Brand new to this segment. Wendy bump helmet and pvs14 with good mount. What else should I be looking for? Battery compartment? IR strobe? Sweet unicorn attachment (kidding)?? Seems like quite a rabbit trail and there is probably no “correct” answer but hoping for a good direction on getting started
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Night Vision What do I “really” need on my helmet?
- Thread starter Pwoens
- Start date
Counterweight.
IR strobes are useless unless you hunt with other NODiots and get separated.
Supplemental illumination can be helpful. Surefire V1 or Princeton Tech.
Ear pro, if you don’t shoot suppressed or want them helmet-mounted
ETA: I forgot about the most important accessory: LARP patches.
Yeah, make u oper8 baybee.
IR strobes are useless unless you hunt with other NODiots and get separated.
Supplemental illumination can be helpful. Surefire V1 or Princeton Tech.
Ear pro, if you don’t shoot suppressed or want them helmet-mounted
ETA: I forgot about the most important accessory: LARP patches.
Yeah, make u oper8 baybee.
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Two beer cans holders and a sipping system?
Seriously you don't need much. Earpro integrated with the helmet is very nice and probably the only essential item.
For helmet lights, I prefer a low power IR/white task light. I have a streamlight Sidewinder light on mine which is more of a task light (does low power IR/white/red and blue light). It provides enough illumination to clear indoor spaces, which is the main areas you need extra illumination for and also does not emit a visible signature. Some people run bigger lights, but I prefer a handheld IR/white combo or my weapon light for outdoor reach. Also the big lights usually come with a red glow.
Beyond that you can add a counterweight pouch to the back - there are some cheap ones on ebay that work fine. Its probably not needed for a monocular but if you start running two PVS-14's or a binoc it can help balance things out. I store extra batteries and a little lead weight in mine.
I don't think an IR strobe is needed at all unless you are separately hunting with buddies in the woods. I've seen them used at some courses, but in most cases the instructor will bring some. The IR glow sticks seem to be more popular in any case since the strobes can be quite annoying if you are working close to anyone using them.
Seriously you don't need much. Earpro integrated with the helmet is very nice and probably the only essential item.
For helmet lights, I prefer a low power IR/white task light. I have a streamlight Sidewinder light on mine which is more of a task light (does low power IR/white/red and blue light). It provides enough illumination to clear indoor spaces, which is the main areas you need extra illumination for and also does not emit a visible signature. Some people run bigger lights, but I prefer a handheld IR/white combo or my weapon light for outdoor reach. Also the big lights usually come with a red glow.
Beyond that you can add a counterweight pouch to the back - there are some cheap ones on ebay that work fine. Its probably not needed for a monocular but if you start running two PVS-14's or a binoc it can help balance things out. I store extra batteries and a little lead weight in mine.
I don't think an IR strobe is needed at all unless you are separately hunting with buddies in the woods. I've seen them used at some courses, but in most cases the instructor will bring some. The IR glow sticks seem to be more popular in any case since the strobes can be quite annoying if you are working close to anyone using them.
Happy with my Mohawk counterweight, holds all my extra batteries well.
Have a red S&S V-Light marker which is great for low light stuff and it’s very cool, so bonus points there.
I just use chemlights if I need an IR marker, like Mortalpawn said they aren’t annoying like a strobe can be. Waiting on the Princeton Tech switch to show up, the Charge Pro I’ve used is a bit big and more features than I need.
Question for people with more experience, as far as a helmet light, is a SF 300V worth it or should I just get a cheaper IR only light? How often do you use a bright WL on a helmet?
Have a red S&S V-Light marker which is great for low light stuff and it’s very cool, so bonus points there.
I just use chemlights if I need an IR marker, like Mortalpawn said they aren’t annoying like a strobe can be. Waiting on the Princeton Tech switch to show up, the Charge Pro I’ve used is a bit big and more features than I need.
Question for people with more experience, as far as a helmet light, is a SF 300V worth it or should I just get a cheaper IR only light? How often do you use a bright WL on a helmet?
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yea you should wear it
though the beanie cap with the propeller is sort of cool you could stick your head out the window and yell wee wee wee all the way home lol
though the beanie cap with the propeller is sort of cool you could stick your head out the window and yell wee wee wee all the way home lol
Im wearing it now and nothing else whilst sitting in the dark
On the inside of the helmet....consider swapping the stock padding with 4D pads....available via TNVC. Well worth the $$$. Wish I had listened to others advice here and done it a lot sooner myself.
Would you mind listing the parts used here? I have Walker Razors that I wanted to helmet mount but wasn’t sure which parts to use.
Just like war belt and plate carrier 'picture' threads, the NV helmet setup threads are usually put together by people basing off how operator they can get their helmet to look with 'running it' consisting of going out at night twice for a 15 minute walk without falling off the side of a bridge as to not make the helmet look dusty.
With that said, there's more to setting up a helmet than just sticking shit on it and hoping you'll use it.
- Helmet itself. Half you fobbits wear the fucking helmet tilted way too far to the fucking front. Then you'll cry and bitch about how the mount adjustments suck because you cant get the NV high/low enough. Put the helmet on your head and pull straight down with the rear nape straps like youre trying to put the middle/middle rear of your skull through the helmet. Then do the chin strap and take out any slack and finish with the dial tension, if you have a system where that exists.
- Counterweight/counterweight pouch. Don't just put 1lb of lead in it or whatever and call it good. Chances are, depending on the angle/height of the counterweight, you'll find a sweet spot somewhere around 70% counterweight weight of NV unit+arm+mount total weight on the front. You'll need to play with what you put in so that its not too much/not enough, but around 70% is usually the sweet spot. Your head position with the CW on and NV down should feel perfectly neutral. Also, do not dummy cord this like I've seen done where there's 4 fucking cords permanetly attaching this to the helmet. What happens if you wear the helmet during the day, NV unit stowed and you still have that counterweight on the helmet?
- Extra batteries inside the counterweight. Factor these into the overall counterweight weight as well. Figure out what equipment you're using on your helmet and what batteries does this all take. Hopefuly its the same 1-2 types and stow batteries SPECIFICALLY for everything on the helmet to be replaced twice.
- Comms headset. Use a Peltor or TEA/MSA Highthreat. MSA Sordins and the fucking surgery you have to do to get them on a helmet is fucking retarded. TEA and Peltor also allow you to simply remove the comms units from the helmet mounts and put them on a headband so you dont have to wear the helmet for comms if you dont need it. Helmet can then be stowed in the ruck along with your NV in its insert until you need them.
- White/IR light on your non firing side. Keep it on the weak side so you can always have your gun up. But generally these are search/spot lights so you're usually not using it when there's a possibility someone will shoot at you. If that's the case, use your fucking PEQ15 and don't use a visable light unless you specifically need PID; and if you do use a light, stay the fuck away from me. You will also have zero friends if you leave this light on constantly while we're clearing a house. I use the Inforce dual output on a Unity SARA mount because the rails on helmets generally have problems with Peltor mounts + lights and velcroing lights is stupid.
- IFF. Know the settings without having to look at it or you run the chance of basically signaling everyone around you that you dont want to know you were there. I use either the 3 position VIP (IR on, IR flash, Green visable) or the HelStar (theres only 1 with the mix of settings I actually like).
- Wear thin, clear goggles or get clear ballistic glasses if you'll be on vehicles at night. I use either the SmithOptics boogie that can have an elastic cord attach to a post on the rail, or I use GatorZ Photchromic lenses that react to UV light to get dark, but stay perfectly clear under NV 'light'.
- (Optional) Are you getting shot at, at night? If 'no', you can skip this. If 'yes' then get a velcro chem light panel that can be attached on the top/front of the helmet infront of the IFF but about the shroud. First rule of squad level contact at night is to deploy IR or low output orange chems to the flanks to mark your boundries. My chem card doubles as a routing point for my ANVIS9 cable and I have 3 chems plus 1 CeJay battery mini chem.
With that said, there's more to setting up a helmet than just sticking shit on it and hoping you'll use it.
- Helmet itself. Half you fobbits wear the fucking helmet tilted way too far to the fucking front. Then you'll cry and bitch about how the mount adjustments suck because you cant get the NV high/low enough. Put the helmet on your head and pull straight down with the rear nape straps like youre trying to put the middle/middle rear of your skull through the helmet. Then do the chin strap and take out any slack and finish with the dial tension, if you have a system where that exists.
- Counterweight/counterweight pouch. Don't just put 1lb of lead in it or whatever and call it good. Chances are, depending on the angle/height of the counterweight, you'll find a sweet spot somewhere around 70% counterweight weight of NV unit+arm+mount total weight on the front. You'll need to play with what you put in so that its not too much/not enough, but around 70% is usually the sweet spot. Your head position with the CW on and NV down should feel perfectly neutral. Also, do not dummy cord this like I've seen done where there's 4 fucking cords permanetly attaching this to the helmet. What happens if you wear the helmet during the day, NV unit stowed and you still have that counterweight on the helmet?
- Extra batteries inside the counterweight. Factor these into the overall counterweight weight as well. Figure out what equipment you're using on your helmet and what batteries does this all take. Hopefuly its the same 1-2 types and stow batteries SPECIFICALLY for everything on the helmet to be replaced twice.
- Comms headset. Use a Peltor or TEA/MSA Highthreat. MSA Sordins and the fucking surgery you have to do to get them on a helmet is fucking retarded. TEA and Peltor also allow you to simply remove the comms units from the helmet mounts and put them on a headband so you dont have to wear the helmet for comms if you dont need it. Helmet can then be stowed in the ruck along with your NV in its insert until you need them.
- White/IR light on your non firing side. Keep it on the weak side so you can always have your gun up. But generally these are search/spot lights so you're usually not using it when there's a possibility someone will shoot at you. If that's the case, use your fucking PEQ15 and don't use a visable light unless you specifically need PID; and if you do use a light, stay the fuck away from me. You will also have zero friends if you leave this light on constantly while we're clearing a house. I use the Inforce dual output on a Unity SARA mount because the rails on helmets generally have problems with Peltor mounts + lights and velcroing lights is stupid.
- IFF. Know the settings without having to look at it or you run the chance of basically signaling everyone around you that you dont want to know you were there. I use either the 3 position VIP (IR on, IR flash, Green visable) or the HelStar (theres only 1 with the mix of settings I actually like).
- Wear thin, clear goggles or get clear ballistic glasses if you'll be on vehicles at night. I use either the SmithOptics boogie that can have an elastic cord attach to a post on the rail, or I use GatorZ Photchromic lenses that react to UV light to get dark, but stay perfectly clear under NV 'light'.
- (Optional) Are you getting shot at, at night? If 'no', you can skip this. If 'yes' then get a velcro chem light panel that can be attached on the top/front of the helmet infront of the IFF but about the shroud. First rule of squad level contact at night is to deploy IR or low output orange chems to the flanks to mark your boundries. My chem card doubles as a routing point for my ANVIS9 cable and I have 3 chems plus 1 CeJay battery mini chem.
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