There are a number of criteria that knowledgeable hunters and others needing a good spotting scope point to as "must meets, " by the way. For starters, it needs to be able to provide excellent magnification in even low-light conditions. Spotting scopes like those offered by Alpen accomplish this because their objective lenses (the ones at the front of the scope) are much larger, which allows maximum available light to enter through the objective.

Another aspect to a good spotting scope that hunters look for is the scope's ability to keep free of moisture or water. After all, what good is a scope out in the wilderness if its lenses fog up right away. Buying a scope that's not waterproof -- just to save a few bucks -- really ends up hurting more than it helps, it seems.

Keep in mind, though, that every scope needs to provide performance yet also be transportable in an easy fashion. This means it should be able to be hand-carried or at least placed into a backpack and then carried around. Even the most powerful of the Alpen scope line can be transported, either by hand, in a backpack or in a case. They also feature excellent angle of view in the eyepieces (up to 45 degrees), quality optics and ready zoom capabilities.

No scope is going to be much worth purchasing, though, if it doesn't come with all-weather capability and performance. Serious spotting scopes can do all of this with ease because their makers have devoted adequate resources to their manufacture, which then leads to excellent performance across a wide range of assessment criteria. This includes ergonomics and optical construction, both of which any Alpen scope has been certified to provide.

It would seem that almost every Alpen scope -- even those residing at the "value-priced" level -- delivers performance and quality with equal ease. All are shock resistant and waterproof, which are characteristics that scopes from competitor manufacturers at that price point can't seem to match, unfortunately. Almost all are also nitrogen-filled, meaning they'll be safe from fogging and water damage, which any good scope must promise to do.

Anybody considering stepping up to a quality spotting scope needs to look for certain attributes when it comes to these devices. For one, it should feature good magnification ability. At the least, go for the maximum performance allowed by the budget. It should be waterproof or there's not much use to purchasing it. Lastly, look for wide objective lenses so that it can "see" well in low-light conditions.

When the time comes to buy an Alpen spotting scope, make sure to go online and then do a little research, not only about an Alpen but also about just what constitutes a good scope. Keep in mind that scopes are rated partially on the basis of their magnification ability as well as how wide their field of view is. Make sure to decide which attributes are most important (it should at least be water and shock-proof) and then buy the scope that the budget can afford.

Alpen spotting scopes and the company's equally respected binoculars are the only optics to receive six "Best Buy" awards as seen in Outdoor Life magazine. To understand this amazing line of optics visit the Perception Optics site to see a full selection.