Night Vision Clip on vs Dedicated Thermal

[Rerun7]

Need some advice from the guys who have used both.

Here’s my situation. I’m covered on NV and I have a thermal I can use as either weapon or helmet mounted. However I like to have backups so I’m going to get an additional thermal to use in case my primary goes down or I want to bring along a buddy.

I need the unit to be useful as both a scanner or weapon mounted so that it can fill multiple roles depending on what I need for the day/night.

I’m trying to decide between the Hogster 25 or the Hogster C clip on. I like the idea of the clip on being more compact and I could use it with my daytime rifles but I’ve also heard a lot people say it’s a small FOV and not as good as a dedicated.

The 25 is cheaper but will require me to set up some type of offset red dot on a rifle as well because most of my hunts start in the day and then go for several hours at night.

What pros/cons have you guys seen that would lean it one way vs the other?

I am also going to sell my pulsar trail to fund this because it’s too big for use as a scanner IMO so the budget will have to be similar ($3kish).

 

[McNamara0851]

I am in the exact same boat for a backup scanner/buddy scope, but torn between a super hogster at roughly $3k or the yoter R, and yoter C in $4-5k range. I use clip on NV, so I’m naturally gravitating in towards the c models, but I have gotten mixed reviews on their performance. The Bering lineup catches my eye on size alone. I considered buying the OG trail XP50 in the px, but had the same thoughts about it being too bulky as a scanner. I also thought it would be neat to have the 1x clip on mounted to a 10/22 as a dedicated scope for rodents, so it would have a multitude of uses. I’m Interested in hearing some responses.

 

[Hogrider2000]

get the yoter and be done with your dilema.

 

[McNamara0851]

Yes! That’s the solid advice we were seeking!!

 

[kirsch]

As a scanner, the Super Yoter R has a wider FOV than the Super Holster by about 1degree. It is noticeable. Between the SY-C and SY-R, it really comes down to use case. I prefer stand alone thermals but if you are accustomed to clip ons, it is good also.

The price difference between a SH and a SY, you’re almost halfway to getting a Phenom. I will be using a SY and Phenom. However, if I had to choose a SY only or a SH and a Phenom, I still would choose a SH and Phenom.

 

[DukeGSP]

the clip on gives you the option to use whichever rifle you choose. if your buddy/guest wants to bring a gun that they're more comfortable shooting or have more confidence in, then the clip on is going to give them that option. i've owned both and i like killing stuff with different guns. having a dedicated thermal on one rifle would/did get old to me IMHO.

 

[kirsch]

the clip on gives you the option to use whichever rifle you choose. if your buddy/guest wants to bring a gun that they're more comfortable shooting or have more confidence in, then the clip on is going to give them that option. i've owned both and i like killing stuff with different guns. having a dedicated thermal on one rifle would/did get old to me IMHO.

Your point on a buddy using the gun they are comfortable with is great point. As for moving guns, a stand-alone scope has just as much flexibility in moving it gun to gun with the QD mount. I use mine on 4 different guns.

 

[Rerun7]

I love the idea of a clip on but have pretty much decided just to stick with a dedicated sight on a qd mount.

Working on selling my current one and then will probably pick up a Hogster 25. I can swap it out with the red dot on one of my rifles and it looks small enough to fit in my bino pouch for scanning

 

[GreenMushroom]

I am in the exact same boat for a backup scanner/buddy scope, but torn between a super hogster at roughly $3k or the yoter R, and yoter C in $4-5k range. I use clip on NV, so I’m naturally gravitating in towards the c models, but I have gotten mixed reviews on their performance. The Bering lineup catches my eye on size alone. I considered buying the OG trail XP50 in the px, but had the same thoughts about it being too bulky as a scanner. I also thought it would be neat to have the 1x clip on mounted to a 10/22 as a dedicated scope for rodents, so it would have a multitude of uses. I’m Interested in hearing some responses.

I have fairly similar tools to the op and I'm getting back into hunting after a number of years away. When contemplating night hunting the part that seems most daunting is pid. I could see pigs being relatively easy but coyote which is what would be available locally seem like more of a challenge since they are so similar to dogs. Do you consider your NV clip-on to be critical in this regard?

I have a 2.5x thermal scanner and a gi 3x for my 14 and it might be newbie jitters but they don't seem to cut it for telling the difference between a yote and a German Shepard even at medium ranges. I was thinking of a thermal clip-on put I'm pretty well set for detection so I'm starting to lean more towards something like a pvs27/30.

 

[Ledzep]

Small FoV in clip-ons is a real thing. A friend has one (I can't remember brand) and I did not like it for scanning at all. I have a FLIR breach, a couple buddies have nox 18 and nox 35 units. IMO the nox 18 is about the best deal going for "dual purpose". Those two purposes being helmet mounted/scanning or rifle mounted.

That said, the nox 35 is quite noticeably better as a rifle optic than the 18, but the native zoom and weight make it a little weird/heavy for helmet mounting.

End of the day I ordered a Yoter for weapon-mounted thermal, and will keep using the Breach for navigating/scanning.

 

[jstokes1]

Im a huge proponent of clip ons personally (currently have the TigIR and the Super yoter C). Where clip ons have the most utility is if you take at distance shots and want to use your day time optic reticle stadia for hold overs/adjustments.

Now switching inbetween the Super yoter in clip on mode and scanning mode is not the quickest solution, as the eye peice needs to be changed for you to use the optic in a handheld capacity (the handheld mode eye piece is magnified because there is optical demagnification in the back of the optic, which allows for the supporting of day optic magnification) slowing down your dwell time between use cases.

You also have to consider what day optic you are using. The type and quality of the glass on your day optic has HUGE implications on the image you will perceive to your eye. Lots of guys that are unhappy with clip on thermals start with too high of a base magnification, causing early pixelation. Unless you have a VERY high tiered, long range military thermal clip on, it is best to stay with LPVOs like the Vortex Razor for use, or fixed lower powered day optics like prism scopes with the majority of civi clip ons.

From what you posted, a stand alone optic is the better option. However, if you decide on going the clip on route, then get the Yoter C over the Hogster C, as the 640 core of the Super Yoter C will provide better PID at distance, gather in more detail from the environment, and provider a better image in poor weather conditions compared to a 384 cored unit.

 

[jstokes1]

Here's some examples of the Super yoter performance