I have been using the Leupold
RX-1000 Laser Rangefinder for over three years now, and it
has proven to be both accurate and reliable. The Leupold
rangefinder is so much better than the rangefinders that were on
the market back when I bought my first. It was a Bushnell unit,
and it worked pretty well, giving fairly accurate distance
readings out to 500 yards. However, it was large, heavy, and
expensive. While the price has come down on quality
rangefinders, today’s best rangefinders have many useful
features not available a few years ago.
Leupold has just expanded their line of laser
rangefinders, and the one featured here is the new RX-800i TBR.
This unit is very compact, fitting easily into a shirt pocket,
and weighed in at only 5.9 ounces on my digital scale. TBR
stands for “True Ballistic Range”, and is a feature that is
very helpful to hunters and shooters, giving the true ballistic
distance to accurately place the shot, regardless of the up or
down angle of the shot. Anyone who has hunted in steep terrain
knows that making a shot at an upward or downward angle changes
the trajectory of the bullet, compared to shooting the same
distance on flat ground. The Leupold RX-800i TBR calculates the
effective distance, considering the angle of the shot.
This new Leupold also gives the angle
reading, and the amount of holdover to make a shot at any
distance. The user programs the rangefinder for his particular
cartridge, velocity, and bullet weight. The rangefinder displays
the amount of holdover to accurately place the shot, regardless
of the angle.
Another great feature of this rangefinder is
the Trophy Scale. This allows the hunter to quickly and easily
judge the size of the trophy at a distance. Most of us have
experienced “ground shrinkage” of a deer’s rack, shooting
that buck with the enormous antlers, only to find that the rack
was not nearly as large as we thought when we squeezed the
trigger. The Leupold RX-800i TBR sizes the trophy at a distance.
The optical clarity of the RX rangefinder is
very clear, as Leupold uses multi-coated glass, just as in
quality riflescopes. The rangefinder has six-power
magnification, and an adjustable eyepiece. The readout is LCD,
and very easy to see clearly. The RX-800i TBR has a range of 800
yards on reflective targets such as buildings and automobiles,
and a bit less on soft targets such as an animal or tree. For
you tactical types, the RX can also display the distance in
meters instead of yards.
There is a choice of aiming reticles, which
can be selected by scrolling through the programming menu. Using
the RX-800i TBR could not be any simpler. Look through the
eyepiece at the target, press power once to turn the unit on,
and again to distance the target. If following a moving target,
keep holding down the power button to get a constant reading of
the distance. Also, if scanning multiple targets, holing down
the power button will give an instant reading on each. The unit
automatically shuts off after five seconds, extending battery
life, which is listed as a minimum of 7000 readings.
The RX-800i TBR is a high-quality rangefinder
that is backed by Leupold’s one-year Golden Ring warranty. It
comes with a handy carry case that has a belt loop and a
snap-fastener for attachment to a backpack or belt loop. It also
comes with a CR2 battery, so there is nothing else to buy. The
battery compartment is easy to access, and you can have your new
Leupold rangefinder powered up and running in just a few
seconds. The RX-800i TBR rangefinder is lightweight, rugged,
waterproof, compact, and easy to use. I highly recommend it.