Paul Austin reviews the new Hawke Endurance ED H5 spotting scope, which offers exceptional clarity at extreme range to track those long shots!
With the increasing popularity of digiscopes, whether they be NV or thermal, some form of long-range spotting is becoming increasingly important. At a 50m range you can just about get away with field binoculars on smaller calibres, but beyond that you can really struggle when it comes to fine tuning a zero.
Marching back and forth to the target is an option (and an irritation) if you’re zeroing in the field, but it’s obviously not something you can do easily on a public range. The answer is of course a dedicated spotter.
I’ll be honest and admit that you don’t necessarily need something of the quality, size and cost of the Endurance ED for simply zeroing a rifle, but if you have other applications in mind – long-range spotting in the field or long-range precision, not to mention more general nature observation – the Endurance ED has huge appeal. It really is a fantastic optic, delivering a crystal-clear image with no noticeable chromatic aberration courtesy of its ED glass, alongside extreme magnification reaching all the way out to 75x.
During testing I pointed the Endurance across a valley towards some farm buildings on the opposite ridge. Some 100m beyond the buildings a line of fence posts ran along the skyline. The knots in the barbed wire could be seen clearly, along with the squares of sheep fencing beneath. No hint of chromatic aberration whatsoever. My range finder pinged the building at 1,230m.
My next target was a bird feeder only 5m away, a quick zoom out and refocus with the top-mounted dual-focus wheels, one for large-scale adjustment and the second for fine tuning, and half a coconut came into sharp relief, along with a swarm of blue tits determined to make the most of the free meal.
The build quality is excellent, with a large mount and adjustable ring that allows you to pivot the entire scope to the most comfortable viewing angle. The ocular is large, so if you plan to add a camera or smartphone mount you will need a sizeable clamp, although Hawke do offer a dedicated camera mount as an optional extra.
Optically I can’t fault it and if you want the best image possible ED glass is definitely the way to go. Bright from edge to edge with excellent contrast and low-light performance, the Endurance is impressive, if a little expensive. Having said that, compared with a Swarovski spotter or something similar it’s a real bargain.
The supplied carrying case is excellent, completely protecting the scope while still allowing easy access to all the controls via well-designed Velcro panels and attached lens coverings, which supplement the rubber lens caps that ship with the optic.
The Endurance ED H5 is a pricey option if you’re just monitoring group sizes at the range, and there are cheaper alternatives from Hawke that will do that job equally well. However, if you need exceptional clarity at extreme range and have other applications in mind, it’s a fantastic optic and worth serious consideration.
Tech specs
Eye relief: 20mm – 08”
Close Focus: 5m – 16ft
Field of View: 30-15.5m @1000m 90-46.5ft @1000yds
Field of View: 1.7-0.9°
Exit Pupil: 3.4-1.1mm 0.13-0.04”
Lens Coating: Fully Multi-Coated
Prism Type: BAK4 – Porro
Eye Cup: Twist-Up
Focus: Dual Knob (Fine & Corse)
Digi-Scope Compatible: Yes
Supplier: Hawke
Web: uk.hawkeoptics.com
Price: £779