I’ve used the rangefinder out on the course, and have tested it against several other similar rangefinders in it’s price range, as well as some more expensive ones too, so here’s my Aofar GX-2S Golf Rangefinder review.
I recently tested the there best rated golf rangefinders on Amazon for under £100 and the Aofar GX-2S was the best. While is does sit slightly larger than other rangefinders in the hand, and some of the materials used do feel a little cheap, the rangefinder is easy to use and works really well out on the course.
If you’re thinking of buying the unit, I’ve included my my Amazon associate link here, where you can currently buy it at the time of writing for £90.
Looks and Design
Personally I like the look and style of the GX-2S. The combination of the black rubber elements, white and metallic red plastic case and decorative lines look good, and could easily be mistaken for a more expensive model. However, when you then hold the unit you can immediately tell it’s not a top of the line rangefinder. The plastic feels quite cheap, the buttons are small and the unit feels quite light for it’s slightly bulky frame. There are certainly slimmer models available, even for less than £100. However, at this price point, it’s more important for the unit to work well on the course rather than feel good, and thankfully it performed well out on the course.
Features
The GX-2S can provide a distance (in either yards or meters) from up to 600y and has a 6x magnification. It also has a flag lock function with a vibrate confirmation letting you know when it’s locked on. This is the most common feature I use when playing golf, and it worked really well for me. Occasionally it may lock on to trees behind the flag, but personally I just make sure I double check the yardage once or twice; the system works just as quick a premium rangefinder so there’s no harm in checking. In comparison with a more expensive model, the GX-2S seemed to be around 2 yards out when it came to distances over 150y, which for me isn’t an issue – I’m not a good enough golfer to worry about 2 yards!
The description on Amazon says the flag lock mode is available up to 280y. However as you can see in my video review, I managed to get the flag lock to work on a a 350y par 4! So long has you can keep your hand steady enough at those longer distances, this rangefinder should be more than capable for my golfers.
The GX2S also has a slope function which worked really well for me out on the course, and you have the option to turn it on or off by selecting the relevant mode, which means that you can use the rangefinder in a tournament.
The display is another key feature of the GX-2S. Of all the rangefinders I’ve tested in the sub-£200 price range, it has the best display. The image is nice an clear, and the circle target in the middle of the view finder makes it nice and easy to lock on to your target. Also, the focus wheel is really easy to use. Because it’s on a dedicated wheel rather than part of the whole viewfinder like on most other rangefinders, it’s really easy to adjust with one hand while still looking down the lens.
Battery
The unit uses a single CR2 battery, which is quite common for laser rangefinders. It’ll provide plenty of battery life, and there’s a helpful battery level indicator on the view finder to let you know when you need to buy a new one. The battery is located on the side of the unit, and screws out nice and easy. Although the description notes the unti as waterproof, there’s no rubber seal on the battery cover, so personally I wouldn’t want to use the Aofar in heavy rain,
Case
The GX-2S comes with a good quality hard case, that has a zip as well as a bungee cord for easy access when out on the course – it really gets annoying when you have to keep unzipping the case every hole to use the unit. The case also comes with a small Carabiner so it’s nice and easy to clip on to you bag,
The best golf rangefinder under £100?
I actually took it upon myself to buy the three best rated golf rangefinders on Amazon for under £100, and I found the Aofar to be the best of the three by far. While it was the largest of the units, it has the best viewfinder of the three, looked the best, had the best case and was the easiest to use. You can check out my full comparison in the video below.
Summary
Overall I was really impressed with the Aofar GX-2S golf rangefinder. It did everything I needed it to out on the course, while looking great, and all for under £100. Yes a rangefinder that’s triple the price will be made better and from nicer materials, and the yardages will be slightly more accurate, but if you’re a golfer on a budget considering a laser rangefinder, this could well be worth a look.
