PVS-14 helmet mount faves

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Originally Posted by JohnnyC

Specifically vertical adjustment. The USGI rhino mount only has the tilt and fore-aft movement and I've found that while I can make it work, I feel like my head is at a weird angle.

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Ahhh that is right, I had forgot about that. Usually what ya wind up doing is cranking the tilt of the mono way nose down in order to get the eyepiece close enough to your eye. Then ya walk around with your chin lifted working on a nice case of neck strain. Norotos has plates with extra holes drilled in them for moving the mount up but your are still stuck with the folded height problem.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyC

I'm using the PT-Alpha helmet so I'm curious if that's the issue or I really just can't get the rhino mount to adjust where I need it. The big draw to the INVG mount was the ease of vertical movement, and the ease of stowage is a bonus. I like being able to flip up the USGI mount without finding a button and carrying that through to the INVG seems like it would be a nice feature to have.

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The PT alpha helmet padding is thick Thick THICK placing the whole affair far away from your eye. I am not a big fan of the PT alpha. The Ops Core bump Helmet is a GRAND idea but, like you said wallet busting. Heck you could probably do a MICH helmet cheaper.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyC

I'm not hands-on familiar with either it or the Wilcox G24 so I'm taking a gamble here but it seems like the INVG would be just as easy if not easier to adjust, and because it uses a screw to change height that it would be less prone to needing readjustment than the Wilcox. I would be worried that banging the lever would throw it out of alignment easier than something twisting the screw. I'm assuming that it's the lever that changes height on the G24 and not the screw on the side. It seems like a fair assessment but having never used either I'm looking for input.

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The Wilcox height adjustment lever when locked down is VERY Solidly locked down, I mean it is very hard to get undone. Once it is undone though the up and down movement is completely loose. The screw knob on the INVG is cool though as it acts as a micro adjustment to get the height EXACTLY where you want it.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyC

I'm undecided on the break away feature of the G24, and if having that outweighs any benefit the INVG has. Also, while it stows lower than the USGI mount, it appears that it still has a higher profile than the Notoros. I also realize that I will be losing some side-to-side swing adjustment by going with the Notoros dovetail over the Wilcox twisty but I guess that's just something I'd have to try to decide.

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The break away feature is a "nice to have" IMHO, and unless you are going to possible getting in and out of vehicles or running through doorways with your NVD on your head the benefit is negligible. I have always been afraid that if I ever smacked the 14 hard enough to pop the break away feature, the 14 was going to be done. Granted a neck injury is a worse thing but I don't feel this outweighs the features of the INVG.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyC

I'm also thinking I may need to upgrade to a different helmet instead like the Fast BUMP where the shroud is mounted more vertically. That may solve my problems with the rhino mount but being just as wallet destroying it's kind of a wash as to which avenue to approach first.

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On the Helmet selection, Consider finding a different helmet. I have used the Bell faction with great success and I am in the middle of modifying a Protec helmet at the moment. I picked up said Protec skate board helmet CHEAP on overstock.com and I am retrofitting it with helmet pads an Ops core VAS shroud and suspension system.

Now all that being said have you considered either of the face mask options? Norotos makes a nice one as does L3 / Litton.

In closing I think if your purely going to be mounting a PVS 14 and not dual tube goggles, the stow feature of the INVG is the shining star here. All the other features are great as well but the stow takes the cake. Also a few posts up I said that the Dual Dovetail Adapter (DDA) does not give you side to side movement, that is true BUT.... I just talked to Norotos this morning and they have changed the DDA to where it now adjusts side to side. I ordered one today and I will report back next week on how well it works.

IPSC_GUY
SIERRA II ALPHA

for those who have used the norotos face mask - does it interfere with the electronic hearing protection (sordin, peltor etc)? it also looks like it's limited to USGI j-arm use, not the wilcox or norotos adapters (correct me if i'm wrong).

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Originally Posted by militarymoron

it also looks like.......

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.....Hannibal Lecter but that may or may not be a problem depending on your circle of friends.

The main problem with the face mask is that it doesn't offer any sort of noggin protection. I'd like at least a little something, and anything I'm doing that doesn't require some sort of head protection I probably won't be doing long enough for the skull crusher to start, well, crushing. It looks like it flips up though which is kinda cool. It's just not something I'm looking for, and yes, it would appear that it only utilizes the USGI j-arm.

I don't think I'll be getting in and out of vehicles all that often or running through doors with it flipped up. I think the forward stowage of the INVG would also negate that for the most part, and any spill I might take that's enough to activate the breakaway feature of the G24 is probably going to be bad enough to either toast the PVS, or toast me. It's good to hear that the Notoros dovetail has side-to-side adjustment too, I think that's putting it over the G24 right now.

I'll take a look at some other helmet types. If nothing else I can use my PT helmet when I snowboard and pick up something else to try. I'm also interested in how the new dovetail performs and will hold off purchasing until I can see a review.

Thanks for the information guys, I've got a lot to consider.

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Originally Posted by militarymoron

for those who have used the Norotos face mask - does it interfere with the electronic hearing protection (sordin, peltor etc)? it also looks like it's limited to USGI j-arm use, not the wilcox or norotos adapters (correct me if i'm wrong).

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The Norotos face mask does not interfere with any kind hearing pro or headset use. The suspension is simply flat nylon. There is no plastic wrapped around your head like the skull crusher.

Also the mounting options of the face mask are either the USGI mount for the standard Head Set Adapter (J arm) for the PVS-14 and the PVS -7 or the Navy Dovetail for the PVS-15 and PVS-18. When you order it you simply have to specify which mounting option you want.

IPSC_GUY
SIERRA II ALPHA

thanks for the info IPSC_GUY.
johnny - i'm looking at the face mask purely from a comfort point of view. no protection needed.

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Originally Posted by militarymoron

thanks for the info IPSC_GUY.
johnny - i'm looking at the face mask purely from a comfort point of view. no protection needed.

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You're right, and I should have clarified, it's not something that I'm particularly looking for, and the lack of protection is only my reason for discounting it. I was only speaking to my needs.

I've heard several people say that they're very comfortable and they can go for long periods of time wearing them and not even think twice. If I were looking for a setup for long duration of wear and didn't need a helmet it's definitely the setup I would go with. And if nothing else it's scary!

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Originally Posted by militarymoron

thanks for the info IPSC_GUY.
johnny - i'm looking at the face mask purely from a comfort point of view. no protection needed.

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The Norotos Face mask is very comfortable for long term wear as is the L3/Litton mask. One funny thing with either is finding a hat to fit over it...

Also another bit of advice for the Norotos mask, unless your absolutely going to be diving the mask (as in Scuba diving) get the leather pads over the submersible pads. The submersible pads are some sort of plastic that become horribly sticky in any humidity above 15%.

IPSC_GUY
SIERRA II ALPHA

Ok I got the new Norotos Adjustable Dual Dove Tail in today and basically what they have done is, put a small horizontally moving track under the dovetail mount. There is an easy to reach and turn, thumbscrew that locks down the side to side movement. I was expecting something that swung on a pivot like the J arm but this combined with the other axis of movement on the INVG provided all the adjustment needed to place the Monocular exactly where I wanted it. This new "adjustable" Dove Tail will retrofit to older Dual Dove Tails. I have not had a chance to ask Norotos yet but I Imagine they will sell just the new part.

My only complaint now, about the whole set up is the fact that the DDTA places the On / Off switch of the PVS 14 (if run over the right eye) inboard, in front of your nose. If run over the left eye it places it outboard. In other words you have to use your left hand to manipulate the On Off switch. You can use your right but you have to reach either completely over the top of the mounted 14 or twist your hand around unnaturally to reach the switch. Now this is not a big deal and will require some getting used to but not a deal breaker. Again the stow feature of the INVG outweighs just about any negative of the system.

All in all it gets an IPSC_GUY two thumbs up.

IPSC_GUY
SIERRA II ALPHA

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Originally Posted by IPSC_GUY

....put a small horizontally moving track under the dovetail mount. There is an easy to reach and turn, thumbscrew that locks down the side to side movement....

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Would you mind posting a picture of this?

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Originally Posted by JohnnyC

Would you mind posting a picture of this?

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Here is a pic of the Version2 Dual Dovetail Mount from Norotos. It has been out since January (SHOT Show) and is the only model they are shipping. You can see there is an adjustment screw that tightens the rail slider for the positioning it over the eye, laterally. It is a pretty good solution considering what they have to work with. I have not experienced any sort of play in the mechanism.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g6...l_doveV2_1.jpg