 for a rangefinder. Yes the top end Bushnell is $599. But the new Tour V6s are $249, Tour V5s on Amazon are $200.

 

If you want to cheap all the way out and go generic - sure you can do that. But you can also pick up a brand new Bushnell for pretty reasonable.

 

Nice to learn the prices are coming down on Bushnell.  Hopefully, the quality isn't following.  I've got a Leupold that's always been flaky, but now getting worse.  It's my second; the first failed inside warranty, and they sent me this flaky one (I think it was a warranty return that they recycled and sent to me).  Anyway, I won't buy another Leupold.  With Bushnell so affordable, that's what I will get next.

[Dewdman42]

Anyone using any of the nikon range finders these days?  

[bekgolf]

14 minutes ago, Dewdman42 said:

Anyone using any of the nikon range finders these days?  

 

I have an older model Cool Shot 20 G2, no slope.  Nice and small, works fine, came with a belt holster that keeps it on me and doesn't get in the way.  It's the budget model Nikon.