I've seen several questions on here by people wanting to figure out how to get the most out of their night vision, i.e. How to focus on the fly with your hands full of bang stick. The grammar will most likely be poor because I'm on an iPad. I would like to encourage others to post up as well, because I fully intend to glean knowledge here.
Don't go screaming opsec to show everyone how high speed you are, please, I think that is universally annoying. I'm not posting info derived from military instruction, just little things I've learned myself from using night vision in the military and as an enthusiast.
1. A lot of people struggle with focusing head mounted night vision while on the fly. Set your focus to match your surroundings, before you head out on a hunt or mission. For wooded terrain, I focus at 8-10 yards to catch those pesky branches BEFORE they smack me in the lips. In urban environments I prefer 20-40 yards, depending on how constricted the structures are and the tactics of the locals. For desert patrolling, I set my focus around 100 yards.
Now there's two ways to effectively tweak your focus on the fly, without touching your NODs.
Where I see. Most people with focal issues are trying to focus on the image within the device. Don't do that, focus through the tube at the object you are wanting to clarify. It's really simple, but it works.
Another method that only works with really good night vision is to cut a dime sized hole on a Butler Creek flip up cap and place it on the objective end after you preset the focus. It only works with good lum, so if it gets too dark, flip that bad boy up and drive on..
Always have a tie down on your NODs (or other sensitive items for that matter). There is nothing like dropping a fragile $3k+ piece of gear from 6 feet up while trying to mount or dismount the unit. I prefer small bungees, then crimp the hook closed on the device so it stays with the unit. Gutted 550 (para) cord works good too, with tiny little carabiners. However it is not my primary choice as it is distracting when it starts to feel like a spider on your face. So if you use it, put some 550 loops on the helmet to run it through so it doesn't dangle or snag.
I generally don't use the rubber eyecups for head mounted NV for two reasons.
1. In hot or cold weather it causes the lens to fog up, which is a no-go for me.
2. Glance down and memorize the terrain you are transversing in 20ft increments, then look back up and scan your surroundings for threats. Otherwise, you will loose your situational awareness and find yourself staring at the ground as you move. In urban environments, where there is typically plenty of light, I look under the nods, without moving my head. It gives you a break from the green burning, but you can't do that with an eyecups.
Foregoing eyecups also allows you to constantly look out the sides, top, and bottom when the surroundings permit, which also increases situational awareness, and decreases eye strain during extended movements.
When hunting pigs and predators that have been heavily hunted with night vision, they sometimes scatter when you hit them with IR light. To avoid this, once they are located, turn on your lum with the weapon pointed at an angle in the air above them and bring it down on target. It seems to keep them from spooking too early.
Don't get tunnel vision! Many people are drawn in by the green glow, and forget to use there other senses. This is a serious blow to your situational awareness. Infect, when using NODs, rely on your other senses more than you normally would without them. This could save your life, or the life of a comrade in a tactical environment, and will make you much more successful when hunting.
Don't mount Gen 2+ or Gen 3 nightvisoin behind an ACOG. The reticule is just too bright.
I'll post several more in a minute, this thing is killing my noggin, kind of like a skull crusher mount!
Don't go screaming opsec to show everyone how high speed you are, please, I think that is universally annoying. I'm not posting info derived from military instruction, just little things I've learned myself from using night vision in the military and as an enthusiast.
1. A lot of people struggle with focusing head mounted night vision while on the fly. Set your focus to match your surroundings, before you head out on a hunt or mission. For wooded terrain, I focus at 8-10 yards to catch those pesky branches BEFORE they smack me in the lips. In urban environments I prefer 20-40 yards, depending on how constricted the structures are and the tactics of the locals. For desert patrolling, I set my focus around 100 yards.
Now there's two ways to effectively tweak your focus on the fly, without touching your NODs.
Where I see. Most people with focal issues are trying to focus on the image within the device. Don't do that, focus through the tube at the object you are wanting to clarify. It's really simple, but it works.
Another method that only works with really good night vision is to cut a dime sized hole on a Butler Creek flip up cap and place it on the objective end after you preset the focus. It only works with good lum, so if it gets too dark, flip that bad boy up and drive on..
Always have a tie down on your NODs (or other sensitive items for that matter). There is nothing like dropping a fragile $3k+ piece of gear from 6 feet up while trying to mount or dismount the unit. I prefer small bungees, then crimp the hook closed on the device so it stays with the unit. Gutted 550 (para) cord works good too, with tiny little carabiners. However it is not my primary choice as it is distracting when it starts to feel like a spider on your face. So if you use it, put some 550 loops on the helmet to run it through so it doesn't dangle or snag.
I generally don't use the rubber eyecups for head mounted NV for two reasons.
1. In hot or cold weather it causes the lens to fog up, which is a no-go for me.
2. Glance down and memorize the terrain you are transversing in 20ft increments, then look back up and scan your surroundings for threats. Otherwise, you will loose your situational awareness and find yourself staring at the ground as you move. In urban environments, where there is typically plenty of light, I look under the nods, without moving my head. It gives you a break from the green burning, but you can't do that with an eyecups.
Foregoing eyecups also allows you to constantly look out the sides, top, and bottom when the surroundings permit, which also increases situational awareness, and decreases eye strain during extended movements.
When hunting pigs and predators that have been heavily hunted with night vision, they sometimes scatter when you hit them with IR light. To avoid this, once they are located, turn on your lum with the weapon pointed at an angle in the air above them and bring it down on target. It seems to keep them from spooking too early.
Don't get tunnel vision! Many people are drawn in by the green glow, and forget to use there other senses. This is a serious blow to your situational awareness. Infect, when using NODs, rely on your other senses more than you normally would without them. This could save your life, or the life of a comrade in a tactical environment, and will make you much more successful when hunting.
Don't mount Gen 2+ or Gen 3 nightvisoin behind an ACOG. The reticule is just too bright.
I'll post several more in a minute, this thing is killing my noggin, kind of like a skull crusher mount!
Last edited:
