TideWe Laser Rangefinder HR-F700 Review

A good rangefinder is a must for deer hunting in the woods, particularly if you are an archer. Though we can practice at guessing distances, when it comes down to arrowing a deer we have been chasing, or gauging whether a bull elk is within bow distance, we want to be certain we have the right yardage before we make that shot.

The TideWe Laser Rangefinder HR-F700 is a great rangefinder at an unbeatable price tag. Out of the box, I noticed the sturdy-built case that easily attaches to my belt with a lanyard. That lanyard can then be attached to the rangefinder making it easy to slip on one-handed so that you won't accidentally drop in the tree. The rangefinder is very compact and fits easily on my belt. The flap on the case is equipped with a strong magnetic button that keeps the rangefinder securely stowed, yet very easy to open one-handed when gaining access. The HR-F700 has accurate measurements out to 700 yards with fast measurements at <0.5 seconds. This rangefinder comes with 6x magnification for easily finding your target. 

Upon removing the rangefinder from the case, I found it very lightweight, small, and it fits well in my hand. The HR-F700 comes with two buttons that are very easy to operate and change modes. Different modes available are straight-line vertical distance, horizontal distance for tree stands and other height difference situations, and speed to your target. A short press of the MODE button changes modes, while a long press of the MODE button switches from miles to kilometers. Holding down the power button will put the rangefinder in scan mode and report a continuous finding on whatever object you are currently scanning over.

Securing the rangefinder is also an easy task that can also be done one-handed with little to no trouble.

When put to the test in the field, the rangefinder was very easy to operate and produced very fast and accurate readings. The HR-F700 is very easy to steady and focus on your objective. On those longer distances or when the blood was pumping with excitement, quick help was available from my bow cam, or holding my hand next to the tree worked well as a great anchor point.

I found the scanning mode to be very helpful as well. When objects are moving, just hold down the power button and keep the crosshairs on it and it continuously reports the distance as it moves. Or if you have multiple objects, again, continue to hold down the power button and scan from one object to the other. This gives you the distance for each as it scans.

I also enjoy the feature of the rechargeable battery that came with an easy and versatile USB-C cable for recharging. With the clear view of the battery charge indicator in the viewfinder, I found it very easy to recharge the battery when returning to the truck after the hunt by plugging it into a DC charger. This was a charger that I had on hand for charging my phone. Being able to charge this way helps ensure that the battery is charged and ready for the next hunt. No more worry about if the battery will make it through the season or not.

The only downfall of the HR-F700 is the LCD display. An OLED display offering color helps in extreme low-light situations where the black from the LCD can tend to fade and make it difficult to read. If that is extremely important to you, head over to truwildlife.com and check out the TideWe HD-700E which features the OLED display along with some other great features, but be prepared to pay a bit more for that model.

All in all, the HR-F700 is a great rangefinder at a very economical price. If you're looking for an entry-level laser rangefinder, this is worth the look. The model also comes with a 1000-yard option for just a small price increase if the extra yardage is important to you. Be sure and check this rangefinder out by visiting truwildlife.com.