Both the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized are high-end golf rangefinders that cost approximately $400. They are worth the extra cost because they are more accurate, faster, and sturdier than rangefinders that cost half as much. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II was released in April 2021 and the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift was released in January 2020.
Both the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized come with slope adjustment technology, an external slope on/off indicator, visual cue after flag lock, 6X magnification power, and a $400 price tag.
However, tThese are several important differences between the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and the Nikon Coolshot Pro II. The two main reasons you should buy the Nikon Coolshot Pro II instead of the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift are that only the Nikon Coolshot comes with Image Stabilization Technology and a red LED display for easier viewing in low lighting conditions.
Image Stabilization will compensate for shaky hands that make it tougher to get flag lock. It will reduce about 80% of the shaking, enabling the Nikon Coolshot Pro to lock onto flagsticks faster than the Bushnell Tour V5.
The main reasons you would buy the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift instead of the Nikon Coolshot Pro II are that only the Tour V5 Shift comes with Jolt vibration technology for flag lock and an internal magnet for securely attaching the unit to the golf cart.
If I had to choose between the two, I would choose the Nikon Coolshot Pro II because getting fast, accurate distance readings is the most important thing I want from a rangefinder.
The Nikon Coolshot Pro II is the best golf rangefinder available from Nikon while the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift is only the second best golf rangefinder from Bushnell. However, the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift is still Bushnell’s most affordable golf rangefinder with slope technology, an internal magnet, and Pinseeker with visual JOLT technology.
The best Bushnell golf rangefinder is the Bushnell Pro XE, which is 30% more expensive than the Tour V5 Shift because it has a longer range as well as many unique features including a red LED display, waterproof metal housing, and the ability to compensate distances for slope and the elements (temperature and barometric pressure).
Read this article to learn more about the differences between the Bushnell Pro XE and Nikon Coolshot Pro II: Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized vs Bushnell Pro XE.
Comparison Chart – Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized vs Bushnell Tour V5 Shift
| Features | (Slope; No Vibration)  Learn More | (Slope; Vibrates)  Learn More | (No Slope; Vibrates)  Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | April 2021 | January 2020 | January 2020 |
| Slope Compensation | Yes | Yes | No |
| Temperature Compensation | No | No | No |
| Barometric Pressure Compensation | No | No | No |
| Built-In Magnetic Cart Mount | No | Yes | Yes |
| Red LED Display | Yes | No | No |
| Vibration Flag Lock Confirmation | No | Yes | Yes |
| Visual Flag Lock Confirmation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audible Flag Lock Confirmation | Yes | No | No |
| Disable Slope | Yes | Yes | No |
| Visible Slope Switch On/Off Indicator | Yes | Yes | No |
| Image Stabilization | Yes | No | No |
| Maximum Range to Highly Reflective Objects | 1,200 yards | 1,300 yards | 1,300 yards |
| Maximum Range to Most Large Objects | 1000+ yards | 1000+ yards | 1000+ yards |
| Maximum Range to Flags | 500+ yards | 400+ yards | 400+ yards |
| Ranging Accuracy up to 125 yards | +/- 1 yard | +/- 1 yard | +/- 1 yard |
| Ranging Accuracy up to 1000 yards | +/- 1 yard Accurate to .75 yards inside 700 yards • Accurate to 1.25 yards from 700-1000 yards • Accurate to 1.75 yards beyond 1000 yards | +/- 1 yard | +/- 1 yard |
| Magnification | 6x | 6x | 6x |
| Black Display | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Display Type | LCD | LCD | LCD |
| Fast Focus System | No | Yes | Yes |
| Extreme Speed Precision 2 | No | No | No |
| Water Resistant | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fog Resistant | No | No | No |
| Waterproof | Yes (IPX7) | No | No |
| Metal Housing | No | No | No |
| Tournament legal | Yes (if slope disabled) | Yes (if slope disabled) | Yes |
| Product Dimensions Size (Length x Height x Width) | 3.8 x 2.9 x 1.7 inches | 4.5 x 3.0 x 1.5 inches | 4.5 x 3.0 x 1.5 inches |
| Weight (without batteries) | 6.0 ounces | 8 ounces | 8 ounces |
| Objective Diameter | 21mm | 24 mm | 24 mm |
| Eye Relief | 18.0mm | 16 mm | 16 mm |
| Exit Pupil | 3.5mm | 3.5 mm | 3.5 mm |
| Diopter Adjustment | +/- 4° | ||
| Field Of View | 300 ft. @ 1000 yards | 330 ft. @ 1000 yards | 330 ft. @ 1000 yards |
| Optical Coatings | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Included Items | Premium Carrying Case and CR2 Battery | Premium Carrying Case and CR2 Battery | Premium Carrying Case and CR2 Battery |
| Includes carrying case and strap | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 3-volt lithium CR2 battery | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized vs Bushnell Tour V5 Shift
Both the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized have slope adjusted distances (also known as Plays Like distances) and a 6X magnification power but there are many differences between these two rangefinders.
The main differences between the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized are that the Nikon Coolshot Pro has a 500 yard range to flags while the Tour V5 Shift has a 20% shorter 400 yard range.
Also the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift has vibrating and visual cues to confirm flag lock while the Nikon Coolshot Pro II has audible and visual cues. More information about the differences and similarities between the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II is listed below:
Differences between the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized
1. The most popular feature of the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized is its Image Stabilization Technology. It is very popular because it allows you to more quickly measure the yardage to a thin target, such as a pin, since this feature can reduce about 80% of the shaking of the image on the LCD screen caused by hand movement.
Image Stabilization Technology is great for golfers who have problems keeping their hands steady while measuring a flagstick that is 200 yards away and cannot get the rangefinder to lock onto the flag. Since Image Stabilization Technology can offset most of the image shaking caused by your unsteady hands, you will no longer have to brace yourself against a tree or golf cart to get a stable reading.
2. Another great feature of the Nikon Coolshot Pro II is its red OLED display. Both the Nikon Coolshot Pro II and Bushnell Tour V5 Shift come with both the ‘regular’ black display but only the Nikon Coolshot Pro II has a bright red LED display that is much easier to see.
3. Only the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift has an internal magnet that can securely attach the device to the metal bar of any golf cart. This magnetic surface is on the side opposite the slope slider switch. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II does not have a magnetic surface. However, you can buy a magnetic cart mount from Amazon for approximately $25 that wraps around the device and performs the same function.
4. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II can get the yardage to a flag located up to 500 yards away while the Tour V5 Shift can only calculate the distance to a flag 400 yards away which is 20% shorter.
5. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II has a 1200-yard range to highly reflective objects or hazards while the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift has a slightly longer range of 1300 yards.
6. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II will emit an audible beep and display a green locked-on circle after it locks into a flag while the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift will both vibrate and flash a red ring on the viewfinder.
7. Both the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II come with an external slope function indicator for signifying if the slope is enabled or disabled. If it is turned off, then the device is in compliance with USGA Local Rule 14-3, making it legal for tournament play. However, each rangefinder implemented this feature in different ways.
The Nikon Coolshot Pro II uses a green LED light to indicate if the slope technology is in use. On the other hand, the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift uses a slider switch instead of a green LED light to perform the same function. The slider switch consists of a ‘B’ logo that can slide to the left or right. If you slide it to the right, an outside observer will see a red color that indicates the slope function is not in use.
8. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II is more accurate at shorter distances. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II is accurate to 0.75 yards for distances up to 700 yards while the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift is accurate to 1 yard for the same distance.
However, the Tour V5 Shift is more accurate for distance measurements longer than 700 yards. The Tour V5 Shift is accurate to 1 yard for measurements between 700 yards and 1300 yards but the Nikon Coolshot Pro II is accurate to 1.25 yards for measurements between 700 and 1000 yards and accurate up to 1.75 yards for distances up to 1200 yards.
9. Both the Nikon Coolshot Pro II and Bushnell Tour V5 Shift can calculate slope-adjusted and straight-line distances to a target but only the Nikon Coolshot Pro II can calculate the horizontal distance to and height of a target.
10. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II is a little smaller than the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II has measurements of 3.8″ x 2.9″ x 1.7″ inches while the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift is slightly larger with measurements of 4.5″ x 3.0″ x 1.5″ inches.
11. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II weighs a little less than the Tour V5 Shift. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II weighs about 6 ounces while the Tour V5 Shift weighs in at 8 ounces.
Common features found in both the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized
1. Both the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized can only adjust distances for slope, which is the elevation change for uphill and downhill shots. This means the distances for uphill shots will be longer than the straight-line distances and the distances for downhill shots will be shorter. Only Bushnell’s Pro XE can compensate yardages for temperature and altitude.
2. Both the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II have a 6X magnification power which is typical magnification for most golf rangefinders. There are only a few rangefinders with a 7X magnification power including the Bushnell Pro XE.
3. Both the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II can be purchased for about $400 which is a lot cheaper than the $500 price tag for the Bushnell Pro XE.
4. Both the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II come with two apertures on the front of the device. The top aperture is called the laser emission aperture and it is used by the rangefinder to emit a laser to the target. The bottom aperture is called the laser receiving aperture and it is used by the rangefinder to receive the laser that reflects off of the target.
5. Both the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift and Nikon Coolshot Pro II come with two buttons (Power and Mode) on top of the device for accessing the different features. The power button is the button that is located closer to the viewfinder. The mode button is used to select the different measurement modes of the rangefinder.
LCD Screen Comparison – Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized vs Bushnell Tour V5 Shift
| Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized | Bushnell Tour V5 Shift |
|---|---|
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Final Verdict
Both the Nikon Coolshot Pro II and Bushnell Tour V5 Shift have many features in common including slope-adjusted distances and a 6X magnification power but only the Nikon Coolshot Pro II has an easy-to-read OLED display and image stabilization for faster and more accurate readings, making the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized the obvious choice between the two rangefinders.
