Alpen Apex XP 10x42 ED Laser Rangefinder Binoculars

Choosing between a rangefinding binocular and a binocular plus a separate rangefinder comes down to one less step between spotting an animal and knowing its distance, against the freedom to upgrade either half on its own. The Alpen Apex XP 10x42 ED LRF (673LR) takes the one-tool side: ED glass, BaK-4 prisms and a laser rangefinder in one 2 lb magnesium body, with the distance shown in red in the right eyepiece. Alpen describes it as "combining two classical optical aids into one versatile unit", and of the three 10x42 rangefinding binoculars in Review This Thing's January 2025 side-by-side, the Alpen was "the most compact" and "the lightest".

Key Features

• Ranging. Alpen rates the 673LR to 5,000 yards on reflective targets, 1,500 yards on buildings and 800 yards on deer, accurate to ±1 yard inside 300 yards and ±2 yards from 300 to 1,500 yards.
• One reading or a scan. Press the measuring button for a single reading. Hold it for more than 3 seconds and it switches to scan, measuring continuously until you let go, for an animal on the move.
• LOS and HCD. LOS (line of sight) gives the straight distance. HCD, Alpen's setting for ground that requires angle compensation, gives the horizontal distance and the angle you are holding, read by an inclinometer to ±60°.
• Red OLED display with six brightness levels, yards or meters, and an auto-off display. Brightness, units and LOS or HCD are set from the menu under the mode button.
• Focus in two steps. Turn the right eyepiece ring until the display is sharp and focus the view with the center wheel, then set the left ring for your left eye (±5 diopters).
• Glass. Fully multi-coated ED glass, which Alpen says makes it "easier to scout targets in twilight or other low-light situations", and fully multi-coated BaK-4 prisms.
• Weather. Waterproof to IPX7, and nitrogen-filled so the lenses don't fog inside when the temperature changes.
• Power and laser. One CR2 battery, included, with a battery level indicator. Alpen's manual classes the laser as Class 1 under IEC 60825-1.

Who It's For

• Hunters who glass, then range, and want both jobs done without changing optics.
• Spot-and-stalk hunters on steep ground, where HCD gives the horizontal distance and the angle.
• Choosing within Alpen. The Apex XP 10x42 ED (653) has no rangefinder, weighs 24.8 oz to this model's 2 lb, focuses to 8.2 ft against 19.7 ft, and costs less. Pair it with Alpen's Crestone XP 7x24 rangefinder and the two weigh 31.4 oz together and still cost less, in exchange for a hand-off between two optics and a rangefinder rated IPX4. If you glass in eyeglasses, the Chisos 10x42 ED LRF gives 17 mm of eye relief to this model's 14.3 mm, eight display brightness levels with automatic adjustment, and costs less.
• Linking to a riflescope. Steiner's ePredator LRF 10x42 syncs with the Steiner Connect app and Steiner's ePredator riflescopes, offers four ranging modes, and costs more.

Accessories & Compatibility

• Tripod. A threaded socket sits under a cap at the far end of the center hinge; the tripod and adapter are not included. Alpen's tripod adapter works with any binocular that has the front adapter hole and any tripod with a 1/4-20 screw.