Labradar LX Review

[@thadboles2007]

I’ve tossing up the idea between the garmin and the lab radar but after this video I’m sold on the lx. Thank you for the content!!

[@glentomlin6741]

As a Labradar rookie, i really appreciate this video! The KE0,KE10 was a complete mystery. I use the app to arm it and it displays the result alot bigger. Thanks so much!

[@locomike102]

For semi-rough use consumer electronics, I would ALWAYS go with Garmin. They have years of experience with outdoors electronics and they (for the most part) are nearly bulletproof. I shot an Oehler 35P chronograph for literally 30 years until I bought my Garmin earlier this year. It's the best shooting related purchase I've made as far as making my life easier.

[@paulhomsy2751]

Sure, Garmin has a lot of experience. Labradar makes far more sophisticated equipment for the most sophisticated applications for the most advanced military units in the world. In other words, it is far from some overnight new company...hardly.

[@ef2967]

And they are made in China

[@danblumel]

Taiwan actually

[@1175drh]

So I just bought the LX and Garmin xero to test side by side along my Magnetospeed which I already had. The LR app is great, you can connect via bluetooth. It auto connects once paired. It displays real time data and adjust settings in your phone along with arming and dis arming. The Garmin app doesn't do that it displays your log after shooting and you have to reconnect each time. My opinion is if you don't want to use your phone at the range they both work great, but if you rather arm dis arm etc in your larger phone screen that is where the Labradar LX excels. also because of taking your velocity 10 yds away I was getting about 10-15 fps lower on the lab radar with my 6.5 PRC than the other two which take the speed at the muzzle. I am thinking of selling the unit I like less. I am torn and still testing but because of construction and app function I am leaning towards keeping the LX. Last the screen is easier to read in lower light, but the Garmin is a little easier to scroll thru without the app.

[@thelonggunner762]

@1175drh I probably should have downloaded the app while I had the Labradar and used it too but I use my phone as a remote for my cameras and I can only connect to one thing at a time so I didn't bother. 🤷‍♂️

[@medley4570]

I bought the Garmin a couple months ago. It’s a game changer. What you said about having to reconnect to your phone every time you use it is incorrect. It connects automatically as soon as you launch the app. Secondly, based on this video, the LX is visibly slower than the Garmin at startup (that’s a brutal length of time), and during response to menu entries. It appears to calculate velocity in about the same amount of time, however, according to Garmin’s lead engineer for the Xero, they actually delay displaying the velocity and show that spinning wheel that gives the impression that it’s still calculating because it’s calculated almost instantaneously and they found in testing that some people were missing the fact that the screen had already updated from their last shot before they looked at the screen. You can see this conversation in Hornady’s video interview with them. Third thing is that it appears that the LX is triggered by the sound of the shot, which I’m not a fan of for multiple reasons. The Garmin is scanning for the projectile itself and doesn’t rely on sound. And lastly, you have to arm the LX? Really?

[@SpudOutdoors]

Once my Garmin is turned on and my app started it connects and I can go to other apps and it stays connected the whole time. Never had an issue with connections.

[@onebadjack1313]

Love mine, 0 missed shots, didn't use the peep sight. I don't mind the arming, it let's me conserve battery, and being able to use the external battery is cool. I had a 6 hour range session and it was still around 40-50%. I had a guy with 6.5 prc on one side of me and a 5.56 on the other. Never picked up extraneous shots. I didn't wait any extra between shots, and it didn't have any problem keeping up. My old labradar is on fb marketplace, lol. I couldn't decide between this or the garmin. I picked it because everyone has a garmin and I liked the metal case. The size doesn't matter, it fits on my garmin arca rail mount that i printed too. Oh, it's also warrantied to be weapon mounted. Not that anyone would tell garmin it was mounted... I think either one is a fine choice.

[@thelonggunner762]

@onebadjack1313 I've only shot by myself while using it so far so I didn't get to test if it would pickup arid shots from others.

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

This unit is made in America too i think that’s a big deal personally. I’m probably going with the lab as well. Especially if the American made is just as good.

[@onebadjack1313]

N. America as in Canada

[@thetexasrat]

I also got the Garmin Zero, and would not mind getting the new Lab Radar LX plus the Caldwell Velociradar too.

[@thomasgervais7930]

I notice that you can use the Labradar app on your phone for operating the LX without touching it after you power on. Have you tried the app yet? The app for apple can be used for the older Labradar and the LX.

[@thelonggunner762]

@thomasgervais7930 I didn't get the app for it, I have my phone already Bluetoothed to my camera to control it.

[@Pew_pewchronicles]

Seems like it still has a lot of quirks one of the most annoying things is remembering to arm it. I never like that about the old one. This is slower than the Garmin. I love my Garmin and I would’ve paid not only the $600 I paid for it but I would pay $1000 is the best money I ever spent on a chronograph

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

I like the fact that the lab is made in America. I have the choice between the two and I’m going with American made. However I not going pay any more then 599. My magneto speed was 300 bucks. Is the convenience factor worth 300 extra dollars honestly no. It’s definitely not worth another 700

[@Pew_pewchronicles]

@@Johnny-jr2lq maybe you miss read what I said I said I would pay $1000 for it if they want it that much but it only cost $600 and as far as being made in the USA nothing is made here anymore. It might be assembled here, but I bet you all the parts come from overseas It works perfect every time no fast no mass hundred percent worth of money game changer

[@Bulltry90]

@@Johnny-jr2lq It is made in Canada but you are right it is not made in China. But for me i have my Garmin and i like it

[@Pew_pewchronicles]

@@paulhomsy2751 u know enough about the old lab radar I owned one and it’s shit !!

[@DefinitelyNotABot713]

For those that don’t own either popular chrono, the LX is made in Canada and the Xero is made in Taiwan.

[@danav3387]

This thing is pretty awesome. With these radar devices the most accurate placing is as close to the barrel as possible. Not the muzzle but the barrel axis. Have you ever seen a plane in the sky that looks Ike it’s living slow? That because of the angle you are looking at it vs the angle of travel.

[@onebadjack1313]

Fyi, I emailed labradar and they said that the speed displayed is MV. Not at 10yds. I had heard both, so i asked labradar and they got back to me in just a couple hours.

[@thelonggunner762]

@onebadjack1313 correct, the top number is at the muzzle and the lower v10 number is the recorded velocity at 10 yards. Good to hear that the customer service was fast.

[@Rico11b]

The Magnetospeed is going to be more accurate. It is physically measuring the bullet as it passes over the sensor. I wonder what is the max distance that it can track the projectile and get a speed measurement? Also, how close can you force it to track and measure.

[@thelonggunner762]

@Rico11b it should be able to track projectiles out to roughly 100 yards depending on the size and speed of it. I agree on the Magnetospeed being more accurate, that's why I own a V 3 and I'm just borrowing this labradar to get some experience with it.

[@Rico11b]

@@thelonggunner762 I'm not so sure it'll reach all the way to 100 unless you're using large projectiles like a 338 or larger. The full size version can do that, but this much smaller unit probably has a weaker transmitter. You'd have to download the CSV files from the unit to be sure of the max range, but even that will be dependent on the signal to noise ratio. Anything higher than about 12 to 15 won't be very trustworthy.

[@thelonggunner762]

@@Rico11b I might try setting the down range distance to 80 or 90 yards tomorrow and see if it will pick up a 5.56 round and report back

[@ralphbuoncristiani2941]

I shoot at a range. I’d be interested in knowing if it is able to isolate/select your shot from adjacent shooters. I take it, it does not have a removable SD card. I download all my data on my old LabRadar to my computer for record keeping so the SD card provides an easy means to move data. Does this have a way to transfer data (i.e. usb cable or Bluetooth). One complaint I have currently with the original model is that when operating buttons (i.e. arm button), touching/pressing the button can shift the aim of the unit. How easy do the buttons push? The older unit would easily get shifted and was very finicky about aim to record data. I have an external trigger for my current old unit. Does this unit have that? The old LabRadar has a Bluetooth app (which was pretty much useless). Does this unit have connectivity to your phone/pad for operating it or storing data? Important issues to know before I upgrade!

[@thelonggunner762]

@ralphbuoncristiani2941 it doesn't have an SD card, you download the info through the phone app. I had the same issue with moving the old unit when arming it. I've never had that problem with this one, it's a lot less finicky about aiming.

[@handyman1001]

If you upgrade the firmware on your old Labradar, you will find it is waaaaay better to use, especially when Bluetoothed to a tablet or phone.

[@ag2wardable]

Why does every new chronic (LX, Garmin C1 Pro and the Velociradar) have SUPER SMALL screens? Old guys who can afford to buy these have old eyes who can't see these screens so well. I like the small unit, but make the screens a couple of inches larger, please!!!!!

[@-_-hi8964]

So it only measures at one other distance besides the muzzle?

[@thelonggunner762]

@-_-hi8964 it collects multiple data points out to about a 100 yd. The other distance you select is just where it will show you speed and energy (if you have it set up) which is more critical when using handguns or bow and arrow when figuring maximum effective range for hunting. With rifles I know that inside of a 100 yd there's no need for figuring energy we know that it has more than enough

[@-_-hi8964]

@@thelonggunner762 thank you. Sounds like it is a smaller version of the original lab radar.

[@amym828]

Do you still have the factory screen protector on there or what I am seeing there with blue in the upper right of the display's screen?

[@thelonggunner762]

@@amym828 yup I left it on there.

[@andriesfourie6859]

Can you set it to give you speed at distance, like for example at 100 yards?

[@thelonggunner762]

It will only let me go to 25 yards, after that the number turn red and it won't accept the entry

[@rkba4923]

For the same $, I think I'd go with the bigger name, Garmin.

[@TangDynasty1983]

Does it calculate the BC? Thanks.

[@thelonggunner762]

@TangDynasty1983 nope, it doesn't track it's flight far enough put to calculate it

[@fomerbu]

Lol. Step 1 turn device on. I don't need no instructions. Lol

[@vikp6115]

Nah , garmin smokes it out of the park ! , thst screen power down is stupid.

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

Yeah but the Lab is made in the USA. Personally that’s kinda a big deal to me. If I can get the same functionality and cost as a product from over seas I’m going with USA made every time.

[@TheRUManCOKE]

@@Johnny-jr2lq well Lab is made in Canada so maybe that will help you make your decision.

[@richardlundgren5463]

looks like a Garmin copy.... bet it dont work like a Garmin ..test it with some 22lr ..

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

It’s definitely better then the V1 but idk if it’s better than the Garmin. I will say this it’s a pro that it’s made in the USA. If it’s as good as the Garmin I might just go with the lab for the simple fact of made in the USA 🇺🇸 edit:✍️ it’s actually made in Canada 🇨🇦 but I’ll support our northern neighbors over Taiwan if I can. However more research has proved that Lab Radar had a small monopoly over the Doppler radar industry. And weren’t willing to address there customers issues with their first unit. Until Garmin released the Xero so that’s kinda slimy of Lab Radar to do. Idk what unit I’m going to by yet because both of them have pros and cons. All I can say is I simply don’t want to put 600 dollars down on a unit that’s going to give me problems.

[@Klemheist-vf1hx]

I live in Australia and don't care where it is made, just that it's the best.

[@handyman1001]

Infinnition has always done ok by me with my V1 Labradar since 2015. The new firmware and bug-fixes were timely and effective. My understanding is the LX has been 4 years in the making, so pretty decent that they made the new software app compatible for both units. Just my $0.02, not sponsored, and am buying an LX myself.

[@Klemheist-vf1hx]

@@handyman1001 Good luck then. I've had my Garmin for a year and it has not missed a single shot. Sits in my pocket at NRAA matches and weighs nothing.

[@russhayes4882]

Nice try labradar should have done that first time around. Never be a Garmin

[@thelonggunner762]

@@russhayes4882 they were kind of a day late and a dollar short on the release of this one.

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

How do we know Garmin didn’t copy them? I like how the lab is American made. You know home team

[@jgrant40]

Garmin Garmin Garmin Garmin. Did I say Garmin? Labradar... day late and a dollar short. Copycats. Garmins is still better.

[@Skilpadjie1]

I am going to say that the Garmin wins this size and form factor. Garmin looks rugged. This looks flimsy and thats one small screen.

[@thelonggunner762]

@Skilpadjie1 the Garmin definitely has the better smaller form factor but it is made completely of plastic. The labradars black housing is made out of metal. If I was rich I would take them out and beat them on a rock to see which one gives up first but unfortunately that's not the case😂

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

@@thelonggunner762very good response AND the lab is made in the USA 🇺🇸 that means something to me. It’s actually made in Canada 🇨🇦 but that’s okay as well

[@TheGrizzLee87]

Now they copy garmin and not even hiding it 😂

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

Wait what lab has had this technology out for quite a few years before Garmin. Personally i think Garmin is copying Lab. But Garmin just released it in a smaller format before Lab could. Now with that being said it’s good that lab has this competition. Who knows when lab would have released the V2 if Garmin didn’t release Xero C1. I will say this since the lab is made in the USA im probably gonna go with them. Assuming both units are fairly similar in capabilities.

[@TheGrizzLee87]

@@Johnny-jr2lq saw to many Videos where lab radar couldnt keep up with the other options

[@paulhomsy2751]

@@Johnny-jr2lq It's made in Canada.

[@gc641]

Meh….stick with garmin