The ifrothgolf review
A premium image-stabilized laser rangefinder from Nikon's optics pedigree, aimed at golfers who want a rock-steady picture and proper glass over gadget gimmicks, and who don't mind paying up for it.
What's great
The stabilization is the real deal, not marketing fluff. Shaky hands, cold mornings, a bit of wind, it pins the picture still so you actually get the flag instead of waving the dot around the green. The optics are genuinely a cut above most rivals, crisp and bright through the 6x glass, and the OLED display is dead easy to read in full sun. Lock confirmation is clever too: a green ring round the screen plus an audible double beep, so you know you've nicked the flag and not the tree behind it. Fast (0.3 second reads) and accurate, and the slope mode toggles off cleanly for tournament use.
Worth knowing
It's not flawless. The mode button is too easy to knock, so you can wander into the wrong setting mid-round without noticing. The bundled soft case is cheap tat and most owners bin it for a hard one. No magnet for sticking it to the cart bar (a casualty of the gyro inside, but still annoying), it runs on a CR2 battery rather than the more common type, and some owners report it catching background or being fiddly to lock at distance. It's also pricey for what is, feature wise, a fairly stripped-back unit next to chattier rivals.
The verdict
If you value a steady, gorgeous image and reliable flag lock over bells and whistles, I rate this highly, it's still one of the best stabilized rangefinders going. Just go in knowing you're paying a premium for the glass and the gyro, not for extras, and budget for a better case.
What reviewers say
Praised for unbeatable glass and steadying stabilisation; the lack of a cart magnet and dated looks are the trade-offs.
