Review by Nick Rositano 

New on the market from Leupold is its flagship rangefinder model – the RX-5000 TBR/W. The RX-5000 features an extremely accurate 5000-yard performance (reflective), 2000 yards on a deer and 3100 yards on a tree, which is somewhat impressive! Note, a rangefinder can ‘range’ on trees at further distances than on a deer because large trees offer more of a solid reflective surface which the laser can bounce off as opposed to a deer or other animal. 

 Not only is the RX-5000 capable of ranging to long distances, Leupold has paired the rangefinder to drop location pins right to your phone using the Leupold control app and other popular maps like onX hunt, Google maps and Apple maps with a simple click of a button. The RX-5000 features a bright red OLED display ensuring the user has precise and accurate readings no matter what the weather conditions are. Leupold has manufactured the housing to be waterproof to protect against any moisture including rain, snow and mud, so don’t be alarmed while out in the elements. Long Range mode on the RX-5000 helps the laser punch through moisture in the air to give precise readings regardless of the weather. 

Unboxing the unit for the first time, I was impressed with the designing that has gone into the RX-5000. The rangefinder comfortably fits in the palm of your hand while featuring a nice rubber grip making it easy to hold during any weather conditions. Leupold has paired the rangefinder with a stylish case, which is able to fit onto a binocular harness, belt, etc. The RX-5000 features a clear 8x magnification, making locking onto longer range targets effortless; it also has four different brightness settings allowing you to match the display intensity to most lighting conditions. The weight of the RX-5000 is 274 grams. Although a little heavier than basic rangefinders, it is easy to compromise with its impressive features! The Leupold RX-5000 TBR/W features True Ballistics Range, which provides custom readings based on distance, angle and your bullet characteristics. The RX5000 TBR/W sports an acra rail mount, which can be attached to a tripod in a matter of seconds. 

In my opinion, a rangefinder is one of the most important pieces of equipment a hunter should own. Taking the guesswork out of an object at a range but also allowing a hunter to be able to ethically take a humane shot, the Leupold RX-5000 takes the guess work out of this and more. 

It was time to do a bit of field testing and see what the Leupold RX-5000 could do. I started out down at the local range to gauge a picture of how accurate the RX-5000 is. Although my local range is only 300 metres, this was still a good indication, and the RX-5000 was on the money. It was time to put the RX-5000 through its real pace, out on a particular hunting property which consists of a lot of undulating gullies and patches of scrub. It was a crisp wintery morning, and I was hoping to be able to find some deer out feeding on the newly seeded paddock of barley. At the crack of dawn through my binoculars, I was able to see a couple of fallow feeding in the paddock. After locating the deer through my binoculars, I picked up the RX-5000 and locked on the laser, 752 metres away. With the wind in my favour, blowing in my face, I was able to come up with a game plan to close the distance dramatically and make an ethical shot. Closing the gap to around the 200-metre mark, with a bang the fallow doe didn’t move an inch. Using the Leupold control app and onX hunt app, I was able to mark locations of interest being tree rubs, and other areas where I had seen entry and exit points, which I could see in the distance through my binoculars. What this feature allows you to do is magical! Simply turn on Bluetooth and pair it with the Leupold Control app, which then allows you to transmit the GPS location to the map you are using. The RX-5000 will give an exact location once locked on to an object. The RX-5000 compensates and allows no loss or guess work, meaning if you follow the pin to the exact location, you won’t be disappointed. The RX-5000 allows you to pin exactly where the animal was last shot. It has happened to me in the past where I have lost the location of the animal I was hunting in the thick scrub and unable to track it, as I couldn’t find the location where the animal was first shot.  

Having exact locations pinned to your map of choice enables you to do a bit of reconnaissance on your hunting property once you return home and gives you an opportunity to decide moving forward how you can approach different areas and have the best success. I wish I had invested in such a unit earlier on, as this would’ve aided my retrieval of the animal as I would have had a starting point. The RX5000 features two-year electronics guarantee, where Leupold will replace it or repair it for free. The Leupold RX-5000 retails for approximately $1500, which is on the higher end of the market but with its features you can justify spending that little bit extra for the long-term gain! The RX5000 TBR/W is not an entry level rangefinder and will be best suited for those determined hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.