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| Alpen Outdoors Spotting Scope |
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Distant Vision: Alpen Optics Spotting Scope
From the deck of the Shoal Grass lodge, I can a see a black and white speck 300 yards away, at the edge of the marsh. I move to the Alpen 20 x 60 x 80 spotting scope, dial in the focus, and a black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus, to you serious birding scientific types) comes into view as though I were standing right next to it—you just can’t get this close, in real life. And when it comes to getting up close and personal, a spotting scope like the Alpen makes the job look easy.
The Alpen scope is a nitrogen-filled, waterproof, lifetime warranted unit with multi-coated optics. The outside is coated in rubber armor, so it’s shock-proof as well. The rubber armor also makes it easy to grip, but the scope I tested was so powerful, it really requires a tripod for effective use. Field of view is 113’ – 55’ at 1,000 yards, and eye relief is 18mm – 19mm. What does that mean in real-world terms? From a football field away, I could count the feathers on the bird’s head – and spot a flock of working gulls, nearly two miles away.
Surprisingly, even the top-shelf 20 x 60 x 80 Alpen is not too expensive, and a 15 x 30 x 50 scope goes for closer to $150, and still comes with all the heavy-duty construction features and the warranty—which explains why Alpen spotting scopes have won “Great Buy” awards five times since 1997. Each of these models also comes with a carrying case, and on most models you can choose between a straight and 45-degree eyepiece. Another nifty feature: if you want to go mobile, Alpen also has a car window mount, which attaches to the scopes just like a tripod.
Price: $450 (20 x 60 x 80)
The Highs: See what you’ve been missing.
The Lows: Magnification is too great to use from a pitching deck.
Who Wants It: Waterfront owners who can look before they launch.
Contact: www.alpenoutdoor.com
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