Joining us to talk glass is the one and only Jake Edson of Bushnell. This year, Bushnell launched three all-new lines of hunting optics, each at a different price point to cater to the gamut of hunters out there. The Prime, Nitro and Forge lines from Bushnell are all exceptional and Jake is here to talk about what makes them stand out from the pack. He’ll also dish on the Season of Savings program where you can get some substantial rebates on all of their optics.
Kicking things off, let’s talk Bushnell’s Nitro Rangefinder. The Nitro is the mid-range optic level, but it has a lot of the more advanced features that hunters are looking for like the EXO Barrier protective coating that repels moisture, fogging and dirt. I’ve used this rangefinder in extreme temperatures and adverse weather and can vouch, it flat performs! The ARC Mode, which compensates for terrain angle, gives the hunter a true distance on uphill and downhill shots. The SCAN Mode allows you to scour the landscape while viewing a continuously updated LCD display of the distance to the target. Plus, the BRUSH Mode ignores foreground objects like brush, tree branches and more and instead ranges only objects beyond those. The BullsEye Mode allows you to really dial in and easily acquire small targets and animals without background targets interfering.
Jake will also highlight the ability users have to set up their rangefinder for different configurations and highlights the Rifle Mode specifically. He’ll discuss how it can be configured with specific loads using a table of configurations and loads available at www.Bushnell.com. Among other things, he highlights how it calculates your holdovers for targets, taking into account the angle as well as ballistics based on the information you select.
The EXO Barrier Protection, exclusive to Bushnell, is really a stand out and not just something in a list of features you’ll never notice. The EXO Barrier has real life, in the field impact that hunters will be able to experience. Whether it’s hot or cold, raining or snowing, foggy, or anything else, this coating protects the lens but also acts as a serious repelling agent. It keeps the lens free of water, oil, dust and even prevents scratches. If you have ever hunted in the cold and had your breath fog up your binoculars or riflescope you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you’ve ever hunted in the snow, rain or fog and had moisture cover your lens and impede your vision, you know what I’m talking about. This coating takes care of those issues. What’s really great is that it’s not a feature that is only available on the top of the line Bushnell optics, it’s standard even on their base “Prime” line of optics - binoculars, riflescopes, rangefinders and spotting scopes.
Early mornings and late evenings, dawn and dusk, these are high activity times, but hunters can be limited by their ability to see in these low light conditions. Jake says that Bushnell really prides themselves in helping hunters acquire those first and last moments of light by working hard to have the best light transmission possible in their optics. By gathering all the available light, they possibly can, Jake says you can really get a feel for what’s out there before shooting light even arrives. He’ll also talk eye relief as it relates to binoculars, and how diopters are key. The diopter, Jake explains, allows you to focus not only with the center focus dial, but also one eye which really customizes your binoculars for your eyes. The locking mechanism on the diopter then lets you lock your settings into place so when you toss your binoculars in your bag or truck, those settings won’t be lost, and you won’t have to refocus them every time.
Jake will also briefly highlight their line of riflescopes and the new simulator available at www.Bushnell.com that allows you to try different reticle options in a more real world scenario via your computer. This simulator helps buyers understand the difference between First Focal Plane (FFP) and Second Focal Plane (SFP) reticles. It also allows users to test out the more complicated ranging reticles that have hold over points and see how it sizes in and out as you’re changing your power on the magnification on your scope. It lets you get a feel for it in more of a real-world sense rather than in a store. Jake says that it’s great to look in the store, but when the light is bright, and you are only looking 30-40 yards it can be hard to tell. This simulator gives you a better understanding of how the riflescopes work allowing you to make a better educated decision on the purchase of a riflescope. Jake will also talk longevity of Bushnell optics, their Lifetime Warranty, and how making a quality investment in Bushnell will benefit you for years to come.
Now, good news y’all. The holidays are upon us and Bushnell has launched a program called Season of Savings. What does this mean for you? It means you can get rebates of up to $75 off optics from each of the Prime, Nitro and Forge lines when you purchase now thru December 31st. Be sure to hit up Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops both online and in store to take advantage of these sweet deals!
Happy Hunting
Trav