Q: Should I buy a Garmin Xero X1i?
A: Short answer: Absolutely not, especially if you want to fill your freezer when hunting season rolls around. This review explains why we’re not fans of the Garmin Xero X1i, and lists a far better alternative for you to consider.
Q: What problems does the Garmin Xero X1i have?
A: These are the Garmin Xero X1i’s four biggest problems:
Far too much magnification for crossbow range. At typical crossbow distances, the Garmin Xero X1i’s fixed 3.5X magnification makes the target much more difficult to find in your scope. More info here.
An extremely narrow field-of-view of just 6.5 feet at 25 yards, versus 26.5 feet at 25 yards for the Sig Sauer EASY6-BDX 1-6X, which is what we recommend instead. More info here.
A $1,400 price, more than a better setup costs. You save about $20 with the Sig Sauer build we recommend, or about $150 if you already own a Sig BDX rangefinder. The build also outperforms the Garmin Xero X1i on every count. More info here.
A scope that sits too high and won’t take standard scope rings. The extra height hurts your cheek weld, and you’re stuck with Garmin’s mounting hardware. More info here.
Q: What’s the best alternative to the Garmin Xero X1i?
Q: What’s better than a Garmin Xero X1i?
A: No single product combines a rangefinder, a ballistic calculator and an illuminated holdover dot at 1X magnification. You build that combination yourself: a Sig Sauer EASY6-BDX 1-6X LPVO at about $1,000, a Sig Sauer KILO2200 BDX rangefinder at $130, and a Sightlok RF-1 mount at $250, which holds the rangefinder on your crossbow so you can co-witness the rangefinder and the scope. You get every feature the Garmin Xero X1i advertises. Here’s the Sightlok RF-1 on a rifle in the field. It mounts the same way on your crossbow:
Q: What’s a key advantage of the Sightlok RF-1 over the Garmin Xero X1i?
A: You can quickly detach the Sightlok RF-1 from the rail when you want to range a target you don’t want to point your crossbow at, and reattach when you’re done, while maintaining an accurate co-witness between your rangefinder and scope. With the Garmin, you have to point your weapon at whatever you want to range. This is a major disadvantage in the field.
Q: What about recoil? Can’t it damage my rangefinder?
A: No. A crossbow produces far less recoil than a .308 rifle cartridge, and our setup easily survives .308 recoil. Handheld rangefinders are designed to survive drops of about 3 feet, and the impact from a 3 foot drop can generate several thousand psi of pressure. In the RF-1, recoil presses on any one spot of your rangefinder about as hard as your thumb presses the range button, a few dozen psi at most. A few dozen psi is well under 1% of the pressure your rangefinder is built to survive in a 3-foot drop. At that margin, the chance of a crossbow shot damaging a healthy rangefinder in the RF-1 is effectively zero. In two years of selling the Sightlok RF-1, no customer has reported a rangefinder damaged by recoil. Read our full analysis of the recoil question and watch recoil test videos.
What about recoil? Won’t my rangefinder be damaged if I mount it to my rifle?
To understand the probability of damage from recoil to your rangefinder, we must take into account how much force is being applied by common rifle cartridges like the .308, how that force is distributed, and roughly how close that comes to the amount of force necessary to actually damage your rangefinder.
How much force?
The amount of force is not that great. For example, in the case of a .308, the cumulative force of the recoil is about equal to the force of you picking up your rangefinder and squeezing it hard for a few thousandths of a second.
How is the force distributed?
Beyond the actual amount of force is an even more critical factor: How the force is distributed. Sightlok RF-1 uses 3M impact-absorbing rubber to hold the rangefinder and evenly distribute the recoil forces while simultaneously shielding sensitive areas like the buttons, the laser aperture lenses, the ocular, and the ocular lenses from impact. Lastly, when the rangefinder is held in the RF-1 mount, recoil force travels straight back along the bore axis, rather than to corners or edges where impact forces can cause more damage. The result of these mitigating factors is that recoil generates about the same amount of pressure on your rangefinder as you exert when you press the range button.
Typical standards for rangefinder durability
Handheld rangefinders are designed to survive drops of about 3 feet, and the impact from a 3 foot drop can generate several thousand psi of pressure.
How close does recoil come to causing damage?
In the RF-1, recoil presses on any one spot of your rangefinder about as hard as your thumb presses the range button, a few dozen psi at most. A few dozen psi is well under 1% of the pressure your rangefinder is built to survive in a 3-foot drop. At that margin, the chance of a .308 shot damaging a healthy rangefinder in the RF-1 is effectively zero.
No reported failures
In two years of selling the Sightlok RF-1, no customer has reported a rangefinder damaged by recoil.
Recoil tests on video
Below, a US military rifleman tests the Sightlok RF-1 with recoil from two common cartridges.
Sig Sauer KILO1000BDX versus .308 rifle recoil:
Sig Sauer KILO1000BDX versus 6.5 Creedmoor rifle recoil:
Q: What about the rangefinder remote? Don’t I lose that feature with the Sightlok RF-1?
A: Yes, you do lose that feature. The Garmin has a wired remote. A Sightlok RF-1 setup typically does not (unless you are using a rangefinder with a wired remote like the LE032). This means rather than triggering your rangefinder with your right hand by pressing a remote switch near the trigger, you typically mount your rangefinder on the left or top of your scope, and press the range button with your left hand while holding your crossbow with your right. This works fine if you shoot off a tripod, bipod, bag, etc., but it’s a disadvantage if you shoot with nothing to support your crossbow except your left arm.
Q: What about weight? Does the Sightlok RF-1 solution weigh more?
A: Yes, slightly.
| Part | Garmin Xero X1i | Sig Sauer build |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | 30.4 oz for the whole unit (scope, rangefinder and mount in one) | Sig Sauer EASY6-BDX 1-6X: 18.9 oz |
| Rangefinder | Sig Sauer KILO2200 BDX: 7.5 oz | |
| Rangefinder mount | Sightlok RF-1: 7 oz | |
| Scope rings | 30mm rings: about 2 oz | |
| Total | 30.4 oz (1.9 lb) | about 35.5 oz (2.2 lb) |
| Difference | The Sig Sauer build weighs about 5 oz more | |
You carry an extra 5 ounces, but reap the massive benefit of a 4X larger field-of-view, which is a game-changer when it comes down to filling your freezer. The tradeoff is easily worth it.
Q: What about the Garmin Xero X1i vs the Burris Oracle X?
A: We think the Burris Oracle X (2-7X) is far better because 2X minimum magnification is far closer to what you want for crossbow hunting than 3.5X, but why settle for 2X when you can have 1X with the Sig Sauer EASY6-BDX 1-6X? Read our report on the Burris Oracle X.
👉 Read below for the full breakdown, including the field-of-view numbers and answers to the questions buyers ask most.
Or jump straight to an answer: Is the Garmin Xero X1i worth it? · See all FAQs
1. The Garmin Xero X1i’s Fixed 3.5X Magnification Is Wrong for Crossbow Range
We’re outspoken critics of excessive scope magnification. There’s a common misconception among hunters, shooters, and even scope manufacturers that more magnification is better. People think that more magnification allows them to “see better,” when in fact more magnification usually results in “seeing less” and “seeing worse.” The Garmin Xero X1i is a classic case of an over-magnified optic.
The Average Crossbow Hunting Distance Is 22 Yards
A 2014-15 survey of 3,044 hunters found the average crossbow shot that HIT the target was just 22.4 yards, while the average MISSED shot was 32 yards. Even with today’s faster crossbows, the vast majority of successful crossbow hunts still take place at less than 50 yards. At those distances, a crossbow scope absolutely needs to start at 1X power.
Even a 2X Minimum Is an Impediment
At 15-35 yards, the field-of-view at 2X is already too narrow. Instead of hunting wild game, you’re hunting around trying to ACQUIRE THE TARGET in your scope.
2. The Garmin Xero X1i’s Field-of-View Is Just 6.5 Feet at 25 Yards
The Garmin Xero X1i’s field-of-view is way too narrow. Here it is at three distances:
| Distance | Garmin Xero X1i field-of-view |
|---|---|
| 100 yards | 26 feet |
| 50 yards | 13 feet |
| 25 yards | 6.5 feet |
You get six and a half feet of field-of-view at the distance where most crossbow hunters actually shoot. A deer at 25 yards barely fits inside the field-of-view, and a moving animal leaves it entirely. By comparison, a Sig Sauer EASY6-BDX at 1X gives you 106 feet of field-of-view at 100 yards, nearly four times the Garmin Xero X1i’s 26 feet.
A field-of-view this narrow means less food in hunters’ freezers, and many hunters don’t know enough about optics to realize their scope is to blame.
3. The Garmin Xero X1i Costs $1,400, More Than a Better Setup
The Garmin Xero X1i is overpriced at $1,400. Here’s what the build costs:
| Part | Garmin Xero X1i | Sig Sauer build |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | $1,400 for the whole unit (scope, rangefinder and mount in one) | Sig Sauer EASY6-BDX 1-6X: about $1,000 |
| Rangefinder | Sig Sauer KILO2200 BDX: $130 | |
| Rangefinder mount | Sightlok RF-1: $250 | |
| Total | $1,400 | about $1,380 |
| Difference | The Sig Sauer build costs about $20 less | |
The build costs about $20 less than the Garmin Xero X1i. If you already own a Sig BDX rangefinder, and plenty of hunters do, you don’t need the KILO2200, and you pay about $1,250, about $150 less than the Garmin Xero X1i. The cheaper option is also the better one. See the advantages of the Sig Sauer build.
Here’s the biggest hidden cost of the Garmin
You’ve sat in that stand since before first light. The deer steps out at twenty-five yards, and instead of putting the crosshair on it you’re sweeping a six-and-a-half-foot field-of-view around the woods trying to find the animal you can plainly see with your naked eye. By the time you get it into your sights, it’s gone. You drive home with an empty cooler and a $1,400 scope on your crossbow.
How do you put a price on that? Missing that deer costs you far more than the $20 price difference between the Garmin Xero X1i at $1,400 and the Sig Sauer build at about $1,380.
4. The Garmin Xero X1i Mounts Too High and Won’t Take Standard Rings
The Garmin Xero X1i sits higher above the rail than it needs to, and the extra height hurts your cheek weld and your consistency. The Garmin Xero X1i also doesn’t work with standard scope rings, so you can only use Garmin’s own mounting hardware. The Sig Sauer EASY6-BDX sits lower and takes ordinary rings.
Advantages of the Sig Sauer Build Over the Garmin Xero X1i
- At 1X, you can use the EASY6-BDX with both eyes open, like a red dot
- Much longer battery life, better glass, more durable
- More elevation and windage adjustment, better reticle
- Applied Ballistics, and higher resolution internal LED hold points
- Better rangefinder and more rangefinder options
- You can detach the Sightlok RF-1 and your rangefinder from the rail to comply with state laws that restrict rangefinders on crossbows. Check your state’s regulations.
Try the Sightlok RF-1 on Your Crossbow
With the Sightlok RF-1, you can:
- Quickly detach the RF-1 from the rail when you want to range a target you don’t want to point your crossbow at, and reattach when you’re done, while maintaining an accurate co-witness between your rangefinder and scope
Is the Garmin Xero X1i worth it? Is the Garmin Xero X1i any good?
Why do I need a Sightlok RF-1 instead of a Garmin Xero X1i if I already have a scope and a rangefinder?
Because a handheld rangefinder in your pocket doesn’t help you at the moment of the shot. With the Sightlok RF-1, you mount your rangefinder on your crossbow and co-witness the rangefinder with your scope, so you range exactly where you’re aiming.
Who is Sightlok?
Sightlok publishes factual, unbiased reports and reviews on electro-optics gear, especially weapon-mounted laser rangefinders (WMLRF). We are the world’s leading independent expert on WMLRF options. We also design and build the Sightlok RF-1. Our goal is simple: help you find gear that fits your needs, and help you avoid gear that doesn’t.
Where does this information come from?
We base these reports on our own field experience with the products, on conversations with our customers, and on posts from respected members of forums like Snipershide, Rokslide and LongRangeHunting.
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Ready to Build a Better Crossbow Setup?
Pair the Sightlok RF-1 with a Sig BDX rangefinder and a Sig Sauer EASY6-BDX 1-6X scope.
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Mount your rangefinder to your weapon
The Sightlok RF-1 is a Picatinny / Weaver rail mount that turns the handheld rangefinder you already own into a weapon-mounted laser rangefinder.
