Bushnell A1-Slope Review — Bushnell Goes Pocket-Sized, and Nails It

I really love pocket-sized rangefinders. It’s become one of my favorite sub-categories in golf gear—something I didn’t expect not that long ago.

Truth is, I used to be skeptical. I assumed these micro models were gimmicky. A novelty. Maybe even a little toy-like. I didn’t see the appeal, especially compared to the more traditional, full-sized laser rangefinders that felt more substantial in the hand.

Then I played a few rounds with the Voice Caddie Laser FIT, and everything changed. Carrying a rangefinder in my pocket all round long turned out to be a convenience upgrade I didn’t know I needed. I didn’t have to dig into my bag or fiddle with a case every time I wanted a number. My rangefinder was just… always there. Ready. Accessible. Seamless.

And importantly, it wasn’t a distraction in my pocket. I wasn’t wearing cargo shorts or anything with excessively large pockets. Just standard golf shorts. As long as I wasn’t loading that same pocket with tees, golf balls, and ball markers, it worked great.

So when Bushnell, the undisputed king of laser rangefinders, announced at the 2025 PGA Show that they were entering the pocket-sized arena, my ears perked up. This wasn’t just another micro rangefinder. This was a Bushnell product. That meant build quality, precision optics, thoughtful features, and high expectations.

Let’s dig into what makes the Bushnell A1-Slope so interesting, how it stacks up against the competition, and where it fits in the growing world of micro rangefinders.

Bushnell Enters the Micro Game

 

 

Let’s start with the headline: The A1-Slope is Bushnell’s smallest rangefinder ever, and it’s priced at $299.99.

The A1-Slope introduces three big firsts for Bushnell:

• Their first true pocket-sized rangefinder
• Their first rangefinder with a rechargeable battery (via USB-C)
• Their first rangefinder with a removable magnetic skin

It’s clear Bushnell isn’t just dipping a toe into the compact space. They’re planting a flag.

Why else would they put this much innovation into a micro model? This is a purpose-built, premium-feel rangefinder designed to compete in a class that I think we may see some fast growth in.

Pocket Rangefinder with a Twist: Magnetic Skin

 

 

One of the most unique features with the A1-Slope is what Bushnell calls the “magnetic skin.” Out of the box, the A1-Slope comes wrapped in a removable rubberized outer layer that includes a built-in BITE magnet, letting you stick the rangefinder to a golf cart or any metal surface.

Remove the skin, and the device becomes significantly slimmer and much more pocket-friendly.

So, you essentially get two modes:

• Magnetic mount mode (skin on)
• True pocket-carry mode (skin off)

Personally, I love the versatility. If I’m riding in a cart, I’ll sometimes throw the skin back on to take advantage of the magnet. But when I’m walking or playing fast, I remove it and go full pocket mode.

But a few notes:

• Even with the skin removed, the A1-Slope is larger than the Laser FIT. Not by a huge amount. But when we’re talking pocket carry, even a little size difference matters.
• You can comfortably carry the A1-Slope in your pocket and play golf without noticing it (at least I can), but only when the skin is removed.
• Taking the skin on and off is a bit of a hassle. It’s tight. That’s probably a good thing in terms of fit and durability, but it’s a bit like peeling off a too-tight wetsuit. You’ll probably choose a default mode and stick with it most of the time.

I’ll spend a fair amount of time in this review comparing the A1-Slope to the Voice Caddie Laser FIT. And while there are a number of areas where the Laser FIT actually out-performs the A1-Slope, just remember that the Laser FIT does not include any kind of magnet option. Score one for Bushnell in that category.

 

 

Why Small Rangefinders Are a Big Deal

When I first started playing with pocket-sized rangefinders, I didn’t expect to love the concept as much as I do now.

But then I realized just how damn convenient these little things can be. Your rangefinder is always on you—literally. No unzipping a case. No walking back to the bag. No searching the cart. Just reach into your pocket and fire.

So, of course, one of the first things I tested with the A1-Slope was: Can I carry this in my pocket for a full round without it bugging me?

And the answer is: Yes, but only with the skin removed.

 

 

With the magnetic skin on, the A1-Slope is just a bit too bulky to ride comfortably in-pocket, at least for me. But once you remove it, the device slims down enough that I could play a full 18 holes with it tucked in my front-left pocket and barely notice it was there. No interference while walking. No swing distraction. No awkward shifting around.

Was it quite as invisible as the Laser FIT? Not quite. At 5.1 ounces, 3.75 inches long, and 2.36 inches high, the A1-Slope is more than an ounce heavier and close to a half-inch longer than the Laser FIT.

In this category, even small differences are noticeable when you’re going for true in-pocket play. But I still found the A1-Slope to be completely viable as a pocket-carry rangefinder.

And, like I said, once you experience that level of convenience, it’s hard to go back. Pocket-sized rangefinders don’t just save time, they make the game feel smoother.

I know that this style of rangefinder won’t be for everyone. Plenty of golfers will stay firmly entrenched in the bigger-is-better camp. And that’s cool.

But it’s nice to have choices. Especially, I think, if you’re a regular walker. Anyone who walks knows that every bit of size and weight matters. That’s why golf bag manufacturers work so hard to find ways to make things lighter and less bulky.

And now that Bushnell has rolled out its own micro rangefinder model, it just instantly legitimizes the whole product class. It will be interesting to see where it goes from here, and if we can continue to see more competing products or other engineers come up with ways to get just as much performance out of even smaller packages.

One thing that’s interesting to note is that this A1-Slope, at $299.99, is the same price as a Bushnell Tour V6. Granted, the V6 doesn’t include slope. You’ll have to pay another $100 to step up to the V6 Shift for that. But still, some users are going to see a $299.99 A1-Slope as something of an overpriced toy compared to the larger, more substantial V6.

Build Quality: Classic Bushnell

 

 

This is where the A1-Slope really separates itself from the Laser FIT.

The build quality is excellent. No surprise. It’s Bushnell.

It’s got the same robust durability, refined look, and polished finish that you expect from Bushnell’s larger premium rangefinders. The buttons are solid, the housing feels well-machined, and everything about the A1-Slope feels like a smaller version of Bushnell’s flagship products, not a cut-down compromise.

This is where the Laser FIT falls short. It’s impressively featured for its price, but it does feel more plasticky and lightweight, and the difference in materials is noticeable.

If you care about feel-in-hand, visual design, or long-term durability, the A1-Slope is clearly the higher-end device. It just feels more solid and legitimate.

Optics That Impress, but Not by Much

 

 

Both the A1-Slope and Laser FIT offer 6x magnification, and both deliver slope-adjusted yardages.

Bushnell is known for its optics, and the A1-Slope lives up to that rep. The lens is clear, the reticle is sharp, the target acquisition feels confident and clean. It’s Bushnell. And the optics are just like you’d expect from Bushnell, which is to say pretty much perfect.

That said… the Laser FIT’s optics ain’t too shabby either. In fact, they’re quite good. Maybe not as overall refined as the A1-Slope, but very close. In side-by-side use, I’d give the edge to Bushnell, but not by a wide margin.

It’s impressive how close the Laser FIT comes, especially considering it costs $100 less.

Buttons: Advantage Voice Caddie

 

 

One area where I actually prefer the Laser FIT is the button design.

The buttons on the A1-Slope are slightly more recessed, and while they look sleeker, they’re a bit harder to locate and activate by feel, especially if you’re wearing a glove.

The Laser FIT’s buttons are more tactile, more “clicky,” and just a little simpler to operate.

It’s a small thing, but on-course usability often comes down to the little things.

Now, once you do hit those buttons, I think the Bushnell is a smidge faster in reporting the distances than the Voice Caddie. But it’s fairly close.

I also prefer the vibration confirmation with the A1-Slope. It’s a bit stronger and more confidence-inspiring than the Laser FIT.

Slope Mode + Rechargeable Battery

 

 

As the name suggests, the A1-Slope includes slope-adjusted yardages, just like the Laser FIT. That’s an essential feature in this class, and both devices have it covered.

I’ve also got no reason to quibble with either device’s accuracy. In fact, in my testing, I was getting readings (both actual and slope-adjusted) consistently within two yards of each other, even on longer distances.

Another area these two lasers match is in the battery department. Both rangefinders use USB-C rechargeable batteries.

I’ll be honest: I don’t love this. It’s not that the batteries perform poorly. In fact, they both promise 3,000-plus clicks per charge and hold juice for multiple rounds with ease.

My issue is simply with remembering to charge. I know myself. I’m going to forget. And I’m going to show up at the course with a dead rangefinder at some point. That’s a guarantee.

Some golfers will love the convenience and eco-friendliness of a rechargeable setup. Others will miss the reliability of a CR2 battery that lasts all season.

For me, it’s a trade-off I’ll live with, but not one I’m super excited about.

What the A1-Slope Doesn’t Have: Triangulation

 

 

Here’s the biggest Laser FIT advantage: Triangulation, or as Voice Caddie calls it, “Ball to Pin.”

This feature lets you shoot a yardage to your ball and then to the pin, and the rangefinder calculates the distance from your ball to the pin, even if you’re not sanding at the ball.

It’s incredibly useful in situations like:

• Cart path only holes
• Blind shots
• Helping your playing partners
• Checking hazards-to-target distances

The A1-Slope does not include this feature. That’s a point against it.

But to be fair, there are very few rangefinders on the market that offer triangulation. I keep waiting for Bushnell to introduce their first version of that feature. I think that’s going to be a big moment in rangefinder evolution, and I have no doubt that Bushnell will do it well.

But for now, triangulation is a huge differentiator in favor of the Laser FIT. The A1-Slope can’t compete in this department.

A Note on Branding: Goodbye Orange, Hello Blue

One thing I’d be remiss not to mention: the Bushnell rebrand.

Forever, Bushnell products were instantly recognizable by their black-and-orange color scheme. But with their alignment to Foresight Sports, they’ve transitioned to a blue, black, and white look.

Personally, I’m torn.

I think the new colorway is clean and modern, and probably more universally appealing. But the orange and black was so strongly associated with Bushnell that this feels like the end of an era.

That said, the A1-Slope is a great-looking rangefinder. The finish is sharp, and the devive instantly landed on my short list of the best-lookiing golf products so far this year.

But, man, why would you go away from a color scheme that was so synonymous with your brand? I mean, I don’t know that there was stronger association in all of golf gear than orange and Bushnell.

Who Should Buy the Bushnell A1-Slope?

If you want a premium-quality, pocket-sized rangefinder from the most trusted name in the category, the Bushnell A1-Slope is a home run.

It’s compact. It’s smartly designed. It gives you the option to pocket-carry or magnet-mount, depending on your style of play. The build quality is outstanding. The optics are excellent. The case is top-notch.

But…

I wish it were $25 to $50 cheaper. That’s because of the Voice Caddie Laser FIT, which delivers a ton of value at just $199.99, including one feature that Bushnell can’t match: tringultaion.

To me, the A1-Slope is the better product overall. But is it $100 better? That’s the tough part.

For golfers who want triangulation, or who are on a tighter budget, the Laser FIT is an incredible value.

For those who care more about build quality, optics, magnet versatility, and brand reputation, the A1-Slope is worth the stretch.

Either way, this class of compact rangefinders just got a whole lot more interesting. And with Bushnell now in the mix, it’s clear that pocket-sized is no longer a novelty. It’s a movement.

Maybe it’s time you try one yourself.

Marc's Overall Rating for the Bushnell A1-Slope Golf Rangefinder