The Callaway Diablo Octane has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

Our Callaway Diablo Octane Rangefinder Review research put this model at the top of our list for a long time due to the features, price and performance. Before you buy though, you might want to take a look at the price on the Callaway XHot Rangefinder. It’s identical in size and features, but has a new color scheme AND the price has been similar to the Diablo Octane lately.

If you want the most bang for your buck, the Diablo Octane deserves a very close look. The reviews are excellent and the price is reasonable. It has a Nikon lens and a 6x zoom in a stylish compact design. Almost all the reviews we read were extremely positive.

• Easy to use
• Size / weight
• Accuracy
• Quality
• Fast
• Improves game
• Picks up pin distance even with background objects
• Price
• Scan mode
• Exact yardages to anything you can see
• Easy to read
• Appearance

• requires steady hands (both users who mentioned this gave it a 5 star rating anyway)

In features, the Diablo Octane Rangefinder is almost identical to the highly successful Callaway LR550. Both carry the Nikon label, have 6x magnification, are waterproof and feature First Target Priority Mode, which aids in targeting the pin rather than the trees behind the green. However, the ratings on the Diablo Octane are higher than the LR550, which could be due to the red and black color scheme! The only difference we noted is a “new slim-stratic sleeve utilizes an independent bag clip that stabilizes to the eyelet of the Rangefinder”.

Callaway Diablo Octane
Slope	No
Vibration	N
Size (Width x Height x Depth)	2.7 in. x 5.1 in. x 1.5 in.
Weight	6.3 oz.
Battery	3 Volt CR2 Lithium
Battery Life	N/A
Display	LCD
Rainproof	Yes
Magnification	6x
Maximum Range	550
Minimum Range	11
Notes	1/2 yard increments, NIKON'S FIRST TARGET PRIORITY MODE Ranges smallest object (like the pin) in field of view..
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
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We work very hard to obtain the correct information about product features, but cannot make any guarantees about the accuracy. Please double check with the merchant or manufacturer before making a purchase.

The Callaway LR550 has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

Our Callaway LR550 Rangefinder Review Summary is a summary of pros and cons consistently mentioned in user reviews. The results were so compelling, that we also took this little laser out for a test round and we agree with the users, that this unit works as advertised.

The interesting thing about the LR550 is that the price has gone up since the release of Callaway’s newer models. Although we think this is an excellent rangefinder, we suggest checking the price of the Callaway Diablo Octane and the Callaway X-Hot and choosing the one with the lowest price. The number one mention by far was how easy it was to use. About 10% of users said that it required somewhat steady hands, but most of those users noted that after a little practice, they didn’t have much trouble.

Regarding the “learning curve” mentioned by a few users, we have to agree that it took us a few tries to figure it out. Since we didn’t take the time to read any instructions, we expected it to work like our old Bushnell, where you push and the hold the button while scanning. On the LR550, you aim first and then push and release the button. You then have 8 seconds to scan. Once we got the system down, we had no problem.

As long as your hands are steady enough to handle a laser rangefinder, the Callaway LR550 should be on your short list for consideration. If you’re not quite sure yet, you may also wish to utilize our laser rangefinder reviews and scores page.

• easy to use
• accuracy
• quality/durability
• compact size
• Price/Value
• Exact yardage to pin
• Lightweight
• Adds confidence to your club selectioin
• Long battery life
• Useful on driving range
• Improves game
• Scan mode makes it easy to hit target (hold button for up to 8 seconds so you don’t have to have it right on the target when you push the button
• Get yardage fast
• Color (the color models are easy to see, so you don’t accidentally leave it in your cart
• Easy to read
• No downloads
• 6x magnification
• Rainproof
• Battery doesn’t have to be charged after every round
• No annual fees

• Requires steady hands
• A little bit of a learning curve if you’ve never used laser before

Callaway LR550
Slope	No
Vibration	N
Size (Width x Height x Depth)	2.7 in. x 1.5 in. x 5.1 in.
Weight	6.3 oz.
Battery	3 volt CR2 lithium
Battery Life	N/A
Display	N/A
Rainproof	Yes
Magnification	6x
Maximum Range	550
Minimum Range	11
Notes	-
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Order Golf Rangefinders from Amazon
We work very hard to obtain the correct information about product features, but cannot make any guarantees about the accuracy. Please double check with the merchant or manufacturer before making a purchase.