In this post, I’m going to be sharing my honest thoughts after using the Pinned Prism+ rangefinder for 7-8 rounds of golf. I’ll also be comparing it to my Bushnell V6 Shift, which is $140 more expensive.
I’m going to do my best to share whether I think this rangefinder is worth it, and if it is, who should consider it (and who shouldn’t). I wasn’t paid to write a positive review, so I’m free to say exactly what I think.
Note: I know 7-8 rounds isn’t enough time to fully test the product, mostly with the durability. I’ll continue using the Prism+ and will update this post as soon as it’s required (good or bad).
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you’re looking for a rangefinder that has clear and bright optics with a color-display, but don’t want to spend a fortune, the Pinned Prism+ is one of the best options. It’s clearly better than the $100 rangefinders I have and is just as accurate as my more expensive Bushnell.
Pros & Cons
+ The price is pretty good for what you get
+ It comes with a color-display
+ The accuracy is as good as any
– The durability hasn’t been proven long-term
Pinned Golf Prism+
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My First Impressions
When it comes to rangefinders, most people are familiar with brands like Bushnell and Nikon. These companies have been around for a long time and make some solid products.
The only problem is that rangefinders from these brands are expensive. My Bushnell V6 Shift is between $350-400, depending if it’s on sale.
A lot of people don’t want to spend that much.
Over the past 5-10 years, a lot of new companies have come out offering alternatives. They’ve been pretty hit or miss for me. Some have been great. Some haven’t.
One of those companies is Pinned Golf.
This is the first product from them that I’ve got my hands on, so I was very curious to see how it would perform, and more importantly, how durable and well-built it is.
I’ve since got my hands on their Sound Stick Pro and their Caddie GPS Tablet.
Anyways, back to the Prism. When you open the box, you’ll find the Prism+ rangefinder, a magnetic carrying case, a carabiner, ball marker, and the charging cable. All pretty standard.
Let’s first talk about the build quality. I have experience with an expensive Bushnell rangefinder as well as one of the $50 ones you’ll find on Amazon. There is generally a clear difference in how solid and well-built they feel.
The Prism is definitely closer to the Bushnell. The only thing I’ll say is that the Bushnell is a bit more ergonomic to hold and has a bit more grip. Not a huge deal though.
I don’t want to smash it on the ground to test the durability, but I did drop it 10x on the grass from waist height. Everything held up fine.
Again, I’ll continue to update this post to give a better idea how it holds up over time.
The Prism has a waterproof rating of IPX54, which means it’ll handle splashes and basic dust. The Bushnell has a slightly higher waterproof rating.
The size of the device is pretty standard. I have smaller units and I have bigger ones. It’s the perfect size for my hands, which are pretty average.
If you’ll be playing tournaments, you’ll need a physical switch on the side to turn off slope. The Prism has that.
It also has a magnet on the side to attach to carts. Most units have this, but I thought I’d point it out anyway. Just remember to grab it when you’re done your round, I’ve almost lost it a couple of times. At least it’s a brighter color.
What I Like
It’s just as accurate as my Bushnell. This is really the only thing that matters, kind of obvious. Compared to my Bushnell, the Prism was:
- Within 1 yard at 164 yards
- Within 1 yard at 368 yards
- The exact same at 415 yards
This was straight-line distance and slope. So, very accurate at a range of distances.
It has 7x magnification. This could be a positive or negative, depending on what you’re looking for. For me, I prefer it over the 6x mag on my Bushnell.
7x magnification will make the target look bigger. The target will look smaller with 6x mag, but the field of view will be wider.
I prefer the 7x on the Prism because it’s a bit easier to target the pin at distance. Not to say it’s noticeably better than the Bushnell, just a touch easier.
It has a color display. The main knock I have with the Bushnell V6 is that it doesn’t have a color-display, meaning the yardage numbers show up in black. It’s perfectly fine 95% of the time, but in certain situations, it can be tough to see the numbers.
The Prism+ will show you the yardages in bright red, which is very easy to see in all light conditions. This is one of the main reasons to upgrade from a cheaper $100 unit.
The optics are brighter than my cheaper units. Another reason to upgrade from a cheaper unit is that the optics are better and brighter. The cheaper units I have tend to look a bit yellow compared to the Pinned and Bushnell.
It works just fine during the day, but you’ll really notice a difference when it’s darker out (early morning or evening golf).
The price is pretty solid. $250+ isn’t cheap by any means, but what you get for the price, is very solid. Especially when the Bushnell I have is $140 more expensive.
Is There Anything I Don’t Like?
The only thing to consider is that Pinned Golf hasn’t been around for 30+ years like Bushnell and Nikon. That doesn’t really say anything, but they don’t have the same long-term track record.
With Bushnell and Nikon, you know what you’re getting. You’re paying for it, but you know you’ll be getting a well-built device that’ll last a long time.
I haven’t run into any issues at the time of writing this. That said, I’m very curious to see how it holds up over time because I really have no idea.
The good news for you is that I’ll be testing it over the next few years and will update this post with anything I find.
Should You Buy The Prism+?
Having used the Prism+ for 7-8 rounds and comparing it to devices that are cheaper and more expensive, it’s probably my favorite rangefinder for the money and is the one I’ll be using.
I like the Prism because:
- It’s brighter than the cheaper units I have
- It’s a bit easier to use compared to my Bushnell
So, if you’re looking for a solid rangefinder and you don’t want to spend a fortune, I think you’d love the Prism.
Pinned Golf Prism+
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With all that being said, I wouldn’t say it’s the best choice for everyone. If you don’t play often or you still think it’s a bit expensive, there are rangefinders that are quite a bit cheaper that work really well.
You just won’t get the color-display and the optics won’t be as clear/bright. If the main things you care about are accuracy and price, you really don’t need to spend too much.
You can see our updated list of favorite rangefinders HERE (coming soon).
Let’s hear from you – If you’ve used any of the Pinned Golf rangefinders, what has been your experience? Leave a comment below.
