New Rangefinding Binocular from Leupold, RBX-3000 TBR/W

At the SCI Annual Convention, Leupold announced its step back into the rangefinder binocular market with the RBX-3000 TBR/W. This is cool because being able to combine two products into one saves time, money, and weight.

For hunters, weight matters when you're carrying a full pack of gear. Being able to combine binos with rangefinding capabilities out to a reported 3,000 yards on reflective objects and 2,600 yards on soft targets is remarkable. This product essentially saves the step between spotting your target and then the time it takes to switch from glassing and identifying to then lase it.

We got word of these binos in advance of the convention but wanted to wait until we could get handsy with them to tell you about them. Upon first impressions, they fit the bill for someone who wants a product to serve more than just a singular role.

Before even looking through the ocular lenses, the binos feel rugged and have a texturized finish. The gripping surface of the binos should favor well for cold and/or gloved hands.

There are three main buttons. There is one large button, closest to your eyes, to range targets. A nice addition is a scanning feature, allowing to scan from target-to-target while keeping the button depressed. You just hold down the button, which has a positive tactile feel and can range targets at different distances without releasing the button in between. The other two buttons function for the mode to set up how to view the rangefinder display and for environmental readings. The buttons labeled as “2” gives you environmental readings, thanks to an environmental sensor.

Leupold was able to incorporate environmental readings into the RBX-3000 TBR/W with a simple hole and empty space that allows for pressure to get in, which also assesses the temperature. This information is vital when taking crucial shots because it directly affects the bullet drop.

When we asked about battery life, we were told the RBX-3000 TBR/W averages about 1,700 pushes of the rangefinder button. That battery life is ultimately dependent on the brightness setting of the display.

“The RBX-3000 TBR/W has been in development for five years. It's a product that our consumers have long demanded, and it has been built from the ground up to deliver the ultra-premium performance our brand is known for,” said Tim Lesser, vice president of product development.” We weren't going to come to market with a rangefinding binocular until it was the very best, and we are proud to say it has arrived.”

In a press release, Leupold said:

The RBX-3000 TBR/W features easy-to-read, high-contrast data on a red LED display and dual eyepiece diopter adjustment. An on-board atmospheric sensor will display temperature, air pressure, and humidity. The top-tier optical prescription is reinforced by Leupold’s Twilight Max HD Light Management System. Twilight Max HD – the same light management system associated with the company’s award-winning VX-5HD and VX-6HD riflescopes – allows users to glass longer during the early predawn hours to well past dusk. Twilight Max HD combines exceptional light transmission and glare management to provide vivid images with top-of-the-line optical performance in low-light conditions.

The RBX-3000 TBR/W delivers incredibly accurate ranges with its True Ballistic Range/Wind (TBR/W) technology. TBR takes into account the angle of your shot and your rifle's ballistics to put you dead on target. Other rangefinders will certainly spit out a number, but they won't produce an accurate range to your target because they use basic trigonometry to calculate a straight-line horizontal distance. When you're going long, the angle matters.

“Despite what other brands may tell you, ballistics aren't simply in the dial,” said Eric Overstreet, Product Line Manager for Leupold & Stevens, Inc. “If you're going to be hunting or shooting at elevation or in any kind of mountainous terrain, you absolutely need a rangefinder that's capable of calculating ballistic solutions at angles. The RBX-3000 TBR/W delivers on that in a package that’s been designed for the hunter and shooter that refuses to fail – because it won’t, either.”

Aircraft-grade aluminum housing ensures the RBX-3000 TBR/W lives up to the rugged durability Leupold products are known for. It is 100 percent waterproof and fogproof, and the lens feature Guard-ion coatings that shed dirt and water for crisp, clear images.

The RBX-3000 TBR/W will be available in a 10x42mm configuration with a Shadow Gray finish. It ships with a Leupold binocular harness, binocular strap, lens pen, and lens cloth.

The RBX-3000 TBR/W is scheduled to arrive on shelves beginning in spring 2019.

For more information go to https://www.leupold.com/