Night Vision Need advice on basic helmet mounted NV setup for guest hunter

[BamaSE]

Hi All, need a little advice. I have one PVS-14 I use when driving blacked out but I am looking around for another NV unit capable of being helmet mounted for any guests I take along. Since I will probably never use it myself, I am not very concerned over which Gen, used, or even minor blemishes. I just don't want to drop a lot of cash on something I will not personally use. But I also do not want to spend any amount on something that will not fit the need or will get ruined from typical use....particularly by exposure to light other than IR.
Basic functions I need are:
1) Main purpose is able to see what I see some distance out from the buggy while I am driving blacked out so they are not totally in the dark and get to enjoy the experience. I do have IR cube lights on the front of the buggy. Not sure of tech specs. Dual role will be stalking from the buggy to the hunting position. Built in IR is nice, but not a requirement as I have a spare IR flashlight.
2) Able to see what I paint with the Dbal. I really do not have an exact distance in mind, 150-200 yards would be nice, I guess the type unit will really determine that in the end.
3) As simple as possible. Basically turn it on and focus.

I have looked around at some of the used stuff for sale. Gen 2 stuff is of course cheaper than the Gen 3 units. And that may work, but I am concerned over non-autogating as I already know one the following is going to happen (how I know is a separate topic )
1) They will forget to turn off the unit and we will pull into camp where there are lights
2) Someone in the group will turn on a white light headlamp and be pointed right at the rest of us
3) Someone will drop something and turn on the dome lights in the buggy to locate it
4) The towel covering the control panel will slip off and we'll get hit with the dash lights
5) Any other accidental discharge of white light in a hunting situation you can think of

The other part of this is the helmet, I will probably acquire a used bump helmet or even a cheaper airsoft type helmet if that will do the trick for the stated purpose. If anyone has some input there please share.

I am not a technical guy with all this stuff.....despite reading the tutorials which I appreciate and have been very helpful.....so please forgive my oversight if there is something evident I have overlooked in the information already out there on these forums.

Any advice from any of you out there with similar experiences and needs will be much appreciated.

 

[SkyScrapin]

Let your friends look through or use your kit for 20 minutes. They'll find a way to afford it.

 

[NFAJohn]

Might look at the Sionyx PRO. Its a digital camera that also functions as a monocular, a buddy of mine has one and it's surprisingly good. Plus totally retard proof when it comes to white light exposure, priced right also.

 

[BamaSE]

Let your friends look through or use your kit for 20 minutes. They'll find a way to afford it.

Haha that's the problem.....they looked thru my thermals first and are now broke and hate me. I just remind my primary hunting partner he is the one that started all this when he brought his ATN to my house to show off a couple years ago.......I was hooked......that kicked off the whole arms race to begin with.

 

[PlinkIt]

Having the Aurora camera could be a good way to go...

It's NOT a gen3 14, but it really does kinda work. For a friend loaner I didn't want to have much in a sport would be a good way to go. They can see with illumination pretty well and can shoot with laser still. ALMOST idiot proof as well

I like having one for stuff like roughing in lasers before it's dark enough to feel comfortable turning on my NV

On greater than 1/2 moon the color ability is actually kind of cool.

Makes a decent dusk / dawn hunting scanner for cheap as well.

 

[NFAJohn]

I have a buddy who works for a distributor that carries them and I can confirm they read a dbal just fine. It’s not night vision, but if I had blown my load on good thermal it would suffice for navigation, use with a laser and possibly driving on predictable terrain. Like all of the digital NV deals if you put out silly amounts of IR they look pretty incredible. The night we messed with it was 3/4 moon and it was impressive.

 

[18Bravo.com]

You might consider renting a unit for a weekend. Check out www.nightvisionrentals.com. They rent individual NODs, thermals, packages with helmets, etc.

 

[wigwamitus]

If you think you are in NV/Thermal for the long haul ... I'd just save up and get a second PVS-14 ... because you'll likely get one one day anyway ... so in the long run, you'll save

 

[Rerun7]

Subbed for the same situation. My hunting buddies went thermal first and they tell me it feels really sketchy riding in the black dark on the trails when I’m using the 14.

I would also like someone for my kids to use from time to time. I’ve been looking at some of the bushnell equinox offerings and just pair it with a good Illuminator.

 

[BamaSE]

If you think you are in NV/Thermal for the long haul ... I'd just save up and get a second PVS-14 ... because you'll likely get one one day anyway ... so in the long run, you'll save

Thanks, that is the same advice another member on here gave me and answered a lot of other thermal and NV questions for which I am thankful. Now I am tilting in that direction.

 

[PlinkIt]

If I misunderstood and it's feasible in budget to save Little more and get another 14 I'd 100% be another vote to go in that direction

I did keep an Aurora even though I have a second 14 as well though. It has some utility for someone as nervous as myself about burning a tube

 

[WhereNow&How]

Thanks, that is the same advice another member on here gave me and answered a lot of other thermal and NV questions for which I am thankful. Now I am tilting in that direction.

Wig's advice is 150% on track IMHO.

I am the local "Good Will" when it comes to "some" (not all, not all) of my extended buds.

All that being said, you can likely find a very nice used PVS 14 Omni 7 spec unit for around $2,000.00. If I were you, I would at the minimum find a nice clean one for around that price or maybe less and go that route, BECAUSE, then you have increased performance in one category (pure NV depth perception for fast moving environments) and can run with the BIG DOGS with your "new Bino's" sitting on a nice Mod Armory Light Weight Bridge.

So when you by yourself, you can run Bino's if you so choose, and when "Billy Begamuffin" comes to visit you can let him use the Mod Armory Bridge on a Crye Precision Nightcap.

I always try to stretch my dollars out such that one thing builds on to another thing if possible. Gives me lots of options and performance for the money spent.

Also, one is none and 2 is one in my book. Always nice to have backup spares for those just in case moments.

 

[BamaSE]

Wig's advice is 150% on track IMHO.

I am the local "Good Will" when it comes to "some" (not all, not all) of my extended buds.

All that being said, you can likely find a very nice used PVS 14 Omni 7 spec unit for around $2,000.00. If I were you, I would at the minimum find a nice clean one for around that price or maybe less and go that route, BECAUSE, then you have increased performance in one category (pure NV depth perception for fast moving environments) and can run with the BIG DOGS with your "new Bino's" sitting on a nice Mod Armory Light Weight Bridge.

So when you by yourself, you can run Bino's if you so choose, and when "Billy Begamuffin" comes to visit you can let him use the Mod Armory Bridge on a Crye Precision Nightcap.

I always try to stretch my dollars out such that one thing builds on to another thing if possible. Gives me lots of options and performance for the money spent.

Also, one is none and 2 is one in my book. Always nice to have backup spares for those just in case moments.

Thanks for the tips. I will look into the Crye. I have a Wilcox G22 on a TW. No dual bridge, had a Wilcox and sold it when I let go of the Patrol. Think I should swap the G22 with something else while doing all this? Works well with my glasses but does have some wobble. And still recommend the MOD complete bridge for my rig? Thanks!

 

[BamaSE]

If I misunderstood and it's feasible in budget to save Little more and get another 14 I'd 100% be another vote to go in that direction

I did keep an Aurora even though I have a second 14 as well though. It has some utility for someone as nervous as myself about burning a tube

Yep, you understood, it was me not being clear.....feasible yet not desirable but I think I have crossed the bridge and will go that direction. My hesitancy is also due to the following equation:
x (thermal and nightvision scope) + y (mounts and accessories) = z (weight as measured in carats for the wife)
The x and the y sting a bit, but the z is downright painful!

 

[WhereNow&How]

Thanks for the tips. I will look into the Crye. I have a Wilcox G22 on a TW. No dual bridge, had a Wilcox and sold it when I let go of the Patrol. Think I should swap the G22 with something else while doing all this? Works well with my glasses but does have some wobble. And still recommend the MOD complete bridge for my rig? Thanks!

I run Norotos Rhino 2's with the PVS 15/18 Dovetail socket exclusively on all my setups. All in costs about $125 to $150 depending on how cheap you snag a Rhino 2 of Ebay.

Dollar for dollar, the best solid performance and toughness money can buy in a NV mount. Allows me to also lay my NODS closer and more compact on a helmet than any other.

 

[NFAJohn]

Thanks, that is the same advice another member on here gave me and answered a lot of other thermal and NV questions for which I am thankful. Now I am tilting in that direction.

If you get one for your buddies you gotta pick up an airsoft ops core, spray paint it pink and write something to the effect of loaned from @BamaSE on it. Might motivate your buddies lol

 

[BamaSE]

If you get one for your buddies you gotta pick up an airsoft ops core, spray paint it pink and write something to the effect of loaned from @BamaSE on it. Might motivate your buddies lol

Lol, good thought.......

 

[gunsandgear]

I would grab a used, autogated, Gen 3 PVS-14 blem somewhere for $1,500-$2,000. Will be perfect as a stand-alone unit and will also be great to potentially use as part of a dual PVS-14 setup as someone mentioned above. Your budget really determines the options here so maybe figure out a hard budget and let us know for more refined recommendations?

 

[BamaSE]

I would grab a used, autogated, Gen 3 PVS-14 blem somewhere for $1,500-$2,000. Will be perfect as a stand-alone unit and will also be great to potentially use as part of a dual PVS-14 setup as someone mentioned above. Your budget really determines the options here so maybe figure out a hard budget and let us know for more refined recommendations?

Something in the range you mentioned is comfortable given I need to add the bridge and other gear. And after more research I may just wait a bit and go for a new higher grade unit and let my current one be the guest unit.

 

[Ironman8]

Would there be any issues (eye fatigue, depth perception, ect.) with having two different grades of tubes if run together on a bridge?

 

[WhereNow&How]

Would there be any issues (eye fatigue, depth perception, ect.) with having two different grades of tubes if run together on a bridge?

I have run some pretty high spec sheet'd PVS 14's next to quite a few un spec'd sheet'd units on Mod Armory Bridges and never had any issues at all. I did that on purpose to test out some of the "myths" I have heard on the internet.

Really could not tell any differences except Halo. Easy to tell the difference in Halo between two units.

In fact here is an example of what one dealer apparently defines as acceptable variations in tube performance when they build dedicated "high end" Bino's. Apparently eye fatigue, depth perception, etc must not really be much of a thing from running completely different spec'd tubes.

One tube has a FOM 2,348.8 and the other is FOM 1,939.2. That is a 21.12% variation in the FOMs of these "Matched" tubes in a Bino System.


Tube 1:

SNR: 36.7
64 lp/mm
Halo 0.7
EBI 0.7

Tube 2:

SNR 30.3
64 lp/mm
Halo 0.8
EBI 0.2

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[Ironman8]

Thanks @WhereNow&How thats good to know!

 

[BamaSE]

Thanks @WhereNow&How thats good to know!

Ditto!