Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized Rangefinder

The Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized was just recently released, but it’s already making pretty big waves in the golf world. I can tell you that’s for good reason – it’s the best rangefinder Nikon has ever made. With new stabilization technology and a strong list of features, you’ll be hard pressed to find many better rangefinders on the market this year.

Out of the Box

When I buy a rangefinder, I want to open the box, throw the battery in and start shooting distances.  I’m willing to accept a little time with a manual if the rangefinder is full of features.  The Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized certainly has a lot of features, but it’s still easy to get familiar with.  With a quick browse of the manual, I had a good understanding of the buttons and was off and running.  From that point, all I had to decide was what combination of settings I wanted to use.  I have my Coolshot Pro Stabilized set to Slope setting, Automatic brightness, and “yards” for the measurement unit.  Even if you don’t read the manual, the Coolshot Pro Stabilized is intuitive enough to use right out of the box.

Features

Warning: The Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized has a lot of features to cover, so settle in!

The hallmark of the Coolshot Pro Stabilized is its stabilization technology.  This feature makes the image in your rangefinder stay perfectly still so you can accurately hit your desired target and hold it.  I’ll elaborate more later, but this is the best stabilization tech I’ve seen in a rangefinder.

As expected from a top-end rangefinder, the Pro Stabilized has an option to have slope-adjusted distances turned on and off for legal play.  Yes Slope is illegal for tournament play so Nikon implemented an indicator on the outside that shows the rangefinder is not in Slope mode.  Additionally, Nikon’s Hyper Read returns accurate distances in about .3 seconds regardless of how far away the target is.

Other notable features include the green colored “locked on” indicator (which I love), a 6x monocular OLED display, waterproof design (filled with nitrogen to prevent condensation!), and eight second continuous measurement.

The Coolshot Pro Stabilized is PACKED with features and every single one of them performs well.

On-Course Performance

Let’s start by addressing the basics for the Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized.  This Coolshot is accurate, returns distances quickly, and is very precise in picking targets.  Where Nikon really knocked it out of the park was with the stabilization function.  Looking through the lens without pushing the power button, it looks like an earthquake.  As soon as you push the power button, the image just sucks into a perfectly still image.  Since letting multiple golfers try it, all have provided the same unsolicited response.  It sounds a little overstated to say, but the stabilization makes a very immediate and impressive impression.

The other feature that impressed me was the “Locked On” technology.  True, this isn’t revolutionary tech, but Nikon’s implementation is great.  The Coolshot Pro locks onto your desired target with ease and the bright green circle frames it.  What I appreciate about the Coolshot Pro’s locking tech is that it isn’t picky about its target.  You can actually get a lock on more than just a flagstick with reflectors on it.  Whether it’s a tree, a bunker lip, a pond, or a car down the street, the Coolshot Pro Stabilized will be able to lock onto it.  It’s important to note that the Lock On tech will lock onto the closest object in the field.  The example Nikon uses is that if a flagstick is in front of a tree, the rangefinder will lock onto the flagstick, not the tree behind it.

Final Thoughts – Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized Rangefinder

I’ve always thought Nikon made an impressive rangefinder in years past, but this is a new level for them.  The Coolshot Pro Stabilized is very reliable and has possibly the best stabilization tech in the game.  If you’re in the high-end rangefinder market, not considering the Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized would be a massive mistake.

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