Cannot speak for the Menace, but I did own a Falcon Merlin and it was a very good scope. The only significant downside for me was optically in certain circumstances: if the sun was in front or to the side a little, the light bouncing off my eye's cornea would be reflected into the eyepiece lens, then reflect back at you in a rather annoying manner. Not massively serious, but annoying. I've changed my cornea.