In 1988, Dr. Patrick Murphy and Robin Hines started Opti-Logic as a consulting company. During the company’s first years, it began working with DME Golf. Opti-Logic manufactured the units and DME Golf handled the marketing. “Laser rangefinders became very popular with the golf crowd in the early ‘90s. At some point we split—as all companies eventually do—and began manufacturing the laser rangefinders for ourselves,” recalled Michael A. Hammel, vice president of sales and marketing at Opti-Logic.

“Soon after that, we added the hunting marketplace and shortly after that what we call the professional market,” Hammel continued. “Around that point, we created and added the technology to measure tree heights, plots, cable length, and distance between power poles—features specific to the utility business. Our success in the professional market, combined with our new technological advances, brought us back into the golf market.”

Today, Opti-Logic has four feature divisions, hunting, professional, golf, and Mil-Tac (military/tactical). “The main website actually serves as a portal to individual sites for each of the four areas we focus on.

“Golf has been slow, but growing for a number of reasons—primarily the economy,” Hammel explained. “While hunting has also been growing slowly, it has been growing. This growth has allowed us to maintain our presence in the hunting or sports optics market with a particular focus on archery and bowhunting.”

Surprisingly, it has been the professional market that has been most vocal about increased performance, calling for both an increase in accuracy and optical performance. “The performance market applied the most pressure, but all of our divisions will see the benefits of increased accuracy and improved optics,” said Hammel.

Today’s global market has caused Opti-Logic’s borders to expand due to interest in Opti-Logic’s Mil-Tac division. “Recently, we experienced a large infusion to production with orders from the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). We created, designed, and built products to its requirements and are currently shipping these new models. Because the units were built to the IDF’s specs, it also meets or exceeds nearly all Mil-Spec requirements.

“Once the research and development has been completed, advanced technologies are logically incorporated into other models. About the same time we started shipping the units to the IDF, we also began spinning-off the features into other models. The first unit of this class for the civilian market was the Recon. Because the functionality is somewhat different, the software had to also be changed, but the Recon has all of the durability of the IDF models,” said Hammel.

The DME Golf unit had an interesting beginning. “It was designed with a red dot technology and no magnification,” Hammel explained. “The reasoning behind this decision was the rear-facing LCD display. Golf had a rule that players could not verbally discuss the distance. The LCD display was a way to share information without running afoul of the rule. The lack of magnification was chosen for ‘Older gentlemen’s hand shake.’ This resolved the issue and increased accuracy for this group. The draw back was the limitation in range. Without a magnified optic, the maximum range is from 400 to 600 yards before the user simply can’t see the target they are aiming at.”

According to Hammel the technology progression went like this. The DME was redesigned to essentially create the smallest laser rangefinder on the market today—the Micro—and was primarily designed for archers. While the DME (now called the Insight) was a horizontal unit, the Micro is vertically aligned and still incorporates the red-dot design and no magnification. The combination of these two units with the addition of a six-power lens (The Sabre) was the basis for the IDF unit and will accurately range targets out to 1,000 meters.

“We then created the Sabre in 600- and 1,000-yard variants. The Sabre reached a new level of superiority with the addition of superior optics, bringing it close to the level of a high-end binocular,” boasted Hammel.

What’s In It For Archers?

Each of Opti-Logic’s models has particular features that benefit individual archers in different ways depending on their needs. “The advantage of the Micro is, of course, its small size and ease of operation. With the Micro, the bowhunter simply has to press the button; put the dot on the target and release the button. The Micro—depending on model—will range targets out to 400 yards and ballistically compensates for targets out to 125 yards. The patented Vertical Arrow Compensation (VAC) accounts for arrow speed in the 225 to 325 fps range. All units will range a target as close as four yards.

“The same VAC technology is programmed in the Recon and Sabre. So at distances of 125 yards and less the VAC favors the archer, but at 126 yards and above, the VAC automatically switches to firearms ballistics,” Hammel explained.

For those not familiar with Opti-Logic, there are several factors that make this innovator worth a look. “First, I feel it is important to mention that all Opti-Logic products are proudly made in the USA; in today’s economic hardship we feel that producing our products and supporting the American economy is important,” Hammel said. “Second, we cater to the dealer and have packages that allow them to purchase as few as a single unit. Of course we would prefer a dealer purchase at least a few units so they have ‘one to show and one to go.’”

Opti-Logic rangefinders also report maximum range differently than many of their competitors. “We rate maximum range based on a ‘soft target’ (not retro-reflective). Retro-reflective values would increase our ratings two to four times, but simply are not indicative of what the actual user would be able to attain in the field. At Opti-Logic, we are interested in honest values a customer can count on, not a laboratory number generated to increase sales,” said Hammel.

Binoculars On The Way

Opti-Logic has been striving to produce a line of binoculars. There are very few binocular makers in the U.S. and finding quality glass made locally has proven to be quite a challenge. “Recently, we were pleased to find a manufacturer who can meet our high standards for both optics and quality. Offerings will soon include, 8x42s, 10x42s, 8x50s and 10x50s. All models will feature fully multicoated lenses and ED glass with lifetime warranties.

Opti-Logic: (888) 678-4564; www.opti-logic.com