Kestrel 5700 VS Kestrel Ballistics
For those entering the world of long range shooting it can be a pretty overwhelming world with plenty of false claims, snake oil salesmen, and consumerism which can set us back a paycheck or two in the blink of an eye. For myself one of the biggest improvements in long range shooting came when Kestrel teamed with Applied Ballistics to offer a hand held weather station with ballistics solutions. Still for years many people hung on to using the iPhone and Android apps or or the all in one Gunwerks laser range finders all the while scratching their heads while their shots went high, low, or outright disappeared. Still the Kestrel 5700 was and is expensive!! Lots of dough for what's essentially an analog computer;albeit a small one.
However, I was sold on it and I ordered mine the second it was available and I have not looked back! The Kestrel 5700 Elite is bar none the best device out there for solving ballistic solutions. And on top of the ballistics programs it also offers an extensive weather conditions monitoring system that is useful for hiking, assessing needed fluid intake, predicting storms, and orienteering.
But, still the price!! It's high for our average Joe, Bob, or Nancy. But is it? Is it really a high price for success, for meat in the freezer, family fed, successful hiking trip, competition win, or even that first round hit that saves you and your men? For me the answer is yes.
So, what do you do if you can't afford the Elite? You buy the Ballistics edition of course! Silly rabbit! And then when your partner isn't looking you add the Elite software! ;)
Compared to the Elite the Ballistics Edition is a little more than half price at $399.USD instead of $700USD.
Sure you lose a few things like multiple programmable targets but your average weekend warrior isn't engaging 7 threats or even 7 animals at one time. Maybe two but that's a story for another time.
The Ballistics edition may only hold 3 gun profiles too but there are days where I wish I only had three on my Elite after scrolling through 18 different profiles looking for the right one.
Look for my upcoming comparison video on YouTube at G7 Rangetech where I review loads of top notch essential long range gear.