Night Vision Gen 1+ vs Gen 2 in wooded environment

[Rerun7]

Ok, so I've been doing a lot of research but haven't been able to find a really straight answer to this. Appreciate any feedback you guys have with these units.

I've never owned or even gotten to look through NV so I'm having a hard time determining what will fit my needs. Basically, I am wanting a device that I can use to navigate to my hunting stands in the darkness without the use of a flashlight to help reduce spooking game. That would include open fields and wilderness. I'm looking at a monocular due to their versatility and would prefer to stay passive with an illuminator as much as possible.

If I stretched my budget I would be at around $1k because I just wouldn't use it enough to justify much more than that. I came across the Spark Core and saw some good reviews but wondering if it's even worth the money to get a gen 1+ unit or if I should just hold out for a gen 2 at some point.

Is is there enough difference between a Spark and a lower end gen 2 unit that it's worth 2x the cost?

With gen 2, would I still need to use an illuminator most of the time when in the woods?

 

[Lonewolf6715]

For what you’re looking to do a Spark Core would work fine. I have one and because of the increased 60-70 lp/mm resolution, the picture is as clear as the AN/AVS-6 (ANVIS) I used to fly UH-60s with. The Spark does have a little fish eye around the edges but nothing like the previous Gen 1 monocular I had. If using in overcast or shadows like walking around in the woods you will need a better IR Illuminator than the built in one as it is only good out to a few yards. And obviously won’t be as bright as the Gen 2 and 3 or have the auto gating and auto shutoff, or gain control but for only $400 plus it’s a very good alternative. Don’t let anyone fool you about having to use IR Illumination, when I flew UH-60s (for 17 years) using the ANVIS, we still used the IR spotlight when landing. As soon as we started a low level approach and dropped below the trees into the shadows, you couldn’t make out sh*t without the IR spotlight and it was unsafe to attempt to land without it. Many folks balled up the aircraft trying to land without illumination.

 

[Lonewolf6715]

I forgot to mention...if it makes you feel any better, the resolution is good enough that I would feel safe flying using a pair of Sparks hooked together in a binocular setup. But I’d still use the IR spotlight.

 

[benzy2]

You will need IR illumination with the Spark. You will probably need IR illumination with Gen 2, especially lower spec Gen 2 on dark nights. I’m not sure if you were saying you want to avoid IR illumination (to not give yourself away to other NV devices) or if you wanted to avoid just white light (to avoid giving yourself away to animals).

Anyways, with the light the spark will give you great resolution and detail. Without the IR light, it will be pretty minimal on anything but the brightest night.

Good Gen 2+ stuff will be a huge improvement on light amplification but a slight step down in resolution. If you want to try not having an IR light, it’s well worth the extra money. If you don’t mind the light, it’s probably not worth the extra expense.

Looking at it from an expense point of view, if you don’t like the Spark and you spent $500, you can probably get $350 back out of it. If you get a $1000 gen 2 unit, I doubt you’ll get $850 out of it. Maybe if it’s a used model at $1000 you’ll get most of it back if you choose it’s not for you. The Spark is a good entry in that doesn’t kill the bank, shows som great features, but also leaves a bit to be desired relative to good Gen 2 or Gen 3.

 

[Rerun7]

Necropost. I picked up a unit about a year ago.

 

[benzy2]

Oh didn’t notice the OP date, just the last post.

 

[Mike_Honcho]

Necropost. I picked up a unit about a year ago.

What did you get? And did it meet your expectations?

 

[Rerun7]

I found a decent deal on some Gen 2+ ID goggles. They work fine for my purposes of navigating while hunting. On completely moonless nights I have to use IR to get around but if there is any moon out I can stay passive 98% of the time and just use the IR if I want to see further down my path.

Coupled with thermal it’s made for an effective night hunting setup.

 

[Mike_Honcho]

Were you able to look through / use Gen1 and a torch to compare?

 

[Rerun7]

No, I just took a chance on the unit I got. I would say however that what I have is about the minimum of what I’d recommend to anyone. I don’t think I would have been happy with a gen 1.