Spotting scopes, a useful tool for birdwatchers, hunters, snipers, sportsmen, photographers, and more.
But this discussion will be focused upon a very special, highly rated, and sought after spotting scope that’s been a budget-friendly option for many users: The Roxant Spotting Scope.
Pros
Cons
Specs and Dimensions
- Zoom: 12x - 36x
- Objective Lens Size: 50mm
- Angle: 45 degrees
- Dimensions: 232x135x78 mm
- Field of view: 52-26M / 1000M
- Exit pupil diameter: 4.1-1.4mm
- Focal Length: 8m
- Weight: 1.08 pounds
- Water Resistant: Yes
Main Features
The Roxant spotting scope is popular as a budget-friendly option among users. Especially with stargazers, bird watchers, and hunters. The scope is very well made and expresses professional detail in its construction.
It costs about four times less than most of its counterparts. The scope has a magnifying power between 12x to 36x with amazing clarity. The scope has a retractable eyepiece that allows use with/without glasses, while also ensuring you don’t have to compromise on eye relief.
Another noticeable feature is the sunshade built on the front end which helps reduce glare and delivers an optimally bright image for clarity. The entire scope has been coated with a weatherproof rubber armor. This soft rubbery texture offers grip under all weather conditions. Plus, the textured focus ring is easy to adjust. There are no protruding controls for making adjustments. Thus giving you a smooth and accurate feel.
The scope uses high definition military-grade optics with a BAK4 prism and multi-coated lenses to deliver amazing clarity. Coupled with a large 50mm objective lens, the scope delivers bright images even under low light conditions.
It comes with an easy to attach/detach tripod that is attached to the scope using a metal screw, to ensure it doesn’t snap-off under pressure. The scope is angled at 45 degrees for comfortable viewing.
Another very prominent feature is the lifetime replacement guarantee offered by the company, which secures your purchase 100% for the years to come. Oh, and don’t forget the protective lens caps and carry bag with strap included in the package. Plus, a small lens cleaning microfiber cloth.
The features of the scope and the inclusions in the package make it an unbelievable deal.
Pros
Let’s look at some pros of this scope that make it worth the purchase. These are the reasons this scope stands out from its competitors:
Clarity and Brightness
With multi-coated lenses, a BAK4 prism, and a large 50mm objective lens, the scope provides a very crisp, clear, and bright image, even under maximum magnification. While the scope can be used for stargazing, you can easily spot an object the size of a deer from 500 yards away.
Shape, Angle, and Texture
The scope has a matte finish and a rubbery texture with just the right amount of grip, so it doesn’t stick to your palms in humid conditions. The scope is angled at 45 degrees for easy viewing and has no protruding edges or tabs, making it very easy to store & carry.
Glare Reduction
The scope has a retractable eyepiece that can be adjusted to ensure proper use with glasses. Additionally, the front has an extendable sunshade which reduces glare, so you can get a crisp image even when looking towards the sunlight, which is a small but very useful feature.
Easy Controls
Gripping and controlling the scope are very easy. The main tube has a large textured focus ring to attain a cleaner image, whereas the rear eyepiece has a small textured ring to adjust magnification. The rings are very grippy and cannot snag on other objects and change the setting accidentally.
Very Portable
The provided nylon case is a great addition and helps with easily carrying the scope anywhere you want. It fits perfectly in the carry case, along with the tripod and doesn’t slide around on bumpy terrain. While not necessary, you can carry the case in another bag for more security.
Tripod
The tripod is very sturdy and entirely made of metal, including the mounting screw that attaches to the scope base. The tripod doesn’t wiggle, adjusts easily, and can be mounted/dismounted in an instant. An ergonomic rotation lever and foldable design add to its usefulness.
Lifetime Replacement Guarantee
The scope is covered by a 100% lifetime replacement guarantee. It is made in USA and the company is a small family business with amazing customer support and dedication towards its customers.
Great for the Price
Looking at the value-for-money and the inclusions, the Roxant spotting scope is indeed a great product. The tripod, lens cover, and a good carry case add to the value, given the fact that this scope is still priced very competitively in comparison with its counterparts.
Cons
After all the good things about the Roxant scope. Let’s take a look at some shortcomings of this product.
Usability with High Magnification
The scope may require you to remove your glasses when using it at a higher magnification, despite the retractable eyepiece. However, most scopes require you to remove eyeglasses when using them.
Limited Weather Protection
Although the stand is fully made of metal, including the tripod and mounting screws, the scope shows only some water resistance and is not considered waterproof. This scope was designed for use in controlled environments and not very harsh conditions. That’s why it is not advertised as a tactical scope. A bit of rain or snow won’t affect its function, however, if you plan on immersing it in water, you should look for a more durable alternative.
Not a "Compact" Scope
The Roxant is around nine inches in length. While that’s too long to be considered a compact scope, there are smaller scopes which can be carried inside your pocket. If your intended application or preference requires a smaller scope, this can seem a bit bulky - it's not pocket friendly.
What is the Roxant Spotting Scope Best For?
For a one-liner answer - anything but tactical field applications. The Roxant Blackbird is an economical and fairly durable scope for general and recreational purposes. You can use it for sightseeing, stargazing, birdwatching, and even for range applications.
The scope has a sunshade which makes it a go-to choice for birdwatching. The scope has a large objective, great clarity, and a retractable eyepiece which helps when wearing glasses, to some extent.
Another useful application with this scope would be hunting or gazing wildlife. Since the scope has high magnifying power, it can clearly spot objects up to 500 yards. This can be helpful with game like turkey or deer, to allow for a quieter approach. Or you can take it to the range for sighting targets under 300 yards or so.
Looking at its price, the Roxant Blackbird is also a perfect scope for recreational activities like hiking, camping, outdoor activities, or survival training (unless you push it beyond its limits). Since the scope doesn’t cost much, it won’t cause too much grief if you lose or break it somehow.
What Do I Need to Know Before Buying the Roxant Spotting Scope?
This scope is quite complete in what it does. But still, let’s look at some factors you should keep in mind:
Basic Operation
This Roxant Blackbird spotting scope doesn’t have any high-end features such as rangefinding, camera, recording, smartphone support, or any other such feature. It is a basic spotting scope with extreme clarity, good magnifying power, and is available at a low price.
Not for Extreme Use
In concurrence with the above factor, this scope is meant for most spotting scope applications. But not all of them. The case is metal but no suitable for being bashed around on a tactical or sporting field. Usage is mostly inclined towards recreational purposes.
Tripod
The tripod is tough and the best you can expect for its price. However, it cannot be extended for height, which will limit your stance to some extent. However, you can always attach any tripod you want, since it features a metal universal adapter.
How to Use the Roxant Blackbird Spotting Scope
Using the Roxant spotting scope is fairly easy. You just have to be aware of the basic controls.
First of all, check out the lens caps that cover the front and rear lenses. Unscrew them and you’re good to go. The magnification and focus/parallax settings are mounted on the main tube. The focus setting is a large, smooth-glide, textured focus ring mounted on the front portion of the scope. This can be adjusted clockwise or counterclockwise to focus on the target.
The rear eyepiece has a small similar ring that can be rotated to control the magnification. The scope has a 3x magnification ratio and can zoom up to a maximum of 36x.
You also have the option to extend/retract the eyecup according to your level of comfort. Additionally, the sunshade in front of the objective lens can also be extended or retracted depending upon the lighting conditions.
Next comes the tripod. There’s a small, tabletop one included in the package along with the metal screw for connecting the scope. Once you screw it on, the tripod legs have to be extended wide to position the scope. The handy axis rotation lever will help you swivel and adjust the scope.
How to Maintain a Roxant Spotting Scope
Proper maintenance of your scope is imperative to ensure its long and reliable service life. Like any other spotting scope, the Roxant Blackbird requires just a little bit of attentive care to maintain its function.
Since scopes cannot be normally disassembled for cleaning, you're limited to cleaning and maintenance on the exterior surfaces and lenses. The Roxant scope comes with lens covers and a lens cleaning cloth in the package. Best practice is to screw on the caps when the scope is not in use.
Use the lens cloth to wipe the lenses clean. You may either use a dry cloth or some lens cleaner solvent for effective results. Give the entire casing a good wipe with a dry cloth. You may use a light cleaning solvent if there are any spots or dirt on it.
Give the tripod a good wipe as well, especially the feet. Immediately use a rust remover if you find any metal parts to be rusting. Or in extreme cases, sand the legs down and hit it with a coat of paint (VHT Matte works great).
Since an optic scope is tightly packed and gas sealed from inside, it only requires cleaning from the outside. Make sure to properly store your spotting scope at all times in a clean carry bag.
Conclusion
The Roxant Blackbird is a very budget-friendly and versatile spotting scope that is perfect for recreational uses and basic range use. It offers great value for money and has a very durable design to endure the test of time while delivering outstanding performance.
People Also Ask
Check out some interesting facts and answers to some common queries about the Roxant spotting scope.
Is the Roxant Spotting Scope Worth it?
Yes, the Roxant spotting scope is definitely worth it. Especially when you consider the price tag and features plus extra inclusions on the package. It is the perfect scope for recreational uses and is an economical option for most applications.
Who Makes the Roxant Spotting Scope?
Roxant spotting scopes are created by Roxant, a family-based company in the US. The company sells a wide range of optical products and other electronic items such as LED lights and headphones.
When Was the Roxant Spotting Scope Created?
The company was founded in 2014 in the US and sells electronic goods via their Amazon store. Their Blackbird Spotting Scope is among the best-selling scopes on the market today.
Is a Roxant Spotting Scope Hard to Use?
Not at all. A Roxant spotting scope is very easy to use and has very smooth controls, both for the optics and the tripod. You can follow the instruction manual that comes in the package or check out YouTube for more detailed videos.
