The GPO Rangeguide 10x50 Rangefinding Binoculars stand up well compared to some better-known brands.
German Precision Optics, or GPO, USA, has been around for a while but has yet to crack into the mainstream. We had heard of them but never used any of their gear, so when we got the opportunity to test their Rangeguide 10x50 Binoculars, we couldn't say no.
Despite the name, GPO, USA is an American-based company running out of Midlothian, Virginia. Their leadership has a background immersed in premium brands such as Zeiss, Swarovski, Remington and Marlin, so they've got the knowhow and wherewithal to produce quality products.
What they haven't carried over is the all-too-common corporate profitability structure that hampers product features and qualities, but pushes prices higher than they ought to be.
Yes, the Rangeguide 10x50 Binoculars cost $1,699, but once you fully realize the performance and tied-in guarantee, the price becomes easier to digest.
And plus, if you've done any searching or shopping, you know costs for rangefinding binos can easily skyrocket up to $3,000 or more. Considering the alternatives, GPO has found their niche.
GPO Rangeguide 10x50 Details
The Rangeguide's performance in low-light conditions is stellar; the 50mm objective lenses obviously help with that, and the GPObright high-transmission lens coating technology makes it exceptionally bright.
The unit works great for the uses you'd need it for; the smooth operation and ease of use are high on our list of favorite overall features.
The two-button control panel is simple to manipulate, and the magnesium body and armor coatings seem like they'll stand up to the elements. We admittedly didn't conduct any impact tests, but the tough exterior (which we've come to expect from optics these days) would presumably be tough enough.
The scan mode is said to provide three readings per second, and it worked as well as I expected it to.
The clear benefits include the high-quality materials, the clean, precise display, and the eliminated need of a traditional rangefinder in your arsenal.
The binos can produce both line-of-sight and angle-compensating ranging, but the 3,000-yard maximum ranging distance boasted by the company wasn't reached in our tests. Maybe it's because those numbers were accomplished in pristine, controlled conditions, but we were only able to accurately range reflective targets to nearly 2,000 yards.
For hunting purposes that's plenty, but if you're target shooting at long ranges, we couldn't stretch out to the numbers you're likely hoping to reach. We won't definitively say the Rangeguide 10x50 is incapable of 3,000, we'll just say we couldn't reach it on our own.
We were able to get readings on both deer and pronghorn at distances from 330 to 590 yards, while the specs given by GPO state a deer should be rangeable at a maximum of 766 yards.
The field of view reaches 330 feet at 1,000 yards, the eye relief sits at 17mm, the OLED display has nine (nine!) brightness levels, and there's a helpful temperature reading provided.
The Rangeguide binos are 6.3 inches long, 5.3 inches wide, and 2.3 inches tall.
Though I'd never refer to these as "extremely small and compact" like the GPO, USA website does, I'll admit they're significantly smaller than a lot of rangefinding binoculars on the market.
GPO-USA.com (Click to enlarge)
Extras with the purchase include a neoprene strap, a microfiber cleaning cloth, a zippered, custom-molded hard case, and of course a battery.
Backed by GPO
Perhaps best of all is the undisputed, industry-leading warranty program that covers all GPO, USA products. Referred to as the Spectacular Lifetime Warranty, the repair or replace procedure comes with almost no strings attached. You don't need to register your product, there's no proof of purchase required, and the warranty is fully transferrable.
As expected, loss, theft, deliberate damage, and cosmetic damage aren't covered, but basically everything else is.
To know that a big purchase of this magnitude is fully warrantied should lift a huge weight off a lot of potential buyers.
To find out more about the GPO Rangeguide, plus their selection of other binoculars and rifle scopes, go to GPO-USA.com.
NEXT: BRITTANY BODDINGTON ON "SHE HUNTS" AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE HUNTING INDUSTRY
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