January 6, 2022Leica Geovid.com LRF Binoculars — Hunting Field TestLeica Geovid.COM 10×42 Rangefinding BinocularsField Test by Colton Reid
Dawn breaks. It’s a cool 28 degrees. I am hidden amongst fallen trees at the edge of a steep drop, where I can see the canyon below as well as the hillsides to my left. The snow covers the mountainous slopes, with a few patches of fir and naked Aspen woven into it. The soft glow of the sunrise brightens the southeastern slopes, and illuminates a small statue of orange-green on an adjacent ridge. His presence alerts an already wary cow elk to the danger that moved in the previous night. Although this isn’t my first rodeo I’d like to say so. This is my first hunt for an elk, and my first Colorado hunt. However, it is my second test of my latest piece of hunting equipment, Leica’s Geovid 3200.COM 10×42 rangefinding Binoculars.
These laser rangefinder binoculars were purchased from EuroOptic.com. It is important to note that I am not sponsored either by EuroOptic nor Leica. EuroOptic is a company I know. They are knowledgeable and friendly people who use the equipment they sell. Optic quality is at the top of my list. This refers to how clear the optical image is. How crisp are the edges Can I distinguish small items from larger ones? Anyone who has hunted in the great American West knows how important it is to have good optics. Because I hunt backcountry terrain, weight is an important consideration. If something is light but breaks when it sneezes, that’s not good. This is also not good. It is therefore desirable to have a rubberized body and a light weight. The Geovid 3200.COM combination optic is also available. It includes a laser rangefinder. This helps me with weight. Third on this list is its performance. Performance refers to the accuracy and precision of the measurement. I can live with 500 yards as long as the measurement is accurate and repeatable within a few yards. However, if the measurement is off by 10 yards (50 yards for a 500-yard reading), or if the measurement to measurement differs by 20 yards, that can severely impact my ability to make an ethical shot. It picks up one male pronghorn (not broadside), at almost 400 yards. It returned immediately.
Because they move away from “functional” requirements, ergonomics and comfort are less important to my mind. They don’t make much difference in the process of spotting and harvesting an animals. While I consider “nice to have” features in equipment selection, they are less important than the functional requirements. Here is my assessment. The Leica Geovid 3200.COM 10-x42s rangefinder binoculars are excellent quality, well-made, made with high-quality materials, and have a thoughtful design. They are only 34.6 ounces in weight (or about 2 lbs. They are strong enough to withstand a few drops. They come with both ocular and objective lens caps. These binoculars are tough and durable, but I wouldn’t take them into the field without a case. There are many good options. I use the Badlands Bino Case (see top and bottom photos), but there are many other options. The glass is incredible — it’s remarkably good, and I have high standards. The image is crisp and clear, even better than my Swarovski Habicht 10×40 Porro prism binoculars. This is important because I was initially dizzy from the exaggerated hand motion in higher power optics. For those who need less magnification, Leica offers a Geovid 3200.com-8×42 unit that is lower in power. You could argue that the optics are too sharp, which means they aren’t a good fit. However, my philosophy is to get as much gear as possible and learn how to use it to its full potential. To stabilize the image during glassing, I used an ultralight tripod. If weight is a concern, I placed my arms on my knees and lean against a tree or rock. These binoculars are great for long-term scouting on a stable platform. The Geovid mounted on my tripod is shown. It has a bright, crisp image with excellent distance distinction (pop-out effect), all hallmarks of high quality optics. Although the image at the edge is less sharp than the rest of the field of vision, this is normal for scientific glass. The binocular image quality is excellent, so the image quality change when going to my spotting scope takes a shorter time than with previous binoculars. This means that I can resolve more items using the binoculars. I therefore only use my Swarovski scope to clarify something. Overall, A+ optics. More than 950 yards — that is what we were after…
The rangefinder is a top-quality product. The Leica placed the laser source outside the optic tube, which I find a great innovation. This allows for greater power transmission and reflection, as the source is not blocked by any additional optics. They also developed the Perger prism, which incorporates the rangefinder in the base optical design. This is in contrast to using additional optics to “modify” a non-laser rangefinder configuration. Engineers love the idea function integration and minimizing parts. This allows for better design and performance. According to the Leica website, “The Geovid 3200.com can be paired with either the Leica Hunting App to adjust quickly and manage on the fly or to a LINK enabled Kestrel windmeter to receive results right from your Range Finder[.] Users will also benefit from integrated atmospheric sensors such as temperature, pressure, and inclination, which produce angle-compensated distance measuring for shooting uphill and downhill with the highest precision. “Testing Laser Ranging Performance
To test the Geovid’s Laser Rangefinder, I measured different objects close to my house and checked the accuracy of Google Earth. I was able consistently to range larger objects (trees and hills, rocks) up to 2200 yards. This is more than I would ever shoot but useful for planning where to move to my next vantage point. A large reflective target (pedestrian crosswalk) was also possible to range out to 3300+ yards. (See below). Although I believe the maximum range I can get with large, nonreflective objects is around 2400 yards, I didn’t have the chance to test it. The rangefinder had trouble with shorter distances and through thick branches. When I was ranging tree trunks, I got several yards variation between 25 and 45 yards. The measurement would be affected by tall grass or a nest of tree roots. I would get either an incorrect reading or none at all. This could happen if I’m trying to range a buck in tall grass. This is a common situation in archery, so it is a drawback. I used rangefinder binoculars to find the distance between the target and ranged object.
The Leica Geovid 3200.COM rangefinder binoculars have excellent performance in all key areas. The glass is excellent and the rangefinding performance is impressive. Modern Bluetooth connectivity is a plus. These Leica Geovids are slightly cheaper than comparable optics and I purchased them with my own money. I am confident you won’t be disappointed.
Leica Geovid Pro 32 was announced by Leica on 1/6/2022. It is a smaller, lighter version of the Geovid 3200.COM series. This version weighs 30.6 ounces and weighs in at 4 oz. The original is 0.83 inches shorter and lighter than the Pro 32. The new Geovid Pro 32s are 0.83 inches shorter than the original and have 32mm objective lenses vs. 42mm with Geovid 3200.com. This means that they can be held for longer periods of time, but the new Geovid Pro 32s are lighter. The Geovid Pro is standard with Applied Ballistics Ultralight… upgradeable to Applied Ballistics Sportsman and Elite. Geovid Pro 32 now offers advanced GPS tracking connectivity, Leica ProTrack to help guide the user to the target based upon the last ranged measurement. The Geovid Pro 32 premium rangefinder features GPS mapping integration via BaseMaps, Google Maps, and Garmin mapping. Similar Posts:Tags: Applied Ballistics, Colton Reid, Geovid 32, Geovid 3200.com, Leica GeoVid, Leica LRF, Leica ProTrack, Leica Rangefinder Review, Rangefinding Binoculars
