Month: August 2020

Spotting Scopes

Athlon Optics Argos HD 20-60×85 Spotting Scope Review

Athlon has produced some of our favorite products of late, with their new line being a serious competitor to the bigger names in the optics world. I’ve been very impressed with a couple of their binoculars I’ve been able to get my hands on (the Neos G2 and Argos G2 UHD), and was very excited to take their new spotting scope for a spin. The Argos HD 20-60x85mm falls into the perfect category of spotting scopes for high power use. It’s big and heavy, so you probably will mostly use it from your vehicle or a camp, but the power behind a scope this big is something awesome to behold.

This scope has one function: To get you close eyes on a subject far, far away. And it does that exceptionally well. The 85mm objective lens is massive and collects an impressive amount of light, leading to excellent image quality. This is also helped along by the full multi coating and phase coated prisms. Athlon was also smart enough to include a large eye piece, avoiding a huge mistake I’ve seen other optics companies make. Overall image quality is great. The only thing I wish the scope has would be ED glass. It’s in the price range where this could be an option. Although I will say that very similar to the Neos binoculars I reviewed, the image quality is impressively great for a scope without ED glass.

Functionally the scope works great. It has a very unique design that is quickly growing on me. Instead of a focus knob that sticks up off the middle of the scope, it has a ring running around the entire body of the scope that is used for focusing. While I was initially skeptical that this would lead to accidentally bumping the focus off, I haven’t had this problem at all. Instead, I’ve found it very easy to make finite adjustments to the focus thanks to the large size of the control. I think they are converting me to liking this style of focus ring!

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this scope, particularly in its price range. I wish it had ED glass, and it doesn’t give you quite the image quality that you get with a Swarovski, but for the price I’m more than satisfied with it and will no doubt use it in the field. You can check it out here.

Binoculars

Athlon Neos G2 HD 8x42mm Binoculars Review

Athlon’s new line of sporting optics hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves yet, so I’m here to set the record straight by reviewing their entry into the low-mid range end of the binocular market: The Neos G2 HD. This binocular can usually be had for less than $100, making it very affordable and accessible for the average beginner sportsman or enthusiast.

I got my hands on the 8x42mm version of this binocular. 42mm objective lenses are far and away my favorite, as they offer the perfect trade off between portability and image quality. They let in plenty of light, and the 8 power magnification is ideal for when you need a fairly wide field of view but aren’t necessarily looking to zoom in super close to your quarry.

The big thing that you give up when you get a binocular in this price range is extra low dispersion glass. For an Athlon option that has this higher end glass, check out the Argos G2 UHD I recently reviewed. However, I have to say that even without ED glass, the Neos impressed me with its surprisingly great image quality. The difference between ED and non ED glass is something that it takes some time to be able to distinguish, and conditions play a role in it as well. With these binos it was shockingly difficult to tell that they didn’t use ED glass. Suffice it to say that for the money, these binos offer an excellent view.

The coolness factor is somewhat arbitrary, but still important to many people, and these binos definitely have it. With their sleek grey color (it reminds me of my Cement colored Tacoma) and excellent grip texturing, these binos simply look cool. Way more visually to them than the standard plain black rubber.

You can get these binos standalone, or packaged with a Wearable4U lens cleaning pen and clothe, which is a very helpful addition for those who use their binos in adverse conditions. Regardless they will include the industry standard clothe carry case, neck strap and small lens clothe. As with the Argos G2 I mentioned above, these come in Athlon’s beautiful new packaging, which has one of the better box designs I’ve seen in the industry.

In short, these are a solid pair of binoculars and a great option for someone looking in this price range!