In my years of hunting and guiding, a lot has changed in regards to laser range-finding technology. When I began bowhunting, I used some very basic range-finding devices and have followed the evolution of the technology. There has always been some high-quality glass out there, such as units by Vectronix, which are amazing but just not feasible due to cost and size. So what is the best for hunters? Let me share my hard-earned opinion of the rangefinder category.
I've tried nearly everything. The one brand that always has its products squared away is Leica. Their stuff always works. Maybe not a hyper-fast scan, maybe not a cool design on the housing. . . but hit the button and get a range. That's what i need and what counts most.
For example, over the years, I used rangefinders from other brands that actually cost a few of my clients an opportunity at an animal because my finder didn't render a range. I feel it is not ethical to shoot without ranging the animal.
Now, I have the Leica 7x24 Rangemaster CRF 2800.COM Laser Rangefinder. It always gives me an accurate range, but the Bluetooth portion of the Rangemaster is really a watershed achievement as far as I'm concerned. Being able to use it for matches and guiding is great, but the ability to link it to my Kestrel is irreplaceable. I can test dope on clients' rifles before a hunt, and the ballistics show up in the display on my Kestrel without ever touching anything. Truly a marvel.
The applied-ballistics software on this unit from Leica has been spot on out to 2,200 yards so far. Truly a solid setup.