I’m still refining my “process.”
I’ve been going out with different toys trying different things. I don’t like the ReapIR 60 v2. I
definitely prefer the Halo-LR. I thought I’d like the joystick control, in theory anyway, but in practice it is inferior. I just want to be able to turn it on, NUC it, and pop the front lens cover open — all quickly and without looking. That’s extremely difficult with the Reap and extremely simple with the Halo.
I do NOT like manually NUCing. It sucks hairy chocolate balls. That’s my biggest gripe with running dual Skeets — always be NUCing. Also my problem with most weapon scopes and clip-ons. Only the L3 stuff and ChinaSkeets eliminate that craziness. ALL the BAE/Trijicon stuff is manual NUC, which SUCKS for the UTC, because that might be a mile away on the tip of your heavy rifle.
I’m REALLY excited to receive the TigIR. I’m trying not to get my hopes up too high. However, if it’s 80-90% of a UTC, smaller, lighter, and has an internal shutter, that just might become my Holy Grail optic.
The internal shitter / auto-NUC of the LWTS-LR and CRATOS make life glorious. With the LR, you don’t need a day optic, which is fantastic. I’m seriously considering running with that. However, the Halo makes NUCing super-easy, and with the Vortex cap, life is good.
If I’m being 100% honest, all of the unobtanium stuff is cool and grants forum bragging rights, and it definitely puts a smile on my face, but give me a killer PVS-14/Vyper plus MH25 ChinaSkeet in “dual band” along with a Halo-LR and that gives me every tool anyone could possibly need to get the job done absolutely 100% as well as a set of $100K thermal fusion Panos and INOD / UTC / HISS.
Sometimes K.I.S.S. really is the best approach.