Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Hawke Optics Endurance ED 20-60X85 Spotting Scope Reveiw



I am not going to lie, when I started this review I was nervous I was going to be a little biased just because I have become some a fan and believer of the Hawke Optic products.  I have used Hawke’s binoculars, rifle scopes, and their spotting scopes this last year and I have defiantly become a lifelong customer of HawkeOptics.  Just like all of their products, the price is the absolute first aspect I appreciate about this spotter.  When you compare similar spotting scopes with the same bells and whistles, the Endurance ED 20-60X85 comes in the lowest cost by a few hundred dollars.   On Hawke’s website, this spotter is listed at $899 which is rare to find a spotter like this for under (or even close to) $1,000.  I have also seen this same spotting scope listed as low as $629.00 on websites such as Ebay or Amazon.  I will assure you that the low cost of this spotter is not due to any short cuts or lack of ingenuity.  Even though I can’t begin to touch on all of the different qualities that make this spotter so great, I will point out the key points that made an impression to me.

I could try to explain lots of the different components or mechanical/structural factors that make this spotting scope so great, but I will admit that even knowing what fancy technology they use doesn’t make me like this scope any more than I already do.  If you want to read all about the nitty gritty details like the phase correction coating, roof prism, or BaK4 Glass, etc. then The Best Spotting Scopes Reviews website reviewed many different brands of spotting scopes including Kowa, Vanguard, Celestron, and Swarovski after which named the Endurance ED 20-60X85 this years Best SpottingScope of 2014.  This proves it's not just me and my review is not biased! :) Their article will go into all of the little details about the structure and other treatments that make this spotting scope so amazing while still being offered at such a great price!  Instead of repeating what their review shares I will focus on my experience with the Endurance ED 20-60X85 spotting scope and why I agree that it is the best spotting scope of 2014!

Weight:
One of the most impressive aspects of this spotter is how light weight it is for its size and quality.  I am not going to act like this spotter is pocket size and is small enough to not even notice it, but even with it being a normal size spotter the fact it is so light makes it a great spotter to pack around on every hunting or scouting trip without bogging you down.  The body is built out of alloy of magnesium which not only makes it light weight but also makes it very durable.   The Endurance ED measures in at 15.4 inches long, 4.1 inches wide, and 7.1 inches tall which gives it a total weight of 56 ounces (3.5 pounds) most of which is the 85mm objective lens.   The fact that Hawke made this spotting scope as light weight as possible without sacrificing the durability really makes me impressed with the scope. The spotting scope also comes with a light weight soft shell cover which protects it from the elements. 

Lighting:
Of course we all know that many of the times the animals we are after don’t get up and move around until right before dark or early in the morning when the lighting isn’t always the best.  The Endurance ED is a great spotter for those low light conditions!  With the 85 mm lens, the Endurance ED gathers a lot of light which is then focused through the extra low dispersion (hence the ED in the name of the scope) glass which not only brightens the image but also increases the quality of the image.  Another quality concerning lighting that I found to be useful is that the Endurance ED has a sliding sleeve on the end of the objective lens which can be used to reduce glare as well as protect the lens when glassing in rainy or snowy conditions. 
 
















Adaptability and Focus:
So the Endurance ED has a mounting plate which is attached to a metal collar that runs around the body of the scope.  This collar allows the Endurance ED to rotate 360 degrees to adjust/adapt to whatever viewing conditions you may be in.  After you are able to adjust to the viewing conditions, the collar can be locked into place to avoid unwanted movement.  The Endurance ED has two focus knobs which allow you to fine tune your focus.  The dual focus feature was one thing I really enjoyed especially when I was using the Endurance ED for digiscoping.  The fine tune smaller wheel is awesome to adjust the image to get exactly the right focus for pictures or other close up decisions that this spotting scope will help you make!

















Quality:
The last thing I will focus on is that this spotting scope has worked the same for me from the moment I took it out of the box, as it does now after putting it through countless back pack trips, quick hunting adventures, and a few unexpected two year old girl encounters.  My daughter thought she was helping dad put his hunting gear away and tried to carry my scope all by herself down the stairs… I won’t act like I’ve tossed this thing around carelessly or used it as a soccer ball, but the Endurance ED has been with me all over South Eastern Idaho this season and has performed perfectly every time I have used it.  Hawke does provide a Limited Lifetime Warranty for all of their products which gives you comfort that they stand behind their product and its durability!
Digiscoping the moon
I have used some other spotters which have been good and have worked great for me.  I have either been disappointed with how heavy and large the spotting scopes were or I was disappointed in the quality and power because the spotting scope sacrificed these attributes for size and weight.  The Hawke EnduranceED 20-60X85 is the spotter that I have been completely happy with regarding size, quality, weight, and performance as well as the fact that Hawke provides such an amazing scope at such a good price!  I couldn’t be happier with the scope and encourage you to check out the EnduranceED 20-60X85 if you are looking to get a spotter.  Be sure to check out any of the Hawke Optics products at their website!  You won’t be disappointed!  
 




Once again if you want to read a much more extensive and lengthy review of the Hawke Endurance ED 20-60X85 Spotting Scope and why it was named this years "Best Spotting Scope of 2014" you can visit http://www.bestspottingscopereviews.com/HawkeEnduranceED20-60x85SpottingScope-13.htm to read why Best Spotting Scopes Reviews website agrees that this spotter is a great find!









Disclaimer:

As with all reviews on Idaho Pursuit, the following review is my honest opinion. I received the Hawke Optics Endurance ED 20-60X85 to review as a member of the Hawke Optics Field Staff.  Hawke Optics gave me open permission to review this product honestly regardless of the outcome.  Hawke Optics did not give me any instructions or guidance on how to review the products so everything written on this post is based on my experience and opinion with the product.



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