Observation gear?

[Joe S]

Interesting topic. I’m curious as to the practicality in an urban environment.

I used to always have one if I was carrying a bag of any size, as a just in case thing (NYC resident). You have a lot of opportunities to gain elevation and look down straightaways, as well as counter-observation on someone else in those spots. From a long city block away, you'll be able to tell a lot more about that clump of people (what they're wearing, what their signs say, etc.) than unaided. I figured it was peace of mind in case of an emergency (9/11, the blackout in '04, Sandy, I and a lot of folks I know ended up doing more walking than normal). It was also handy when some cute young thing wanted to see fireworks a little better.

It has since moved into the BOB. But for twenty bucks...

[TCB]

I’ve been using a Vortex Solo R/T 8x for the past 5 years on duty...they are awsome.

[That Guy]

What is the difference between the Vortex Solo R/T and the significantly more expensive Vortex monoculars?

I currently carry a cheap monocular in my bag. I've mostly used it during my short day hikes. The field of view of my current monocular sucks and without any sort of reticle I find it surprisingly difficult to gauge dimensions in a non-built up environment. I know a place that sells the Solo R/T for quite a nice price, so I'll probably upgrade to that, but now I'm curious as to how much difference there is between the cheap and expensive monoculars.

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[NH Shooter]

What is the difference between the Vortex Solo R/T and the significantly more expensive Vortex monoculars?

Glass and overall build quality. The RECCE Pro is made in Japan, I believe the lower cost models are from China.

[That Guy]

So... How big of a quality / clarity difference are we talking about? Nuances, or a night and day difference? Anyone done any side by side comparison?

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[NH Shooter]

So... How big of a quality / clarity difference are we talking about? Nuances, or a night and day difference? Anyone done any side by side comparison?

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Can't say for sure as I have not handled either. Maybe the same difference between a Vortex Strike Eagle and the Razor - but that would be 100% speculation.