This review contains sponsored content. Originally published in German on Geartester.de.
A premium rangefinder with GPS and map navigation
First impression
With the Xero L60i, Garmin brings the first laser rangefinder with built-in map-based GPS navigation to market. Right out of the box, the unit makes clear what league it’s playing in: the housing feels premium and rugged, and the included carrying case matches that quality. The unit is IPX7 waterproof and shrugs off rain or fog without issue.
Optics and display
Optics are the L60i’s biggest strength. The multi-coated glass delivers a clear, razor-sharp image at 7x magnification, even in difficult dusk lighting. But the real highlight is the display overlay: the high-resolution, color readout of distance, map, and navigation cues right in the field of view is crisp and never feels intrusive. An ambient light sensor adjusts brightness automatically. I especially liked that the display switches to red at night to protect night vision. Details like that show real practitioners had a hand in this design.
A note on the photos in this review: shooting through the eyepiece is extremely difficult. I still tried to capture the various functions, but the shots don’t do the actual image and display quality justice.
Moose at 273 meters
Controls
Operating the unit via the buttons on the housing works very well, but takes some getting used to. Given the range of functions, closer to a GPS handheld than a classic rangefinder, that’s not surprising. Once you’ve internalized the menu logic, you can reach every important function quickly without hunting around. The diopter adjustment on the eyepiece (+/- 4 diopters) is a nice practical touch too, letting you sharpen the display overlay to your own eyesight.
Features in practice
The features are well thought out and work together sensibly. Distances to animals can be measured out to about 2,775 meters, to trees out to 3,600 meters. Targeted points can be saved directly as a waypoint via GPS and compass, and Laser Locate can navigate you back to them. A long press on the ranging trigger activates Sensor Locate mode, letting you mark points well beyond laser range. In testing, that worked out to a distance of 11 kilometers. Visual Recall is genuinely impressive: the unit guides you back to a saved point with on-screen directional cues (left, right, up, down). That’s ideal for handing the unit to a companion and having them find the same spot, say, the point of impact or a marked animal. Measuring between multiple points is useful too, for example calculating the distance from the point of impact to the car, or measuring between any point and the target to find a better shooting position. Navigation runs entirely on the device itself via the built-in TopoActive maps, no need to reach for your phone. A nice everyday touch: the unit automatically stores the last 20 measurements, even without actively saving them as a waypoint. Beyond single measurements, there’s a scan mode for continuous measuring, where you can choose whether the display shows the most recent, nearest, or farthest target. The Course Creator can also turn several measured points into full routes for direct navigation. Switchable HUD profiles adapt the display to the task at hand: a general profile with map, an archery profile, and an Applied Ballistics profile with a full firing solution in the field of view.
Sensor Locate at 11km distance
The Visual Recall feature in red night mode
Integration with the Garmin ecosystem is genuinely well done: waypoints sync with the Garmin Explore app, which also handles software updates for the unit. Garmin Share lets you send saved points and routes directly to compatible handhelds or smartwatches, device to device over Bluetooth, with no phone or Wi-Fi in between. Anyone already using Garmin gear gets a seamless setup where marked targets show up on every device without extra steps. One small detail: the unit can be locked with a four-digit PIN against unauthorized use, and its -20 to 60 degree operating range covers pretty much anything you’d run into in the field.
Applied Ballistics solver
For long-range shooters, the built-in Applied Ballistics Ultralight Solver is one of the strongest arguments for the L60i. Based on the saved rifle and bullet profile, it calculates a complete firing solution right in the field of view: elevation correction, windage correction, and time of flight. It draws on its own Custom Drag Models for the specific bullet, which delivers more precise results at long distance than a simple G1 or G7 value.
The big advantage over a separate ballistics calculator: environmental data doesn’t need to be entered by hand. GPS, temperature, compass, and barometric sensors automatically supply position, air pressure, temperature, and shot direction, so even the Coriolis effect factors into the calculation. Only wind needs to be estimated and entered manually. Cleverly solved: you can enter two wind speeds, and the solver calculates a corridor solution with a high and low value, within which the actual correction should fall.
The solver leaves little to be desired in depth either. Up to 26 Target Cards with individual conditions can be created, and the Range Card shows solutions for various distances with freely customizable data fields. For anyone who wants precision, muzzle velocity and drop scale factor can be calibrated against real-world impact points, and Spin Drift and Aerodynamic Jump can optionally be factored into the calculation. Bullet data doesn’t need to be typed in by hand either, it can be pulled directly from the Applied Ballistics bullet database. Managing ballistic profiles and creating Target Cards is handled conveniently through the AB Quantum smartphone app, where the solver can also be upgraded to a higher tier if needed.
One drawback: the US version apparently has the Elite Solver unlocked, while the version sold here only gets the Ultralight Solver. Why Garmin differentiates here at an identical price is not clear to me, and that’s a bit of a shame on a device in this price bracket.
Archers were considered too: a dedicated ballistics calculator for arrows provides angle-corrected distance, maximum arrow height, and impact angle at the target.
Archery mode
Power supply
The L60i runs on two AAA lithium batteries, good for around 1,400 measurements according to Garmin. Batteries are quick to swap in the field, but the solution no longer feels quite up to date. Anyone out and about these days usually has a power bank on hand anyway. A swappable battery with USB-C charging would, in my view, have been the better solution: as quick to swap as a battery, but easy to recharge on the go.
The price
Now for the biggest criticism: the price of 2,499.99 euros (MSRP). That undeniably buys a technically impressive device, but you have to honestly ask who it’s really for. Most long-range shooters and hunters already own a rangefinder, a GPS unit, or some form of ballistics calculator. Buying the components separately is sometimes cheaper and keeps you more flexible. The L60i is aimed mainly at those who value having all of these functions integrated into a single device and are willing to pay for it.
Transparency note: the Xero L60i was loaned to me by Garmin for this test. This had no influence on my assessment.
Conclusion
The Garmin Xero L60i is a technically outstanding rangefinder with first-class optics, a razor-sharp display overlay, and well thought out features that simply aren’t available together anywhere else. The Applied Ballistics solver offers a depth you’d otherwise only find in dedicated ballistics calculators, and seamless integration with the Garmin ecosystem is a genuine selling point for anyone already invested in Garmin gear. Build quality and accessories are at a premium level. Set against that are the very high price and the somewhat dated AAA battery power supply. Anyone looking for an uncompromising all-in-one device with the budget to match will be very happy with the L60i. Anyone already well equipped may come out cheaper and more flexible buying the components separately.