The Leupold BX-4 Range HD Gen 2 binoculars proved effective during a recent ibex hunt in Spain. (Photo by Jace Bauserman)
April 07, 2025
By Jace Bauserman
The Sierra Nevada Range came to life before my eyes. It was stunning. There wasn't much light, but I couldn't stand it any longer. I lifted Leupold's new-for-2025 BX-4 Range HD Gen 2 binoculars to my eyes and started scanning.
Before the trip, I had very little time to play with the rangefinding binoculars. Aside from tinkering with the numerous settings and functions (more to come), I spent no time glassing for critters with the optic.
As a fan of the original, I knew the second my eyes hit the two-position adjustable eyecups the Gen 2 would be better. The terrain jumped out at me. No, I didn't find an ibex, but I was picking up rocks, sticks, small trees, etc. I was glassing and had there been an ibex on that sheer mountain slope, I'd have seen it.I will discard an optic; I don't care if it provides immediate range to a mile on an animal if that optic doesn't help me dissect terrain and find critters. Leupold's all-new Range HD Gen 2 feature the Elite Optical System that boosts light transmission, reduces glare and allows colors to pop to life. I'm not an optical engineer, but I tested it head-to-head against its predecessor, and there's a 15-20 percent increase in optical clarity.
The BX-4 Range HD Gen 2 Setup Twist the battery cap in the middle of the focus wheel counterclockwise and insert the CR2 battery. Leupold provides a factory Default Setting, and this is what you see the first time you depress the circular, gridded power button on the unit's right side. I love the size of both the power and menu buttons. They are easy to find.
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The Center Focus Dial is smooth, and the right barrel diopter focuses the display. (Photo by Jace Bauserman) The unit comes pre-set to TBR mode (True Ballistic Range) in subfunction CDS, which displays the equivalent horizontal range, the angle of the shot and the selected ballistic group. For the pre-set, the selected ballistic group is 15, which, using Leupold's ballistic group selection guide found in the Gen 2 user manual, explains the caliber, bullet and grain weight the setting is for. Fantastic if you slop out and discover your rifle setup falls in the BG15 group. I wouldn't change a thing. This mode will give you everything you need when making a killing shot.
However ... Any rangefinding binoculars worth their salt will have plenty of setting options, which won't require a degree from MIT to operate. The Range HD Gen 2 are more than worth their salt. If you desire the actual line of sight to your target, push the power button, hold down the left circular, gridded menu button for a few seconds, and you can toggle through every mode and sub-mode the Gen 2 offers. Use the power button to toggle through modes and settings, and when the desired setting is discovered, press the menu button to select it. Simple.
While the primary modes of the Gen 2 include TBR, LOS, and BOW, other modes like CDS, MIL, HOLD, MOA, and TRIG are included to meet the demands of any shooting style. For instance, MIL displays your holdover in milliradians, calculated using the distance ranged, the shot's angle and the selected ballistic group. For more information on all other modes, read your user manual. Leupold has made the manual short, sweet and highly elementary for such a technological piece of hunting equipment. I appreciate that!
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Keep Playing I don't like factory settings. Of course, sometimes those settings are the best, but I want to play and learn my rangefinding unit. I suggest you do the same.
While hunting the mountains of Spain, I set my brightness to the highest of the three settings and left it there. The pre-set mode comes set at the medium setting. I never wanted to strain my eyes to see my readout, and I discovered that even during the brightest part of the day, the red LED readout jumped to life in the highest setting.
With only two buttons (Power and Mode) obtaining accurate ranges and making on-the-fly setting changes is easy. (Photo by Jace Bauserman) These rangefinding binos can be set to yards or meters. This helped settle a small argument in Spain. While my buddy was able to use his first-generation Leupold Range HDs to provide me with the 360-yard distance to my Southeastern ibex, my guide, who spoke highly broken English, did not.
I melted my ibex with one perfect shot. My selected ballistic group was 6—ideal for my 6.8 Western caliber and 175-grain Sierra Game King bullet. I love a single-range, one-shot kill. Be sure to check out the ballistic charts on pages 15 and 16 of the user manual.
However, my buddy wasn't with me when I settled my crosshairs on what I thought was a 275-yard mouflon ram. There was a right-to-left breeze between 5 and 7 miles per hour. I was completely prone, and when the shot broke, I saw a rock explode under the ram's belly.
I'm not saying I don't miss; I do. However, I was shocked after melting a 360-yard ibex and having supreme confidence in the rifle/scope combo. I felt a lot better when I pinged the rock where the ram was standing, and my BX-4 Range HD Gen 2 read 300.7 yards. Quickly, I toggled, changed the distance to meters, and got 275 on the nose. It was a communication issue, but confirming the yard/meter debacle with my rangefinding binos was so nice.
No matter the lighting conditions, the optical performance of Leupold's BX-4 Range HD Gen 2 proved supreme. (Photo by Jace Bauserman) Wait, There's More I used Leupold's BX-4 Range HD Gen 2 Rangefinding Binoculars for five days in some of the most hellish landscapes I've ever trekked. There were no issues. I dropped them twice. Once, they took a pretty good tumble. The next time I needed a range—this time for my good buddy who lined out on an ibex—the 377-yardage range arrived the second I put the red circle on the ibex and pressed the power button. There were no battery or angle compensation issues, and the rubber-armored magnesium alloy body promises great ergonomics while boosting optic protection.
The center focus dial is butter smooth. It doesn't stick and doesn't feel too loose. I despise a sloppy focus wheel. The right barrel diopter focuses the display, and eye cup adjustment is quick and easy.
What About Weight? Rangefinding binoculars are heavier than standard binos. They must be. Rangefinding binos have onboard rangefinding engine. I won't slug Leupold's new Gen 2 as ultra-light. They're not. However, I toted them in the same bino harness (my lucky harness) that housed BX-5 Santiam HDs, and the original BX-4 Range HD. They fit the harness like a glove and aren't hard to reach in and pull out—the rubber doesn't stick to the sides of the harness pocket.
I also want to note that after five days of walking in extreme country, hunting and packing animals out, I never once wished the binos around my neck were lighter. They felt a tad heavier when I put them in my bino pocket the first time, but 10 minutes later, I never knew they were there. Remember that whether you're rifle or bowhunting, carrying a single do-all optic is a solid idea.
The rubber-armored magnesium alloy body provides protection, feels great in hand, and the rangefinding binos balance remarkably well. (Photo by Jace Bauserman) Over five days, I found many animals in all lighting conditions. The tubes balance perfectly in each hand, and the weight adds an element of stabilization. The yardage readouts are impressive. I pinged two ibex beyond Leupold's branded 1,400-yard distance on deer-sized game.
Leupold notes the rangefinding binos are capable of pinging reflective objects out to 4,000 yards, trees to 2,000 yards and deer-sized game to 1,400 yards.
Bottom Line Leupold's BX-4 Range HD Gen 2 is lightyears ahead of its predecessor. It proved effective in the most daunting terrain I've hunted, and as a bowhunter, I appreciate the Gen 2's incorporation of Archer's Advantage.
The author and friend Rafe Nielsen celebrate after harvesting an Iberian mouflon ram. (Photo by Jace Bauserman) Also, because I wanted to push the battery life as much as possible, I ranged many different things. The battery indicator, which reads low when the unit drops below 25 percent battery life, never came on. It still hasn't.
If you're in the market for a new best-in-class rangefinding bino that doesn't break the bank, select from the 10x or 12x BX-4 Range HD Gen 2. Click here to watch a video on the new binoculars.
Specifications: Leupold BX-4 Range HD Gen 2 Binoculars Magnification: 10x/12x True Ballistic Range/Wind (TBR/W): Yes Inclinometer: Yes Scan Mode: Yes Line of Sight: Yes Compass: No Yards/Meters: Yes Bright Red OLED: Yes Last Target: Yes Battery Status Indicator: Yes Weight: 39 ounces Warranty: 2 years Waterproof: Yes To see more of the latest and greatest in hunting and fishing, visit here .
