Night Vision Dual PVS 14 vs HMT

[Rerun7]

So I’ve been struggling for a while trying to decide how to upgrade my night game.

Currently I run a PVS14, handheld scanner and a weapon mounted thermal. I mainly hog hunt at night and I used the scanner all year around for various tasks. I also drive a UTV at night with the 14 and my AO is extremely dark.

So I’m trying to figure out the best bang for my buck and have been looking at two options.

1. Buy a 2nd PVS14 and run duals. I like the flexibility vs a dedicated bino.

2. Ditch the handheld scanner for a helmet mounted thermal.

I don’t have a way to try before I buy so for guys that have run both:

- do you pick up a lot of extra light when running duals? Is not having closely matched tubes a big issue?

- with a 640 HMT can you navigate with it similar to the 14? I feel like I’d pick up more animals having something running all the time vs stopping to scan all the time.

What say you night time gurus? Where is the money better spent?

 

[SkyScrapin]

I would chose one HMT over any amount of NV on my face for hunting. You can’t shoot what you can’t see, and seeing 100% of the time has netted us far more dead pigs. You sacrifice on the nights where everything is a sea of grey and you could have benefited with NV.

How often does that happen for you? Do you hunt in the rain?

 

[BamaSE]

I have tried about every combination....and have settled into low vis green lights on the buggy and a single HMT.....MH25.

The low vis green lights do not seem to spook the hogs in our woodland/small field environment in south Alabama, but I do go dark when we enter a large open field.

I can drive along the known roads and trails fine with the HMT only. Even in white hot. With the KVC Bridge I can flip it up and down, close the thermal eye, or tilt my head back to only see the light if there are any questions on what lies ahead. Some of our CRP fields are so grown up I have to do this to avoid the humps and hog pits the HMT does not pick up so readily.

For stalking/walking I use the same HMT and a low vis Princeton Tech red light on my helmet or green pen light as needed.

For hogs this works fine. They are not the most skittesh creatures so long as one is down wind of that nose.

 

[Rerun7]

How often does that happen for you? Do you hunt in the rain?

Not often in the rain but humidity is pretty high in summer so it’s tough on thermal. It’s never bothered me that bad because the animals still light up fine and I’ve still got the 14.

I’m seriously contemplating selling both my current thermals, buying a NOX 18 and then a cheaper thermal scope like a hogster 25 to help fund it.

Just having a hard time pulling the trigger on $9k worth of gear

The extra pvs will run me about $3k but if it’s not going to be that much of an upgrade I don’t want to waste the money.

 

[Rerun7]

I have tried about every combination....and have settled into low vis green lights on the buggy and a single HMT.....MH25.

The low vis green lights do not seem to spook the hogs in our woodland/small field environment in south Alabama, but I do go dark when we enter a large open field.

I can drive along the known roads and trails fine with the HMT only. Even in white hot. With the KVC Bridge I can flip it up and down, close the thermal eye, or tilt my head back to only see the light if there are any questions on what lies ahead. Some of our CRP fields are so grown up I have to do this to avoid the humps and hog pits the HMT does not pick up so readily.

For stalking/walking I use the same HMT and a low vis Princeton Tech red light on my helmet or green pen light as needed.

For hogs this works fine. They are not the most skittesh creatures so long as one is down wind of that nose.

I’ve got IR lights on my UTV so driving is covered with the 14. The hard part about that is in order to scan I have to completely stop driving to pull up my scanner. This is where a hmt would be most beneficial I think.

 

[BamaSE]

I’ve got IR lights on my UTV so driving is covered with the 14. The hard part about that is in order to scan I have to completely stop driving to pull up my scanner. This is where a hmt would be most beneficial I think.

Did the stop and scan.....and drive and scan run off the road, hit the tree, etc. for a few years before finally getting the MH25. It is so much more comfortable and relaxing to drive with the HMT.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

14 and hmt bridged is king in my book. I wouldn’t go back. I also have a second 14 for bridged duals I like to use when driving if it’s behind a windshield. You’ll see a lot more stuff having a thermal on your head all the time.

 

[Rerun7]

Alright, I’m convinced on the HMT route.

What do you guys think is the best bang for the buck?

1. Roll the dice with the Breach (I’ve read about several having issues but not sure if that’s widespread)

2. MH25 (I need to do more research on the durability and warranty on this one)

3. NOX 18. I’ve only seen good things said about it but not sure if it’s worth the additional investment.

Are there other options I’m missing and should be looking at?

 

[WhereNow&How]

Alright, I’m convinced on the HMT route.

What do you guys think is the best bang for the buck?

1. Roll the dice with the Breach (I’ve read about several having issues but not sure if that’s widespread)

2. MH25 (I need to do more research on the durability and warranty on this one)

3. NOX 18. I’ve only seen good things said about it but not sure if it’s worth the additional investment.

Are there other options I’m missing and should be looking at?

Well I have never had any problems with my Breaches at all. Nor any of my buddies that run them.

However, the NOX 18 is a much better performing unit.

Either one will likely serve you well.

 

[Dvlray6]

I love both, but for different things. For hunting it is bridged HMT all the way. You are king of anything within line of sight. My bridged PVS14 and Skeet IRx.




For CQB and defensive work I like the PVS31a with e-coti. Very good situational awareness and great bino picture for quick maneuver.

 

[Morgan3]

Definitely new to the game. Got a fairly high spec pvs14 and had some experience with a breach and loved it, but of course with all the newer, higher spec options available wanted to upgrade. Was dead set on the MH25 or Trijicon Patrol until reading about the NOX18 here. I’m glad I waited till they were available. The image is amazing in comparison to what I’ve experienced so far and I’m much more at ease with N Visions warranty and customer service from the info I’ve seen.

 

[stefan73]

My plan is to eventually get a NOX-18 to partner with my PVS-14. The bridge is my biggest question. What to go with and what is available?

 

[GreenMushroom]

My plan is to eventually get a NOX-18 to partner with my PVS-14. The bridge is my biggest question. What to go with and what is available?

I have 2 of the d14 from Mod Armory and am very happy with them. Quite a bit cheaper than the knights stuff and actually available. Lighter too I believe.

On a side note does anyone know if the dovetail that comes on the nox will snap into the knights stuff or does it require a K-Clip? The "standard" dovetails i have won't work on the jamr i got and at this point its an expensive paperweight. Trying to figure out something useful to do with it.

 

[Rerun7]

I’ve pretty much settled on the NOX and D14. Is there anything else needed to get this running or is it just plug and play with those components?

going to start out just hot swapping the nox to my weapon and if that drives me crazy I’ll snag something like a hogster 25 later on. I’ve still got the pvs and laser/illum for quick shots.

 

[Morgan3]

I have 2 of the d14 from Mod Armory and am very happy with them. Quite a bit cheaper than the knights stuff and actually available. Lighter too I believe.

On a side note does anyone know if the dovetail that comes on the nox will snap into the knights stuff or does it require a K-Clip? The "standard" dovetails i have won't work on the jamr i got and at this point its an expensive paperweight. Trying to figure out something useful to do with it.

Dovetail on NOX interfaces perfectly on KVC bridge

 

[Morgan3]

My plan is to eventually get a NOX-18 to partner with my PVS-14. The bridge is my biggest question. What to go with and what is available?

Got my 18 from eurooptic and they are currently in stock

 

[GreenMushroom]

Dovetail on NOX interfaces perfectly on KVC bridge

Thats interesting. Do you have any other dovetails to compare it to like wilcox or Mod Armory? The Mod Armory dovetails slide too far forward in the dovetail socket on my jamr. The Mod dovetails are the same size as the dovetail on top of the jamr so I figured its the knights sockets that are weird but maybe not. All the Mod dovetails snap right into my pvs15 adapter.

 

[Morgan3]

Only other dovetail for reference at the moment would be on a Wilcox 24. Just tried and it fits perfectly.
No experience with JAMR

 

[GreenMushroom]

Only other dovetail for reference at the moment would be on a Wilcox 24. Just tried and it fits perfectly.
No experience with JAMR

Wtf. I must be missing something. Well my nox is going to be here soon so I'll find out. Maybe the jamr has a weird socket. Is the knights bridge all that? I'm on backorder and have since got D14's which I'm really happy with.

 

[Morgan3]

Can’t complain about the KVC except for the price. But also don’t have anything to reference to. Have heard a lot of good things about Mod on here and if I had read about them prior to buying the KVC, I might have tried them instead. But totally satisfied at this point.

 

[BigPrince]

I love both, but for different things. For hunting it is bridged HMT all the way. You are king of anything within line of sight. My bridged PVS14 and Skeet IRx.




For CQB and defensive work I like the PVS31a with e-coti. Very good situational awareness and great bino picture for quick maneuver.

Nice! Been debating between these two and similar setups.

 

[sheepdog697]

If your 14 is WP, id add an iray with the pvs14 objective. Run it on a KVC bridge and youre set.