- Thread starter TEzNJ
- Start date
If you want to play commando and shit your pants from sheer awesomeness, Night vision (or join the thermal master race if you're serious about killing things at night). If you want to weigh yourself down with something you will likely never actually need or even be able to put on in time when you do need it, buy vest-ar500 plates etc.
Somethings wrong with the site right noq so i couldn't post pics of my set ups
Somethings wrong with the site right noq so i couldn't post pics of my set ups
I am looking at getting into the NV game myself. After a few weeks of looking and window shopping I'm coming to the conclusion that thermal is a better option (at least for me).
With NV the range can be really limited, depending on the setup of course. Also with NV (again depending on the setup) you need supplemental items to make it all work.
By that I mean you need an illuminator, possibly a helmet, and who knows what all (depending on the tech and setup). You can potentially spend a lot of money just on things that are needed to use NV.
With thermal you need a thermal device and that's it. It's also as far as I know passive, meaning you don't need anything like a supplemental light or IR source or even possibly aiming devices (like an IR laser).
With NV if you are out on a really dark night you must rely on your own IR to use it beyond any distance. With thermal it just works regardless of if it's really dark or not and you don't need to be within flashlight range. With thermal the useable distance is substantially more.
Just my .02 cents from a guy that doesn't own any of it yet.
With NV the range can be really limited, depending on the setup of course. Also with NV (again depending on the setup) you need supplemental items to make it all work.
By that I mean you need an illuminator, possibly a helmet, and who knows what all (depending on the tech and setup). You can potentially spend a lot of money just on things that are needed to use NV.
With thermal you need a thermal device and that's it. It's also as far as I know passive, meaning you don't need anything like a supplemental light or IR source or even possibly aiming devices (like an IR laser).
With NV if you are out on a really dark night you must rely on your own IR to use it beyond any distance. With thermal it just works regardless of if it's really dark or not and you don't need to be within flashlight range. With thermal the useable distance is substantially more.
Just my .02 cents from a guy that doesn't own any of it yet.
Yea try an do shit at night with just a thermal and let me know how that works out for you.
I was looking into thermal, I’m sure a quick google search after this will answer. But I’m looking into a monocular. So if I get a eye monocular, how do you aim with thermals? It seems like thermal has a lot of positives over NV but I’ll have to do a little more researching
You gota put your front sight in the microwave for about 45 seconds, then you can see through the thermals.
I'm pretty sure that I can sit in a comfortable lawn chair waiting for pigs at night with just a thermal.
The intend use matters
"Do shit at night" is more than sitting in a static position. You need NVGS to actually move around and do 80% of the shit people think about doing in the dark.
The thermal scopes that I have been looking at have reticles built in to them. A lot of them you just toggle through and pick which reticle you like best.
The downside is you have to be extra careful because with a weapon mounted system you have to point the gun at it first just to get a target ID. That's weapons mounted systems in general though, not just thermal scopes.
True. If you are trying to run around with a team of people, or climb fences, or anything else like that then helmet mounted NV would be awesome.
For me though and my use, none of that is on the menu. That being said there is no law against having both. But for a defined specific use like I mentioned above a thermal seems like a better option.
If the question is one or the other… get good night vision. It has so many other practical uses. Yeah it requires a little support gear… still way more useful than thermals. Just my $.02.
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take it from someone who has both, you can get it done with just thermal. Shooting with night vision IR lasers becomes very difficult after a certain distance as most of them are off axis from the bore, unless you can get one that lines up center bore at the 12 o'clock position. This why NV is more popular with gun owners who are also airsoft nerds and like to play pretend (which is fine btw), whereas real hunters who actually strike out at night and slaughter living creatures more often use thermal, at least in my experiences.
The whole "you cant move around at night without NV thermal or not" point is moot and easily solved with a flashlight if youre willing to sit still for just a little longer after you get situated.
Spend your $$ on ammo and training.
Buy gear and Nods later... when you are proficient with the basics.
Sirhr
Buy gear and Nods later... when you are proficient with the basics.
Sirhr
Interesting. But I think about 80% of regular people actually using any type of NV are... static shooting pigs.
The OP is talking about "home defense" and SHTF, I think some good flashlights and toilet paper would be a better purchase than NV or body armor.
So if you go thermal and you hear something outside, what do you think you will see when trying to look through the window.
It’s probably not any good. Just send it to me and I’ll take care of it for free so you don’t have to mess with all the ITAR regs.
You’re welcome
For home defense I’d pick that aimpoint with white light 9 out of 10 times.
I don’t feel like your question is equal. What’s your budget? If you aren’t ready to drop $5k then don’t start in with nightvision. And once you get NV you’re gonna need thermal.
You’ll use NV or thermal 100x more than body armor unless you plan on kicking in some doors.
You’re obviously gonna need like $10k to satisfy your needs.
I don’t feel like your question is equal. What’s your budget? If you aren’t ready to drop $5k then don’t start in with nightvision. And once you get NV you’re gonna need thermal.
You’ll use NV or thermal 100x more than body armor unless you plan on kicking in some doors.
You’re obviously gonna need like $10k to satisfy your needs.
Both budgets have been into consideration, I know NV is upwards of 10-11k for a basic setup.
Well I’ll be contacting you when I have the funds later this year or early next year
I'd buy the plates and belt first if you're really worried about bad shit.
NV and Thermal are expensive as fuck and finding places you can train with them are hard if you don't own land.
We sleep at night for a reason. If civilization goes to hell don't expect that to change. Especially when stuff like batteries become scarce.
Like Sihr said get the basics down first. Having NV ain't going to do shit for you if you can't already shoot, change mags, clear basic malfunctions, etc during the day pretty efficiently.
It ain't going to be easier in the dark.
NV and Thermal are expensive as fuck and finding places you can train with them are hard if you don't own land.
We sleep at night for a reason. If civilization goes to hell don't expect that to change. Especially when stuff like batteries become scarce.
Like Sihr said get the basics down first. Having NV ain't going to do shit for you if you can't already shoot, change mags, clear basic malfunctions, etc during the day pretty efficiently.
It ain't going to be easier in the dark.
For 10-11k you could have a very decent nv and thermal setup.
While I agree with you, there are plenty of situations that I would like a thermal instead.
My house is way out in the country. If someone is poking around my yard it would be nice to see who or what it is.
One of our barns where we park tractors and such is at least 100 yards from the road so people cannot just randomly wander in. None the less someone got caught under there before.
Also in my area there are a few prisons and juvenile centers. It doesn't happen often but sometimes they get out and look for places to hide.
In my case home defense doesn't mean that someone is actually coming inside.
Imma sneak in your house at night and take your shit.
Thermal Goggles binoculars with Long range flir Night Vision capabilities
The T7 Thermal Goggles are light rugged long range thermal binoculars that have flir night vision and provide Ir thermal infrared imaging & video output
www.x20.org I admit that I don't know shit about this company, but they make a set of THERMAL binoculars that mount to your head and hang in front of your eyes.
Pretty sure you can move around and do 80% of the shit people think about doing in the dark with them on.
I sleep peaceably in my bed at night because rough men like y'all's stand ready to do violence on my behalf, saving me monies not having to buy NV. Thanks!
Yeah - I was specifically referring to bump in the night home defense.
And sorry about sneaking around in your barn, I was trying to find my cat.
I'd do neither. Armor is overrated. If you want armor and are worried about the city, grab a concealable soft vest. Otherwise spend the money on shooting a few USPSA matches with whatever your carry gun is and go about enjoying life.
NV is cool, if you have the application for it. If you live in the city and you're never realistically going to take it out... meh.
NV is cool, if you have the application for it. If you live in the city and you're never realistically going to take it out... meh.
Not sure if they are fusion. You can do thermal mono and a NV mono in each eye and kinda replicate it. Fusion will be the future of night visions/thermal. Best of both worlds.Thermal Goggles binoculars with Long range flir Night Vision capabilities
The T7 Thermal Goggles are light rugged long range thermal binoculars that have flir night vision and provide Ir thermal infrared imaging & video output
I admit that I don't know shit about this company, but they make a set of THERMAL binoculars that mount to your head and hang in front of your eyes.
Pretty sure you can move around and do 80% of the shit people think about doing in the dark with them on.
The pictures of thermal binos are always in the street or somwhere with nothing in the way like trees, holes, fences or other shit you will encounter walking in the woods. Moving around at night with just thermals is a bad idea.
The detail you can see (and depth perception) with thermal is tied to sensitivity and processing power.
There are thermal sensors that allow you to see with stunning detail. To the point that you can see ripples on water.
I hunt at night and drive around with the windows down scanning with just a thermal. It works but would be nice to have a thermal on one eye and NV for walking. If I was hunting every night I'd do that, but I shoot a ton of stuff with the set up now. Maybe one day
Ive always wanted for a company to create a digital scope that can switch between thermal and NV but it would easily be 15k i bet
Training.
Same with a weapon mounted thermal. Only I walk around too. It’s not that bad so long as you are aren’t blind and are capable of walking without full sun overhead.
Some of the stuff you read on here makes you wonder how they get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
OP, you can put a pulsar thermal on the gun for less than 3k, if you’re going to hunt I see zero reason not to.
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Yeah I have a hogster I scan then put on the gun when I see them. I killed about 35 this year in 6 trips doing this. Spending more money would make it easier but having 10k in gear just to shoot pigs seems a bit much hah
I’m headed down to turkey hunt this week / hog hunt with just the thermal. We’ll see if I make it out alive
Ok, do I need to buy a different microwave, like a special one from TheHorta or something? If you forgot to mention that, you totally owe me a microwave, fire extinguisher, and a taquito... it tastes funny now.
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