I can't find much info on this Bridge so wanted some feedback. It seems to be high quality and of similar utility as the KVC Bridge but a bit heavier. Since KVC stuff is really in short supply it might be a good alternative. Does anyone have any experience with it? How do you like it and what kind of setup do you run?
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Night Vision Opinions on the Wilcox SkeetIR Bridge Setup for PVS14/Thermal or Dual PVS14s?
- Thread starter commandernavi
- Start date
I have it. And the other ones too.
KVC
Willys Cox
MOD Armory
Each does a thing the others don’t.
Wilcox has IPD, so does KVC.
MOD and Wilcox have no button flip down
KVC and MOD fold flatter on most helmet rigs.
Put another way, every one of them will piss you off in some way.
I run the MOD bridge at the end of the day as it’s cheap and works excellently. Consider the MOD comes with the mounts and is cheaper than either of the other options without shoes.
KVC
Willys Cox
MOD Armory
Each does a thing the others don’t.
Wilcox has IPD, so does KVC.
MOD and Wilcox have no button flip down
KVC and MOD fold flatter on most helmet rigs.
Put another way, every one of them will piss you off in some way.
I run the MOD bridge at the end of the day as it’s cheap and works excellently. Consider the MOD comes with the mounts and is cheaper than either of the other options without shoes.
What I like from the Wilcox and KVC is the IPD spacing being set which would mean the Mod Armory would be out (since ideally I would pair a pvs with a thermal so want the adjustment), but I totally see it as a good option though I have heard people complain that the pvs can twist a little in the arms. Have you had that issue?
What would you say is the strength of the Wilcox over the KVC? Or do you like everything about the KVC better? Kvc isnt available and is a bit more.
What would you say is the strength of the Wilcox over the KVC? Or do you like everything about the KVC better? Kvc isnt available and is a bit more.
I have a bunch of the Mod Armory Bridges. Never ever have had any issues with with a PVS twisting in them
I still wonder about these IPD "stops" being necessary. Just pure dee marketing if you ask me IMHO
Have you ever seen a pair of daytime binoculars with IPD stops? They don't exist to my knowledge.
With articulating Bino's of any flavor you just rotate them down till you have the correct IPD. It the hinges are quality made they stay where you adjusted them too. The really nice thing about the Mod Armory Bridges is that you can adjust the tension you want on the hinges.
Most other bridges do not have a feature allowing the user to quickly adjust the hinge tension.
Thank you. That's very true what you said about the binos. My only thought would be that if you're flip pinging them flat for storage usually or lifting them up it would be a little faster. Not sure if it's a big deal either way though. Also, I think the issues might have been with the Gen 1 D14s that had shorter nubs that fit into the divots to the sides of each pvs threaded hole. The current ones have longer ones so it should have solved this I assume.
I'm mostly asking about the Wilcox since I can't find much info. Assuming they would cost the same as a quick detach D14 it still looks like a better option on paper but I wanted to get some options from people that have had hands on them.
I'm mostly asking about the Wilcox since I can't find much info. Assuming they would cost the same as a quick detach D14 it still looks like a better option on paper but I wanted to get some options from people that have had hands on them.
Makes sense if you can afford it by the sounds of it! Nox sounds much better and more reliable than Breach. How much does the Nox go for used?
Everything I have been reading about them tells me they are solid units. I think we are trying to find out a good way to use it paired with a 14 while still keeping the weapon mount and running the NOX on the left eye.
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Makes sense and that goes a really long way. Basically second guessing the Flir Breach due to how poorly people say Flir treats its customers. Nox is definitely worth a look once I can afford something really nice
I think right now the NOX is king because you pretty much can’t get a better unit. The SkeetIR 640 is a little better for 2-3x the cost.
And I do mean “little”.
What I don’t like about the KVC is the fact it locks down. When I need shit out of my face I need it now, not after I have fought to find a button with gloves on somewhere.
Wilcox and MOd don’t lock down. victory.
And I do mean “little”.
What I don’t like about the KVC is the fact it locks down. When I need shit out of my face I need it now, not after I have fought to find a button with gloves on somewhere.
Wilcox and MOd don’t lock down. victory.
Ah. I hadn't considered how the lockout feature might be a negative on the KVC. Did you find that the extra weight of the Wilcox is noticable? The KVC bridge is 3.xx oz and the Wilcox is 6.xx. the Wilcox does appear a bit more modular with how you can take off either arm if you ever wanted to for some reason (eg save weight If running a single one.
People pay a shit ton of money to lose 3 ounces.
Reason - real success from long term comfort in a NODS rig is all about counterweighting. A good counterweight primarily deals with front to back center of gravity, and some people even try to get it to do right/left COG as well.
SO 3 ounces out front becomes a total of 6 ounces because of the counterweight.
For counterweights, I run 147 9mm subsonic ammo in plastic zip locks in an Agilite cover or a Mohawk. This lets me get the weight needed exact - I balance the helmet right where the earpro mounts go. Add a round...check...add another...check.
That makes sense and I definitely know some people are willing to shave ounces for absurd amounts of money, but in your experience would that extra weight dissuade you from using the mount? Most of why I brought this conversation up is that the KVC mount isnt available at all right now whereas the Wilcox seems to be a little moreso and it seemed like a good alternative however there weren't any reviews on it anywhere. Since you're in a unique position and have a set as well as the KVC and D14, this is really useful info and is super appreciated!
Really good idea on the bullets btw!
Really good idea on the bullets btw!
I would go with the D14 between the two. 
. And I did - and I have or have had almost every bridge ever made.
I work with NV stuff almost every single night, probably 1000 hours or so a year.
The D14 doesn't have many features, and it isn't high speed Gucci gear like the Wilcox. But it has EVERY feature that is necessary AND all of them are done to perfection. And its light-ish. And I can get good inexpensive adapters that are in stock and easy to acquire from MOD. I'm looking at my latest adapter here that I ordered Monday in fact. All in stock and ready to go for the most part.
. And I did - and I have or have had almost every bridge ever made. I work with NV stuff almost every single night, probably 1000 hours or so a year.
The D14 doesn't have many features, and it isn't high speed Gucci gear like the Wilcox. But it has EVERY feature that is necessary AND all of them are done to perfection. And its light-ish. And I can get good inexpensive adapters that are in stock and easy to acquire from MOD. I'm looking at my latest adapter here that I ordered Monday in fact. All in stock and ready to go for the most part.
10-4. Thank you!
Dangggg. That's a crazy amount of time under nods. If you do get a chance, I'd highly encourage you to write a Wilcox Bridge review some day. Nobody has the hours on these like you do so it would be awesome for people looking for more info later.
I'm definitely strongly considering the Mod, but a big reason on why I'm Interested in the Wilcox in particular is a buddy has a spare he might be willing to sell me but couldn't find enough info on it to make a decision. At retail, I definitely agree that the D14 is a much better option for most, but if I can snag the Wilcox for a good price, it might just be worth it and I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons carefully. the Mod armory stuff has lots of reviews and a huge following because like you said, it is great gear and available on top of that but with the Wilcox bridge, it's really hard to get much deep info since most people (rightfully) skip it to get the D14 or KVC so there are no reviews or write ups on it haha.
Dangggg. That's a crazy amount of time under nods. If you do get a chance, I'd highly encourage you to write a Wilcox Bridge review some day. Nobody has the hours on these like you do so it would be awesome for people looking for more info later.
I'm definitely strongly considering the Mod, but a big reason on why I'm Interested in the Wilcox in particular is a buddy has a spare he might be willing to sell me but couldn't find enough info on it to make a decision. At retail, I definitely agree that the D14 is a much better option for most, but if I can snag the Wilcox for a good price, it might just be worth it and I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons carefully. the Mod armory stuff has lots of reviews and a huge following because like you said, it is great gear and available on top of that but with the Wilcox bridge, it's really hard to get much deep info since most people (rightfully) skip it to get the D14 or KVC so there are no reviews or write ups on it haha.
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Listen up ya'll.I would go with the D14 between the two.
I work with NV stuff almost every single night, probably 1000 hours or so a year.
The D14 doesn't have many features, and it isn't high speed Gucci gear like the Wilcox. But it has EVERY feature that is necessary AND all of them are done to perfection. And its light-ish. And I can get good inexpensive adapters that are in stock and easy to acquire from MOD. I'm looking at my latest adapter here that I ordered Monday in fact. All in stock and ready to go for the most part.
The man just laid out some real facts. Plain & simple.
Ya. Fo real. For anyone Buying new it seems like a no brainer based on that
4.0oz with 2 pvs14 arms attached. With 1 arm and the dovetail and screw removed from one side its 2.5oz.
The d14 is excellent i run a full bridge and my wife runs it as a single mount and we're both very happy with them.
The question is if there is an adapter that allows me to lower the PVS14 about a quarter of an inch so that the 14 would be parallel with a NOX18 if I mount it on the left and use the QD mount versus flipping the dovetail?
Are you meaning in a D14? Or in a Wilcox? Based on what I've seen, I haven't found a single system that can do up and down for individual sides of the bridge unfortunately
There are no mounts that allow for up-down reconciliation. Not that I have seen.
ODDLY - IPD is the most important value to getting a good take from behind the unit, followed by eye relief and then point angle.
IPD is usually a function of the bridge and ER and point angle are a function of your helmet mount.
To put another way - I used a lot of stuff where one optic was higher than the other by a little and it didn't seem to matter. That may have been because almost all of those were in the D14 bridge and it helps a bit to be bat winging down into place instead of being on one plane and then adjusting IPD.
Not for individual sides that I have seen either. But there seems to be a lot of new innovations coming out, one can hope.
It seems to me the easiest solution will be for someone like Mod Armory to make a dovetail/arm specifically for the nox18/pvs14/d14 combo. They did this for the breach and I think over time there will be a lot of nox18s out there.
I would not have thought that ipd would be more important than vertical. That's so weird. How about forward to back movement (closeness to eye)? Many systems lack the ability to adjust that too
Are there any new bridges or other solutions coming out to address these problems? Wasnt aware of new innovations around the corner.
I've seen some guys making some 3D printed stuff. MOD makes a Breach adapter and I am hoping with the NOX taking off that they will make a NOX adapter.
I think the Nox will have to do a lotta catching up. There appears to be north of 40,000 Breach units out there already per the starting serial numbers and current serial numbers.
Danggg. Are there really That many Breach units out there? I assumed it was less than several thousand
Maybe. Or that might be the serials from the whole commercial line, which would make more sense.
I think that makes more sense as a whole. Unless some gov customers picked up a bunch I don't see how there can be that many out there.
No doubt. I could see things breaking down for quality helmet mounted into lower priced (breach), mid priced (iray25) and higher priced (nox18). While sales of the breach i imagine will always dwarf the other 2 I'd imagine the other 2 will become common enough that it will be worth it for someone to make dovetails. I doubt N-vision makes the current dovetail so someone is already doing it.
A common enough combination like the d14 to nox to match up with their pvs14 arm isn't out of the realm of possibility. I know people are already running the nox on d14s with a pvs14 and it works but I'm figuring as more people get units and gain experience a consensus will be reached about ideal placement.
Have the wilcox bridge and have run it with one PVS14 and a IR Patrol as well as two PVS14s. Overall a good system that I generally now run with the dual 14s.
That being said, it is heavy. I run a good bit of counterweight on a bump helmet. I went with the wilcox to be able to split things up easily and because I was able to buy one extra skeet-ir arm and flip it over to move the patrol out a bit further away from the face (this lines up the ocular lenses better). If I did not want to maintain the ability to run the patrol even with a PVS14 I would consider a lighter option.
That being said, it is heavy. I run a good bit of counterweight on a bump helmet. I went with the wilcox to be able to split things up easily and because I was able to buy one extra skeet-ir arm and flip it over to move the patrol out a bit further away from the face (this lines up the ocular lenses better). If I did not want to maintain the ability to run the patrol even with a PVS14 I would consider a lighter option.
I have monitored the serial numbers of both the Breach and individual Flir Thermosight line (PTS 233, PTS 536 and PTS 736) to see if they were all mixed in.
I do not believe that to be the case. I believe my reporting north of 40,000 Breach units to be true.
However, someone in the industry could likely shed more light on if that is true.
I do not believe that to be the case. I believe my reporting north of 40,000 Breach units to be true.
However, someone in the industry could likely shed more light on if that is true.
Maybe so. Uncle Sugar sucks up a lot of ammo, NV, Thermal etc.
Would be interesting to know how many Uncle Sugar got.
The Breach would be a pretty cost effective unit to put in the hands of a lot of LEO/Mil/Agency types.
I really didn't like the IC bridge when I tried it. I don't like thermal and NV together anyway, but at least the KAC bridge makes sure the thermal screen is tits on square. With the IC you can get it all cattywampus.
Thanks for the input. Do you run the Wilcox bridge with the Wilcox shoes as well? Is the button that is wired to the shoe a gimmick or is it useful?
If so that's quite impressive! Must be gov agencies making up the bulk of those orders is my guess for sure then.
I do run the wilcox wired setup. Don't really use the buttons though. Live in somewhat rural area so no need to kill them quick. Sometimes when I'm walking out of the woods into a lit area I turn the switches on the units off and then hit the buttons just to be sure, mainly because they are there.
Different brand arms also impact how close or far the ocular sits from the face. I have never owned anything else and have no complaints about mine, but for weight/counterbalance I have wondered how much it would impact the feel of the helmet on the head if I had different ones. Ex: J arm that has ocular a bit farther away allows the G22 (in my case) to be run a bit closer in to the helmet reducing leverage. Just been too lazy/poor to try it out.
Interesting. I would have assumed that the shoes they would have made for that would be able to make it sit pretty square. Is it just annoying because it's rotated slightly and the view through the thermal is a rectangle so doesn't sit parallel to the ground?
basically. Even worse than a box and a circle, you have a canted box and a circle.
