I recently was looking up a bunch of info on that exact comparison. Both companies have several tiers of quality so you have to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples. The short answer is most reviews say Athlon out performs Arken but Arken is usually priced lower. For example the Athlon Ares BTR is said to be better than the Arken EP5 but the EP5 is cheaper. I was also looking at the Riton 3 Conquer as an entry level scope that has good reviews.
Dollar for Dollar. I would put Arken (with Jap glass) right up there with the next price range tier from Athlon. I prefer the Arken floating dot reticle to the less expensive Athlon lines for precision shooting (though other reticles probably exist).
I would say Athlon is a fine choice.
Recommendations made by long time CZickos carry a lot of weight to me. So I’ll definitely be looking at the other models mentioned.
WOW! They sure got you fooled!