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Athlon is an American company that is relatively new to the scene but has quickly gained worldwide recognition and an avid following among all lovers of the great outdoors thanks to the brand’s commitment to delivering high-quality sports optics at extremely competitive prices.
The company is making a variety of products, including red dots sights, rangefinders, and spotting scopes but pays special attention to classic binoculars and riflescope series. There is no doubt that whatever your individual needs and wants are, Athlon has engineered a perfect product for you and your wallet pocket.
Taking inspiration from the divine, each Athlon riflescopes series is named by a figure or a setting from the Greco-Roman mythology. Each series consists of riflescope models that fall into a specific price class.
For example, Athlon Neos models are a great solution for hunters on the budget, while top-priced Cronus BTR models represent the crème de la crème of all Athlon riflescope series.
Looking at the company’s incredible repertoire of riflescope series, we notice that Athlon Helos is the absolute golden mean - a happy medium that offers the best value for money compromise of them all.
The Helos series was first unveiled at 2017 SHOT Show in Las Vegas and represents the core of Athlon's illuminated line-up. As regards to the price, these riflescopes go for about 800 € and with that, are positioned above Argos BTR but a notch below the Midas BTR series.
The Helos riflescopes all spot a one-piece main tube that is CNC-machined from 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum. The 30-millimeter tube makes finding the perfect mounting solution simple.
Athlon Helos models come with high-positioned tactical turrets in both MIL and MOA that are easy to manipulate even with gloves on. Not only that, both windage and elevation turrets are lockable. The crisp locking feature of the Helos series is something we wouldn't expect from already feature-rich riflescopes that won’t break the bank.
There are also turn indicators below the windage and elevation turrets. While the manufacturer states that the adjustment range is 18 MIL (6 MIL per turn), our in-the-field testing has shown that 20 MOA (8 per turn) is more accurate.
The side-focus parallax setting is adjustable from 10 meters to infinity.
Athlon Helos riflescopes are illuminated and are available in the FFP reticle configuration.
Interestingly, unlike most of the optics industry that opts for dry Nitrogen, Athlon uses Argon inertia gas with bigger molecules for purging the insides of their products. The Helos series is waterproofed and all external surfaces are scratch-resistant.
Athlon Helos models are made in China and come with a lifetime warranty.
The riflescope features a first focal plane configuration, meaning that the reticle changes its size with the magnification. This is a great scope for quick target engagement at low magnification power while also providing precise holdover positions with finer details.
The BTR part of the series’ name stands for “Bright Tactical Reticle” which, indeed, nicely sums up the two reticles that are on offer with this riflescope. But let’s take a closer look.
The APMR FFP IR MIL reticle was specifically designed for high-precision long and mid-distance shooting, no matter the amount of the ambient light since the illumination has got you covered. The superfine holdover lines guarantee an even faster target acquisition.
The APMR FFP IR MOA reticle, too, provides excellent low-light visibility. Its design with neat holdover lines is adjusted for hunters who take particular interest in long-range shooting.
Athlon Helos BTR 6-24x50 FFP riflescope model features illuminated reticle with 6 brightness intensity levels altogether that ensure enhanced visibility in low-light situations.
Each illumination level comes with an off-switch in-between, which can come super handy and will save you a couple of hours on the same< CR2032 battery.
The 6-24x magnification power with 4x zoom factor> is perfect for long-range shooting application. Due to the bigger size of the objective lens, hunters needn’t worry about cutting their time outdoors short.
Athlon Helos BTR 6-24x50 FFP features high and exposed tactical turrets. A single click on the MIL turret will move the point of impact for 0.1 MIL or 1 cm at 100 meters. The MOA version of this riflescope, on the other hand, comes with ¼ MOA adjustment that is universally suitable for hunting applications.
The riflescope has a side-focus parallax turret that is extra tactile, perfect for quick and precise adjustments. The parallax can be adjusted from 10 meters to infinity.
When it comes to lens coatings, Athlon came with the Xtra Protection Lens that effectively reduce reflected light, while also increasing the light transmission rate. That means the Athlon users can enjoy brighter images and incredible lens clarity that with an ordinary, single-coated lens.
The heat-treated housing is made from 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum and sports a standard, matte black finish. The one-piece tube is better at keeping out moisture and gives this optic an exceptional strength.
Like all Athlon riflescope models, Athlon Helos BTR 6-24x50 FFP was recoil tested to withstand 1000G a thousand times. Not too bad, right? You’ll be able to mount it on even the strongest-caliber rifles on the market without a hitch.
The objective lens and the European-style eyepiece can be additionally protected with removable flip-up covers that are included in the package. They are super lightweight and reliable, made from rubber and plastic.
The product comes with 10 years of warranty. You can read more about the warranty policy here.
(Posted on 27/04/2018)
