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If you are a hunter, it’s a guarantee that you have heard of Leupold. They have produced some of the best optics on the market for almost a generation. Their reputation is well deserved with renowned craftsmanship and some of the clearest glass on the market.
All of the RX series of rangefinders are highly accurate, durable, well-engineered tools that are sure to improve your hunting experience. The optics aren’t very powerful but are on par with other rangefinders.
However, Leupold excels in its multi-coated glass that is super bright and the highest quality used in a rangefinder, perhaps better than it needs to be.
Most rangefinders use a similar laser, so Leupold’s laser isn’t anything exceptional. Still, there are some exceptional features that back up that laser to make it an all-around solid rangefinder.
Leupold has included their enhanced range processing technology to make every hit of the laser provide the most accurate data possible. Unlike a lot of budget rangefinders, the Leupold will be less affected by target color or ambient light.
When it comes to features, Leupold really shines! For the standard stuff, the RX series is water and weather resistant and features an inclinometer and scan mode.
For the above and beyond features, Leupold has calculations for ballistics that take the guesswork out of shooting. This calculation works with either rifle or bow.
In addition, Leupold may have the best ranging software on the market, or at least very close to it.
If you are an archer, you can get ranges in an amazing 1/10th of a yard up to 125 yards, and for rifle shooters, you can stretch that out quite a distance and still get an accuracy of 1 yard plus or minus.
The max range is 1200 yards, but really for deer hunting, you are looking at more like 600, which is still a shocking long-range to be that accurate.
What does it do?
The thing to love most about this rangefinder is actually the size and weight. At less than 3 inches long and less than 12oz overall, you can pack this thing in a pocket and not even realize you are carrying it. But all that would be useless if they didn’t pack a lot into that small package. Leupold just does everything so well.
When you make the complex simple with the addition of technology, you remove errors and improve your chances with every shot. I think that has been Leupold’s goal for as long as they have existed as a company. While I would gladly take one of their scopes if I could only own one Leupold product, that isn’t the case, and I can own the RX rangefinder as well.
So, what makes this rangefinder shine? Well, I have to go with the glass first. No one does it quite like Leupold. In this case, they have included the same high-quality glass so sought after in their rifle optics with the same multi-coated technology and applied it to the relatively weaker rangefinder magnification. All that adds up to about the best glass you are likely to find on any rangefinder ever.
But Leupold couldn’t leave it at that. Their first addition is the use of their DNA (Digitally eNhanced Accuracy) engine to really make the most of every laser that leaves the unit. When it returns, the software calculates ranges and weeds out ranges that may cause errors. This alone will do more to nail down a target’s range than anything else.
Still not enough? Leupold adds in the capability to give you a True Ballistic Range with an onboard inclinometer. This takes the last piece of the guesswork out of the shot. You will be able to dial in with either a bow or a rifle, depending on your chosen mode. This is about as close to cheating as you can get and not get the Game Warden after you.
To round things out, there is a scan mode to get a good read on your surroundings. It’s purged for fog-free use, and the whole thing is armored and more waterproof than it needs to be. It has quick set menus that use the internal screen and displays in either yards or meters. There is so little that this rangefinder doesn’t do that it may be about the most well-rounded unit on the market.
It can also be used easily with glasses and has selectable reticles to match your preferences. You can choose a plus point reticle, duplex with plus point reticle, or a duplex reticle.
What doesn’t it do?
This isn’t the best rangefinder on the market if you are looking for the extreme. For a deer, you will max out around 600 yards but can get steel plates out past 1000. It has a maximum range of 1,200 yards. It’s hard to get a good read with only a 6x magnification.
I also prefer to have rangefinders that are specialized for either rifle or bow. Most hybrid units are lacking in one or the other.
While the Leupold is a solid choice to hunt, either way, you would still get more tuned features out of a specialized unit. On a budget though, you can just get this one and go with it for everything.
Otherwise, this is my favorite rangefinder on the market. It is superb in about every way. It may not do everything, but it sure comes close.
Final Thoughts
So, if you want quality above and beyond what you need in a rangefinder that is loaded with awesome technology and some of the best glass on the planet, you want to get your hands on a Leupold RX-FullDraw. This is just about everything you could want out of a rangefinder with no fluff or wasted space.
It doesn’t matter if you are a rifle or bow hunter, or hunt dense woodlands or open fields; this rangefinder just performs. Any weather, any time, you know you will get the best there is with the Leupold RX FullDraw. With solid ballistic calculations, if you miss, that’s on you.
