The Quick Verdict
Get the Garmin Approach Z10. It's $100 cheaper than the Bushnell Tour V6 Shift, still hits ±1 yard accuracy, and — more importantly — you can actually buy it new. The V6 Shift has been discontinued, which means you're hunting closeout stock and crossing your fingers on support. The Z10 is the one to get for almost everyone. The V6 Shift is worth a look only if you find it deeply discounted on clearance and you specifically want Bushnell's Visual Jolt feedback over Garmin's vibration lock. Check price at PlayBetter →
What They Have in Common
Both run 6x magnification and deliver ±1 yard accuracy — so neither one is going to be the reason you miss a green. Both use a CR2 battery (easy to find at any pharmacy mid-trip, no charging cable required), and both offer slope with a toggle for tournament-legal mode. That's the useful baseline. The differences are in the details.
Where They Differ
Display Technology
This is the most interesting gap between the two. The Bushnell uses an LCD. The Garmin Z10 uses what Garmin calls a transparent PDLC display (black). Neither maker publishes anything that says which reads better in sun or low light, and I haven't looked through the Z10. Whether you'll love it or find it distracting is genuinely personal. My read is that most golfers adapt quickly, but it's worth knowing you're getting something different from a traditional rangefinder.
Lock-On Feedback
The V6 Shift uses Bushnell's Visual Jolt — a quick visual confirmation when it locks the pin. The Z10 uses vibration. Neither approach is objectively better; it comes down to which feedback style you prefer. I'd guess a buzz in your hand is easier to notice in bright sun than a cue in the viewfinder, but that's a small edge, not a dealbreaker either way.
Water Resistance and Weight
The V6 Shift is rated IPX6 (protected against powerful water jets). The Z10 is IPX4 (protected against splashes from any direction). If you regularly tee off in genuinely nasty conditions — not just morning dew, but actual downpours — the Bushnell has a more robust rating. The Z10 is 2.4 oz lighter: 6.3 oz vs 8.7 oz. Neither is heavy, but if it lives in your pocket for four hours, less is less.
Extra Features on the Z10
The Garmin brings a few things the Bushnell doesn't. Range Relay sends your ranged distances to a compatible Garmin watch, handheld or the Garmin Golf app. Find My Garmin helps locate the unit if you leave it on a green (and you will, eventually). Neither feature is a reason to buy a rangefinder, but they don't cost you anything either. The Bluetooth also ties into Garmin's own ecosystem if you're already in it.
The Discontinued Problem
The V6 Shift is discontinued. That's not a minor footnote — Bushnell has replaced it with the Bushnell Tour V7 Shift, so what's left is closeout stock. I'd guess support thins out from here too. The Z10 is a current product. That matters if you're spending close to $400 and expecting five years of use out of it.
Who Should Buy Which
Get the Garmin Approach Z10 if:
- You want a current product you can buy new rather than closeout stock
- You're curious about Garmin's transparent PDLC display and want to try something other than an LCD
- Weight matters to you — you're a walker who carries, and every ounce adds up over 18
- You're the golfer who's left a rangefinder on the 7th green at least once and would genuinely use Find My Garmin
Get the Bushnell Tour V6 Shift if:
- You find it at a significant clearance discount (think sub-$250) and you're comfortable buying end-of-life inventory
- You play in heavy rain regularly and want the more robust IPX6 rating
- You've used Bushnell's Visual Jolt feedback before and strongly prefer it to vibration confirmation
The Bottom Line
The Z10 wins this comparison cleanly. It's $100 less, it's a current product, it matches the V6 Shift on accuracy and magnification, and it adds a few legitimately useful features. The V6 Shift has a better water resistance rating and familiar Bushnell feedback, but those aren't enough to make up for being discontinued at a higher price. If you can find the V6 Shift heavily discounted on clearance, it's not a bad rangefinder — but for full price? There's no reason to buy a discontinued unit over the Z10.