Bushnell Pro XE vs Nikon Coolshot Pro – Which One Is The Best?
Whether you’re a pro or just getting into the game, golf rangefinders can be extremely helpful. They not only give you distances so you know which club to use, they can help you spot traps, hazards and give you a visual of the lay of land far away.
Of course, that is, if you have a good one. Unfortunately, not all golf rangefinders are created equal. Some are wildly inaccurate or inconsistent. Others are hard to use and unintuitive. But for today’s review, we have selected 2 very well-received golf rangefinders and tested them for quality.
If you have never bought a golf range finder before or if you need a new one, take a look at the following review for everything you need to know about these 2 devices.
The Bushnell Pro XE Key Features
Bushnell has been a trusted manufacturer of optical devices since 1948 so it’s no wonder that they make one of the most sought-after golf rangefinders. The Pro XE is one of their most advanced models. It features a powerful 7X magnification lens which lets you see targets 1,300 yards away!
The Slope Element feature is also very impressive. When you look through lens, you will see pressure percentages and temperatures. It will automatically adjust the distance to a “plays like” distance based on these factors and slope.
When it has locked onto the flag or target of choice, you will see a red ring around the lens or feel a small vibration, or both. That lets you know that you are getting the distance to your desired target.
Overall we really liked the design and function of the Bushnell Pro XE. We didn’t have any problems with accuracy, it was simple to use and because it’s magnetized, you can even stick it to your golf cart!
The Nikon Coolshot Pro
Next up, we have a stabilized golf rangefinder from Nikon. We really liked that it is truly stabilized (some rangefinders claim to be stabilized but still don’t perform very well) because not all of us are young and have steady hands.
We were able to sight targets reliably up to 1,200 yards away and lock onto targets about 400 yards away. It has an OLED display and you can see objects really clearly through it. It also features an 8 second scan mode which gives distances to multiple objects in view.
The Nikon Coolshot Pro also adjusts distances to “plays like” distances when you’re dealing with slope or declination. But it also has a green indicator light on the front so that officials know when you have the slope mode off in tournament play.
It also has “Hyper Read” technology. We don’t know how it works, all we know is that it measures distances very quickly. We never had to wait more than a couple seconds to get distances up to 500 yards away.
First Impressions
Our first consensus about the Bushnell Pro XE was that it was very easy to use. It was handy to have around (we just had it stuck to our golf cart when we weren’t using it) and the buttons are placed conveniently on the device.
The Nikon Coolshot Pro seemed intimidating at first (we read all the features on the box) but it was very simple to set up and use. The controls were intuitive and easy to read and the 4 modes are easy to switch and select.
Performance Comparison
The Bushnell Pro XE fits well in the hand and while it is a bit heavy, the weight actually helps to stabilize it. We found it to give accurate distances up to about 450 yards. It really did account for barometric pressure too. It gave different readings when the humidity was higher.
The thing we liked about the performance of the Nikon Coolshot Pro the most was that it was super easy to set up. We just popped the battery into the bottom and it was ready to go. It was very accurate, provided crystal clear views of distant targets and gave readings very quickly.
Price Point Comparison
You can typically find the Nikon Coolshot Pro for considerably cheaper than the Bushnell Pro XE. We found retailers selling the Coolshot for around $400 while the price for the Bushnell was typically around $490.
Bushnell Pro XE Pros & Cons
Pros:
- 7X magnification lens
- You can turn the slope mode off for tournament play
- Your purchase includes the Bushnell golf app
- The Bushnell golf app gives you course maps and hole layouts
- Comes with a carrying case
- Looks great
Cons:
- The JOLT feature can be inconsistent
- Low-light conditions affect its performance
- A bit pricey
- The batteries don’t last very long
Get The Best Price On The Bushnell XE Here:
Nikon Coolshot Pro Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Very fast targeting
- Easy to set up
- Very compact
- You can switch between meters and yards
- You can adjust the brightness of the display
- Very high quality lens
Cons:
- You need to pay more if you want a hard shell case for it
- Somewhat awkward design
- Does not account for weather conditions
Get The Best Price On The Coolshot Pro Here:
Which One Should You Buy?
The Bushnell Pro XE and the Nikon Coolshot Pro performed very similarly. They are both accurate for measuring long distances and we didn’t have any problems with the slope adjustment for either of these devices. But in the long-run, we expect the Nikon Coolshot Pro to perform better.
What gives us this impression is the quality of the lens. Nikon is known for making the best lenses and it really shows with the Coolshot Pro. Images look crystal clear and it gives you a wider scope of view than the Bushnell Pro XE.
While it doesn’t account for temperature and barometric pressure like the Bushnell Pro XE does, it instills more confidence when you can see distances so clearly. Plus, the weather compensation isn’t really useful when there is little to no humidity.
The Nikon Coolshot Pro will give you the most bang for your buck so that’s our winner for today.
***WINNER***
NIKON COOLSHOT PRO STABILIZED
Get The Best Price On The Coolshot Pro Here:
Hi, I am Matthew, a mid handicap golfer who likes to play as much as possible. I love trying out new gear and this blog is where you can find all the gear I have tested over the years!
