Unfortunately, due to their size and weight, spotting scopes too often get left behind. Their bulk precludes them from being packed away, save for strapping one to the outside of a pack or range bag, and just a small amount of internal moisture can render carrying them an exercise in futility. Understanding these issues, Riton Optics branched out from its usual line of riflescopes and binoculars to create a solution that breaks the mold without breaking your back.
The 5 Primal spotting scope is a compact, angled-viewing optic designed to be as condensed as possible. It measures a paltry 12.5" overall thanks to a roof-prism system that bends light toward the user’s eye using minimal internal components. Weight is kept to a minimum by Riton selecting an aluminum alloy for the main body construction—which yields a product that weighs less than 3 lbs. The exterior is anodized a dark green hue and accented with rubber inlays for enhanced purchase, which is particularly useful during inclement weather.
Riton builds the spotter with high-density Extra Dispersion glass to maximize its effectiveness in all lighting conditions. Once the lenses are set in place, the entire unit is purged with nitrogen to ensure it remains waterproof and fogproof throughout use—the finished product qualifies for an IPX7 waterproof rating. This rating signifies that it can be submerged in one meter of fresh water for at least 30 minutes without sustaining moisture seepage. This is important should you slip and fall during a water crossing, a hazard that resonates deeply with our staff and many hunters.
Using a 60 mm objective lens and a 15-45X eyepiece, users can achieve an impressive field of view varying between 44 and 110 feet at 1,000 yards, depending on the power setting. This eyepiece simply threads into the body and is kept in place with a lock ring. Turning the adjustment collar clockwise increases magnification; counterclockwise does the opposite. Target focus is controlled via an adjustment ring located halfway up the main body.
We used our test sample while participating in a long-range shooting course that ran from dawn until nearly dusk; this gave us the opportunity to evaluate the 5 Primal in an array of lighting conditions. Upon the twilight of first light, the usual low-light challenges were present. However, since this hour is still before legal “shooting time,” this was not an issue. The spotter became adequately useful about 30 minutes later, and we became more and more impressed as the sun rose.
When that occurred, a patch of fog rolled in and obscured nearly anything we tried to view beyond the 300-yard berm. Despite the muggy weather, we noted that the interior of the optic remained fog-free. At full light, we found that target resolution within the shadows was excellent; there was only a slight hint of chromatic aberration, but even that was limited to only the lightest of objects. Users found that they were able to observe impacts out to 1,040 yards with the spotter in broad daylight and could even determine the sex of a curious turkey that visited the 600-yard berm later in the day.
Testers had positive remarks about the external functionality of the scope as well. Most referred to the adjustment tension as being “just tight enough”—not so stiff that twisting the controls changed the scope’s position, yet positive enough for fine-tuning. Additionally, the ability to rotate and lock its mounted position was appreciated, as was the onboard sunshade.
Overall, impressions of the Riton 5 Primal were favorable, and, for a scope that was meant to be taken along, we had a hard time prying it out of some testers’ hands.
