Night Vision Buy Trijicon Reap IR 35mm or IR Hunter MK3 35 mm?

[giannid]

I've narrowed it down to these thermal and there both basically the same price. I'm upgrading from a Pulsar Apex XD50A and wondering which one I should go with. I'll be using for coyote and pig hunting on a Daniel Defense 308. Seems like the performance is the same for each and the reap is much lighter. What are the advantage and disadvantages of each. It's a big purchase for me and opinions/recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[samson7x]

I like the weight of the reap, but prefer the turrets of the mk3. I’m also not aware of any extended battery solutions for the new reap style and it eats cr123s really fast.

 

[Frog05]

Controls: Its personal preference on which one will work for you best.
mk3- turrets
Reap-joystick

There is no extended battery solution to the type 2 Reaps yet but you can do it with a type 1.
Either one is a solid choice

 

[giannid]

What's the difference between type 1 and 2? I'm not even sure which one I was a price on.

 

[Frog05]

Prices on Type 1 & 2 are pretty close, type 2's the batteries are vertical and are not capable of using a USB battery pack or extended battery tube.

The type 2 has the easy zero software addition.

They both have a pic tail on top for mounting lasers or lrf's and the type 1 has a dovetail mount for helmet mounting.

EDIT: Correction on rail/dovetail mount.
Thnx Wig!

 

[wigwamitus]

I use turret control (mk3 60mm) and joystick controls (Patrol) and button controls (BAE) several times a week on multiple units. They all do work.

I find the turrets are easier to use with heavily gloved hands ... and occasionally you can get a "double click" on the joystick. The buttons are reliable but take a bit more practice to use with heavily gloved hands in like -20F sorts of temps.

They all work.

==

Both the REAP 1 and patrols have a rail mount also. But if weapons mounting, that rail mount is consumed by the mount. If using as helmet mounted or handheld that rail can be used to mount a range finder or other device.

This is a patrol, but exactly the same thing can be done on REAP1 or 2. For REAP 2 can be done when the REAP2 is weapons mounted.

 

[giannid]

Last night I burrowed a friends reap to coyote hunt. It performed well but I’m not sure I like the joystick controls. Really touchy and don’t think they’ll do well with gloves. Today I went and picked another friends mk3 to play with. Think I like it better. About a pound heavier though. I do like that it uses 3 batteries instead of two.

 

[Frog05]

Last night I burrowed a friends reap to coyote hunt. It performed well but I’m not sure I like the joystick controls. Really touchy and don’t think they’ll do well with gloves. Today I went and picked another friends mk3 to play with. Think I like it better. About a pound heavier though. I do like that it uses 3 batteries instead of two.

Life is full of tradeoffs, or so I've been told by one of the resident experts on here! ? Either unit will work and work well, it really comes down to which user interface you like better. Sounds like you are on the right path to making your decision.

 

[giannid]

Looking through them both tonight I’d say the image on the hunter May be a tad better. Almost less grainy or something. Adjusted them pretty much to the same setting. The reap is about a year older and has some time on it and the hunter is virtually new. I think I’m going with the hunter. It’s a little cheaper, has a better mount, I like the controls better. It is almost a pound heavier. It does seem more robust. My buddy likes it because he takes it off and uses it as a handheld. I just don’t like the ideal of popping on and off. I know it’s supposed to return to zero but I don’t trust it. Especially if you have to take that 300 yard shot.