Best Budget Range Finder

Hawkeye77 · March 5

I bought the original Leupold PinCaddie 12 years ago - not a lot of good "cheap" options back then. No slope, accurate, good optics and in 12 years I might be on my fourth battery, no more than that. The battery life has been unreal. The case finally started splitting last season from hanging on my bag. I've never felt the need to get another and can't imagine it won't last another dozen years. Not saying don't buy cheap, you could go through a lot of cheap ones before you hit the cost of one of the nicer ones, but just plugging a good investment at the time, no doubt less expensive but similar options now in terms of quality.

SheriffBooth · March 5

I'm a Precision Pro convert. I've got the green slope model from a couple of years ago and it's been excellent - I guess maybe it's the NX7 but I don't remember. Their new Titan Elite looks amazing - waterproof, aluminum construction, with an app connection so that it displays front middle back yardages in the display when you shoot the pin, plus the app also tracks your rangefinder if you lose it. If all that works as advertised it's an incredible deal at $400.

Can you imagine going back to a random pro shop after a round to ask if they found your rangefinder and they tell you no, and you can respond by telling them your app says it's in the drawer behind the counter or in the bag room?

Edited March 5 by SheriffBooth

onthebogeytrain · March 5

Another for Precision Pro. Great Rangefinders, solid price, custom options if you go for NX10. And they replace your batteries for free.

PSUgolf · March 11

On 1/22/2025 at 5:01 PM, MattM97 said:

I've seen a lot of really bad reviews for Blue Tees like they are junk. I've never heard of RedTiger or GoGoGo before.

I've seen TecTecTec come up with solid reviews and PrecisionPro is solid too especially with the battery replacements.

I had a Precision Pro NX7 for several years, bought a Blutees S3 Max last year, like it better to be honest. I really like the red optics at dusk or against a busy background

golfjam · March 14

I've been using Voice Caddie Fit. It's pretty quick, small enough to fit in your pocket and it measures ball to pin from your cart. I charge once a month playing once a week, pretty sure it lasts longer but not taking a change. I had a Bushnell X3+ before but prefer the portability of VC.

mogc60 · March 15

My son and I both have the red tiger…no complaints at all and yardages are the same as my buddies bushnell everytime.

bellken · March 16

a couple of years old -

Mine is still going strong.

SheriffBooth · March 18

On 3/15/2025 at 7:54 PM, mogc60 said:

My son and I both have the red tiger…no complaints at all and yardages are the same as my buddies bushnell everytime.

That Red Tiger website is hilarious. The rangefinder comes with both a "hand rope" and a "mountaineering buckle". While on the website you can also pickup a dash cam and a car vacuum.

Broke100 · June 17

This Redtiger occasionally dips below $75 on Amazon for a new unit. I picked one up and love it. Fast and accurate. Charges via USB-C, once per year!

Edited June 17 by Broke100

ConstantineJr79 · June 23

This has been a pretty impressive unit.

https://a.co/d/hDTrBJ4

Edited June 23 by ConstantineJr79

klbcec · June 25

On 3/18/2025 at 3:14 PM, SheriffBooth said:

That Red Tiger website is hilarious. The rangefinder comes with both a "hand rope" and a "mountaineering buckle". While on the website you can also pickup a dash cam and a car vacuum.

On 6/16/2025 at 10:45 PM, Broke100 said:

This Redtiger occasionally dips below $75 on Amazon for a new unit. I picked one up and love it. Fast and accurate. Charges via USB-C, once per year!

I have one as well as a back up and to take on vacation for fear of losing it. It works fine. My only issue is, if I have 140 to the pin, it will give 141, 138, 140, 139, and 141, 140... And so on. It's within a yard or two, but will give one or two different yardages always within 3 yards. Probably not a big deal, just leaves you wondering a bit.

KGrinols · June 26

After a YouTube video, I just ordered the Cigman CT-1200 for $69.

Have been using a ProPrecision NX7 for as long as I can remember, didn't even need to upgrade but... impulse buy.

th6252 · July 2

On 6/25/2025 at 10:50 PM, KGrinols said:

After a YouTube video, I just ordered the Cigman CT-1200 for $69.

Have been using a ProPrecision NX7 for as long as I can remember, didn't even need to upgrade but... impulse buy.

lol, was thinking about posting about that as well last week. Curious to hear how it fairs for you.

KGrinols · July 2

16 hours ago, th6252 said:

lol, was thinking about posting about that as well last week. Curious to hear how it fairs for you.

If it ever actually ships, I'll let you know. They printed the label a week ago and no update since. I believe the updated YouTube video said they sold out after the video and they're trying to process the orders but... Whatever.

NMarko · July 2

I stumbled upon a Tec Tec Tec range finder for a great deal on Amazon. Had great reviews so gave it a shot. Almost five years and only one battery change later it’s still going strong. Always within 1 yard of other players’ readings when we shoot from the same spot.

Broke100 · July 2

On 6/25/2025 at 6:19 PM, klbcec said:

I have one as well as a back up and to take on vacation for fear of losing it. It works fine. My only issue is, if I have 140 to the pin, it will give 141, 138, 140, 139, and 141, 140... And so on. It's within a yard or two, but will give one or two different yardages always within 3 yards. Probably not a big deal, just leaves you wondering a bit.

Sadly, missing a target by 3- 10’ isn’t my top golf flaw!

KGrinols · July 8

Cigman showed up today. I bought the NX7 when they were a site sponsor probably 10 years ago now, and I think the promo price with WRX discount code was $150.

The cigman was $68 after the YouTube code, is noticeable smaller, but less ergonomic if you care about hand feel. The NX7 perfectly fits in the cupholder of golf carts which is nice, the cigman will be more convenient for people who like to keep it in their pocket.

They're both advertised as 6x zoom, but the cigman has better focus at a closer zoom to my eyes. Not significant, but apparent. The cigman visuals are larger but almost too large like they feel too close to your eye, and almost like you have to look around (with your eye inside the lense) to see the data. A little hard to explain but ultimately if the data was a screen it feels too close to the eye hole.

*I wear glasses. When removing my glasses this isn't an issue. But the NX7 doesn't have that issue with glasses and is still plenty visible at a more normal distance.

The cigman is significantly faster, distances between the 2 are within 1 yards at 187y away to my neighbors house. The NX7 does fractional yardages at triple digits. Meaning it will say 187.3 whereas the Cigman does whole numbers beyond 100 yards, unless I just need to find the setting. So it will do 99.9yards but anything after 100 is just whole numbers. For people who need fractional yards that could be a deal breaker.

374 yards on the Cigman, 375.4 on NX7, but I have no way to currently verify which is more accurate.

At 469yards on the cigman, still incredibly fast, I could argue too quickly gives yardage before I was on the electric pole, it catches the building behind it. At this distance the NX7 is struggling to lock onto something, especially when it comes to holding it steady for it to lock on. I could measure the building behind it, but after 5 tries was unable to get a measurement to the pole the cigman easily tagged in a fraction of a second.

Another electric pole measures at 824y on the cigman, again, nearly instantaneously with absolutely no issues, 3 times in a row. The NX7 can't read it.

Another poor, 1072yards away, the cigman tags with no problem. I didn't even bother with the NX7.

I don't see anything further that I can reliably tag. Final photo for target practice perspective.

Visually, I prefer the NX7. Both its looks, size, screen, and ergonomics. But the speed, reliability, and performance of the cigman is undeniable. If you want to point, shoot, and instantly have your number, the cigman is extremely impressive in that regard.