Leupold Rx Full Draw Review

If you've been bowhunting as long as I have been, you will probably remember those early-day rangefinders and the trepidation that came with all archery shots. After all, that was 100% the name of the game back then: If you didn't know your exact yardage, your shot was going to be off at least a little bit.

Granted, this was 30-plus years ago, and I'm talking about relatively short distances. Thirty yards was a long shot back then. Push it to 32, 35 or (gasp) 40 yards? That required some guesswork (and luck). Those rangefinders kind of did the job (if you can consider "pie plate accuracy" as doing the job), but the confident reliability just wasn't there. Sure, you'd get within a few yards here or there, but there was always an unknown element. Plus, those rangefinders didn't last but a few seasons.

The Leupold RX-FullDraw 4 Rangefinder is new for 2020.

That all changed in the 1990s when "electronic" rangefinders became more of a "thing." But even then, I remember using push-button rangefinders that were dang-near as big as a Kleenex® box.

OK, let's fast forward this to the here and now. Granted, rangefinders have been very reliable for the average bowhunter for, heck, almost 20 years. But when you check out what's new for 2020, you just might have your mind blown.

One of the most impressive new models that I have seen is the new RX-Fulldraw 4 from Leupold & Stevens (or simply Leupold as us older guys say; and by the way it's pronounced "Lew-poled" not "Leo-pold").

This is the fourth generation of the popular Fulldraw rangefinder (first introduced six years ago at SHOT Show). Aside from providing the outward quality that you would expect from this legacy brand, the RX-Fulldraw 4 includes some pretty serious technology. Specifically, it includes built-in, patented Archer's Advantage RX-Fulldraw software that allows you to program in your bow's draw weight, arrow velocity and peep height to calculate extremely accurate ballistic solutions.

Is that going to be a game-changer if you're shooting your compound 20 yards from a ground blind at a whitetail? Unless you're shooting from a steep angle, probably not. But it certainly will make a world of difference when you're pushing those distances to 40 and beyond, and even more so when taking those longer shots with a crossbow.

Leupold's Eric Overstreet puts it this way: "Your bow is custom-built to suit you, so your rangefinder should be, too. Archers know that even an inch can make a difference. The Fulldraw 4 is the rangefinder that will close that gap."

Another really cool feature is what they are calling Flightpath technology, which uses the same ballistic solution to determine if your arrow will clear obstructions between you and your target. Translation: It can actually detect if that branch is in the way. Pretty amazing, huh?

What about gun-deer hunting? It can easily double for those uses as well. Using a high-performance laser engine, this rangefinder provides incredibly fast ranging speeds out to 1,200 yards on reflective objects and 1,100 yards on things like trees, etc. When it comes down to brass tacks, this rangefinder promises accuracy to within 1/2 yard.

No, they are not giving them away. The retail price is a tad over $700, which obviously puts this into the premium category of rangefinding optics. However, the quality — from the glass to the chassis — is 100% Leupold quality. You will definitely notice it when you pick it up for the first time.

For more specs, information and options, visit the Leupold website.

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Leupold RX-FullDraw 4 Rangefinder

In case you haven't already seen it, DDH also featured the Leupold VX-Freedom riflescope on the DeerTech online series earlier this year. This is another new product for 2020.