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Review of the Bushnell V5 Tour Rangefinder 2021

Review of the
Bushnell V5 Tour Rangefinder 2021

There aren’t many things you need to aim for that Bushnell doesn't have a solution for, whether it's animals, enemies or golf pins. The US-based firm is the market leader in optics, scopes and sights.

In the golf world, the Bushnell Tour V5 is among us. With the fifth edition now 20-odd years on from the original, we set out to discover if the favourite of pro caddies is also a good investment for the keen amateur. There are two V5 variants on the market - the V5 and V5 Shift. Which one is right for you?

Anyone who has ever shopped for a golf rangefinder knows that Bushnell models are used by almost every professional golfer on the tour circuits.

The Pro XE set the bar for GPS devices when it launched a couple of years ago. The V5 is pitched at a lower price point than its more expensive sibling, which makes it all the more accessible for club golfers.

Shop the Bushnell V5 Tour Rangefinder

Out of the box - how the Bushnell V5 looks

For the V5, Bushnell has opted for a sleek design. The battery has been moved to the rear of the unit to enable a slimmer and more ergonomic fit than its predecessor. The V5 is a tiny 8 ounces compared with 20 on the weightier XE. That’s mainly because the V5 lacks the metallic finish of the XE. It still looks high-end though, with a solid feel and a stronger case than the one that came with the V4.

You might even be a little surprised at how compact the V5 is, as it literally fits into the contours of the palm of your hand. Long gone are the days when rangefinders were the size of binoculars and the V5 is probably the sleekest option out there.

Back in the day, the Bushnell V3 model came with a silicone skin that could stretch over the rangefinder for added weatherproofing. The V5 was launched without a Bushnell skin, as the latest incarnation has a tougher case for improved water resistance. If you do still want to mix things up with a skin, you'll find third-party options on Amazon and similar websites.

You also get a Bushnell branded metal divot tool and ball mark thrown into the box. The whole thing takes seconds to set up by simply unscrewing the battery case, inserting the CR-2 lithium powerpack, and away you go. The battery is replaceable rather than rechargeable and the manufacturer recommends you change it every six months. We think you might get 40 to 50 rounds out of a battery, which is economical enough for most.

The Bushnell V5 - the basics

The Bushnell V5 is a laser rangefinder with a range of between five and 1,300 yards. The manufacturer specifications claim that it is accurate within one yard and it has a 6x optical zoom. If you’ve used previous versions of Bushnell rangefinders, you’ll be instantly struck at how much the optics have improved. The display is incredibly clear and is way ahead of most of the competition.

All Bushnell devices can be used with a free app with GPS so that you can see your hole from an aerial view on a smartphone. Actual GPS-integrated golf devices may bring extra information, but for speed of use, laser rangefinding technology is more than sufficient for most of us and is simply more accurate in providing yardage information.

Exploring the tech of the Bushnell V5

The V5 brings a new concept into pin seeking - Jolt. With Jolt, you fire the rangefinder at the pin and it will lock on the target, confirm it has done so with a red reticle in the viewfinder, and give a short vibration. That means you can be assured you haven’t fixed on a bush or signpost instead.

Jolt is great for those who may not have the steadiest of hands, meaning even a wobble or two will still accurately fix the device onto the pin. Jolt also eradicates any doubt about the accuracy of your reading. It may be a small thing, but for any golfer who repeatedly doubts their distance readings and club selection, the V5 just gives you a little more assurance before the swing.

The V5 also proves to be most adept at picking out the very top of a pin, even when the full flag wasn’t in sight. So, if you’re standing downhill from the green, you can still determine an accurate distance without having to hop up and down or move to a spot with a better view of the target.

The V5 Shift model comes with Slope technology. Slope is incredibly useful for rounds where you're looking to shave off strokes or for practice sessions. The V5 Shift also utilises a new proprietary Slope algorithm developed by Bushnell. It returns a very accurate percentage uphill or downhill reading to enable you to adjust your stroke accordingly. If you're new to using Slope, you will be amazed at the actual gradient of holes compared with how you've assessed them with the eye alone.

It’s not even that long ago that activating Slope on a Bushnell required you to access the rangefinder’s settings menu. The V5 Shift simply has an on/off button on the side. The same is true of switching between yards and metres; there’s a button for that too. However, if Slope is no use to you or if you want to omit any risk if you regularly play in competitive environments, then go for the V5 rather than the V5 Shift and save some cash while you’re at it.

Bushnell’s BITE technology on the V5 is super convenient. With a magnet that can withstand forces of 7 lb, you can simply pop the device onto your cart and it will happily stay affixed over bumps and jolts. That saves stowing the rangefinder back into a pocket after every shot or fishing around for it in the bag. Of course, BITE is only useful so long as you have a metal surface to fix the rangefinder.

Bushnell V5 - the verdict