What They Have in Common
Both are $299.99. Both do slope with a legal-play switch, so you can toggle it off for competition rounds. Both claim ±1 yard accuracy. Both use a red display. And honestly, that's where the overlap ends — these two go pretty different directions from there.
Where They Differ
Optics and Display
Nikon's optics are genuinely good. The COOLSHOT 50i GII is 6× magnification with a red OLED display — bright, clean, and easy to read in shade. OLED tends to pop more than traditional LCD, and Nikon's "Hyper Read" technology is designed to lock on the flag fast. The Shot Scope PRO ZR uses what it calls "dual optics LCD," which combines a red and black display. It sounds interesting, but Shot Scope hasn't published a magnification figure, which is a meaningful gap. Magnification is a pretty basic rangefinder spec — when it's missing, you're left guessing whether you're getting 5×, 6×, or something else. That matters for how clearly you can read a flag from 200 yards out.
Range Numbers
The PRO ZR claims 1,500 yards. The COOLSHOT 50i GII goes to 1,200 yards on objects and around 400 on a flag. Here's the thing about range specs: unless you're regularly ranging a tee sign on a 450-yard par-5, you'll never use the top end of either. Most approach shots are inside 200 yards. The extra 300 yards on paper is a marketing win for Shot Scope that probably never matters in practice.
Build, Weight, and Battery
This is where the information gap really bites the PRO ZR. Nikon publishes everything: 7.2 oz, IPX4 water resistance, a CR2 lithium battery rated for ~10,000 measurements. CR2 batteries are available at basically every pharmacy and big-box store, which matters more than it sounds — if you're mid-round and something goes wrong, you can solve it in 15 minutes. The COOLSHOT 50i GII also has a cart magnet built in, which is one of those small things you appreciate every single round once you have it.
Shot Scope lists only "water-resistant" with no IP rating, no weight, no dimensions, and no battery information. That's not necessarily a red flag about the product itself — maybe the PRO ZR is built well and just hasn't been fully specced out publicly yet. But you're being asked to spend $299 on a device you can't fully evaluate. That's a harder ask.
Warranty
Nikon backs the COOLSHOT 50i GII with a 5-year warranty. Shot Scope's warranty terms aren't in the available specs. Five years on a $300 rangefinder is genuinely good coverage — it signals the company expects the thing to last.
Who Should Buy Which
Get the Nikon COOLSHOT 50i GII if:
- You want to know exactly what you're buying before you spend $300 — weight, battery type, IP rating, warranty, all of it.
- You're the 14-handicap who plays twice a week and wants a grab-and-go device that works every time without thinking about it.
- The cart magnet matters to you. If you ride and you've never had a magnetic mount, you don't know what you're missing.
- You want Nikon's optics name behind the glass — probably because you've used Nikon binoculars or cameras and trust the brand.
Get the Shot Scope PRO ZR if:
- You're already using Shot Scope's GPS watch or performance tracking platform and want your rangefinder to fit that ecosystem.
- The 1,500-yard range genuinely comes up in how you use a rangefinder — maybe you like ranging the green from the tee box to plan your shot shape.
- You've handled one in person, so the missing specs are less of a concern because you know what you're getting.
- You prefer the dual-display look and the "DuraShield metallic" build sounds appealing for how you treat your gear.
The Bottom Line
At identical prices, the Nikon COOLSHOT 50i GII is the easier recommendation. The optics are strong, the specs are all published and reasonable, the cart magnet is a genuine convenience feature, and a 5-year warranty at this price point is hard to argue with. The Shot Scope PRO ZR might be a perfectly good rangefinder, but the missing specs make it a tougher sell when the alternative tells you everything upfront for the same money.
Get the Nikon COOLSHOT 50i GII.
See Also