Bang for the buck NVG

[ramairthree]

About once every year or two I decide I am going to get my own NODs.
I start trying to see if prices have changed, if I am missing something new, what has changed in recs.

Then a shiny quarter or pony or something distracts me and I end up working on something else.

I spent a lot of time in NODS,
Before every single person had them.

Whether trying to focus one eye on a map and the other for distanced or maxing out 250cc of bike with ill fitting, elastic head piece foam fit PVS 5s,

Or the better mounted but single 7s.
I did not really like 7s.

In the helmet mounted era, most of my time with 50 50s.
I liked the quality of vision, the extra battery pack, etc.
I have more time in those than any other. but the cost of those and the less standardized parts and the fact the needed repair so often we went to 15s.

There are benefits to those but just as expensive or more so.

For those that have been through the same process, at what price point did you reach diminishing returns?

Did you just say, I'll settle for the 7s?
Another option?

[Treehopr]

I had PVS-7's issued to me in the late 90's so that was the baseline of my experience, we never used the skull crusher and didn't wear PASGT helmets to the field (OPFOR @ JRTC).

I traded for a Gen2 MUM back in 2008 and was reasonably happy with it; later I picked up a PVS-7 for what I thought was a good price. As training for civilian NV users became more available I had time the opportunity to use my nods more, and get caught up on all the things I didn't know over the last 15 years...

Equipment had evolved but I was still using my 1980's technology, in NVG's, mounts, and helmets. The biggest downside was the bayonet mount, it had a lot more wobble and that makes it tough when wearing it mounted to a helmet. Both my NVG's used the bayonet mount :-(

I ended up going full retard and picking up a set of PVS-15's, tried selling the MUM with no luck so I had the tube pulled and installed in a PVS-14 housing. I use Wilcox dovetail mounts for all of it.

Getting in to NVG's isn't a $3k ride; it's closer to a $5k ride by the time you get all the additional ancillary equipment and that's doing it on the cheap.

Advice given to me by those with more knowledge and experience, buy the best you can afford and plan on spending the coin for the Gucci ancillary equipment.

You can get a very good NVG set up with a gen 3 PVS-14, look for a Signal to Noise Ratio of 25.0 or better. Get the Wilcox J-Arm & G24 mount and a Team Wendy bump helmet with the Wilcox shroud. Retail for all this is right around $5k and doesn't include an IR pointer and illuminator if you're planning on using NVG's with your AR15.

I've had good experiences with Wilcox Engineering and Research (not to be confused with Wilcox Industries) as well as Own The Night for NV equipment

Hope this helps