NV Setup help

[Lurp]

I'm looking into purchasing a night vision set up and had a few questions I wanted to ask before I purchased.* I have no prior experience with NV so forgive my ignorance.*

To make a long story short I do a significant amount of hiking at night during the winter months in some rural and rugged terrain. A secondary use of this NV device will be night time predator hunting. I'll normally use white light, but I am looking to go for a more low profile approach.* I would like to get a helmet rig set up that's comfortable to hike around in for long periods of time.* I've heard that NV, especially PVS 14* and other monoculars can be hard on depth perception. Will walking long distances in rugged country at night with a single monocular be a problem or is their just a learning curve?*

I have been looking at the TNV/PVS14*gen 3 unfilmed white phosphor*monocular pretty hard for the last few months, but recently I've been exploring the option of going with the TNV/ Sentinel Binocular Un-Filmed White Phosphor.* How much benefit would I gain going with a binocular setup ?** Is the field of view significantly better with binoculars?* Are they worth over twice the cost?*

I'm not really worried about preserving night vision in one eye as the areas of use will be incredibly remote.* My biggest concern is being able to comfortably hike around at a normal pace.* I would love to get some first hand experience with both set ups but unfortunately I do not know of anyone local who owns or sells any quality NV equipment.* Feel free to make suggestions and give opinions on my gear selecction.* Thank you for your tine.

[Wake27]

From my experience, you'll never get to a near normal pace. I've never used dual tubes, just 7s and 14s but they definitely take getting used to and even then, have their limitations. The focus is a big one, I haven't tried any of the devices that address that though. Depth perception is an issue with the 7s or anything that goes from a single tube to a double eye piece. It's less of an issue with 14s, but still there. Also, helmets with NVGs are never comfortable. The more expensive ones are just less uncomfortable. For your purposes, I really think a quality red lens headlamp is the best way to go. Put the NVG money toward a thermal for the predator hunting.


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[specialk]

With enough time under NODs, there's no reason you couldn't hike at your normal pace. You'll get there faster with dual-tube optics.

[Lurp]

From my experience, you'll never get to a near normal pace. I've never used dual tubes, just 7s and 14s but they definitely take getting used to and even then, have their limitations. The focus is a big one, I haven't tried any of the devices that address that though. Depth perception is an issue with the 7s or anything that goes from a single tube to a double eye piece. It's less of an issue with 14s, but still there. Also, helmets with NVGs are never comfortable. The more expensive ones are just less uncomfortable. For your purposes, I really think a quality red lens headlamp is the best way to go. Put the NVG money toward a thermal for the predator hunting.


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I understand what you are saying, but getting away from visible light is the objective. I don't mind slowing down a little as I do that already at night under white light. I just don't want to move at a snails pace and would like to not eat dirt every night. I'm really asking in people's opinion are the dual tubes really a game changer for night time hiking?

[Lurp]

With enough time under NODs, there's no reason you couldn't hike at your normal pace. You'll get there faster with dual-tube optics.

Thank you. So in your opinion the dual tubes have less of a learning curve? Do you feel the end result is the same for monocular and dual tubes?

[specialk]

Definitely less of a learning curve with dual tubes. The end result isn't quite the same though. You'll have better depth perception with two (or more) tubes so you'll be able to move faster and with more confidence than with a monocular.

[GTF425]

To make a long story short I do a significant amount of hiking at night during the winter months in some rural and rugged terrain. A secondary use of this NV device will be night time predator hunting. I'll normally use white light, but I am looking to go for a more low profile approach.* I would like to get a helmet rig set up that's comfortable to hike around in for long periods of time.* I've heard that NV, especially PVS 14* and other monoculars can be hard on depth perception. Will walking long distances in rugged country at night with a single monocular be a problem or is their just a learning curve?*

If you're focused on a helmet and want something budget friendly, any of the various Ops Core airsoft copies out there will work. I would recommend springing for an actual Ops Core bump as its integral VAS shroud will interface with every industry standard NODs arm available, it will have an actual suspension system and pad setup that's comfortable, and should you choose to swap parts around it's an industry standard item and gets rid of a lot of the worrying about parts compatibility and whatnot.

I would not make it a goal to have a ballistic helmet for the role you're looking to use NODs in.

I have been looking at the TNV/PVS14*gen 3 unfilmed white phosphor*monocular pretty hard for the last few months, but recently I've been exploring the option of going with the TNV/ Sentinel Binocular Un-Filmed White Phosphor.* How much benefit would I gain going with a binocular setup ?** Is the field of view significantly better with binoculars?* Are they worth over twice the cost?*

Stick to a PVS-14. It's rugged, light weight, and the FOV is the exact same between a monocular and binocular. You only gain pseudo depth perception with binos, and the funds saved could be repurposed to cover training classes, an IR laser, and getting a quality helmet setup.

And don't get wrapped around the axle about green vs white phosphor. It's the filmless tubes that make the difference. If you can swing the filmless WP, go for it. Otherwise, the standard TNVC PVS-14s have very high specs and perform far beyond what comparably priced 14s run from other vendors.

I'm not really worried about preserving night vision in one eye as the areas of use will be incredibly remote.* My biggest concern is being able to comfortably hike around at a normal pace.* I would love to get some first hand experience with both set ups but unfortunately I do not know of anyone local who owns or sells any quality NV equipment.* Feel free to make suggestions and give opinions on my gear selecction.* Thank you for your tine.

This comes from time looking through the "toilet paper tube wide" FOV of death. I practice wearing NODs just like I do dry firing a pistol, dismounting my vehicle, or any other task that I want to be subconsciously competent in. Also, don't underestimate the value of having one eye adjusted to ambient lighting. You haven't run NODs enough to know how much of a blessing that actually is when navigating densely vegetated forests or crossing streams.

You can absolutely, positively navigate just fine cross country under PVS-14s. Tens of thousands of Infantrymen have proven so over the past 16 years of war. I have dead sprinted across terraced farmland in contact wearing 14s. Dual tube setups are fantastic, and I do have reasons for preferring them, but they are not worth the extreme difference in cost in your case.

[Wake27]

If you're focused on a helmet and want something budget friendly, any of the various Ops Core airsoft copies out there will work. I would recommend springing for an actual Ops Core bump as its integral VAS shroud will interface with every industry standard NODs arm available, it will have an actual suspension system and pad setup that's comfortable, and should you choose to swap parts around it's an industry standard item and gets rid of a lot of the worrying about parts compatibility and whatnot.

I would not make it a goal to have a ballistic helmet for the role you're looking to use NODs in.



Stick to a PVS-14. It's rugged, light weight, and the FOV is the exact same between a monocular and binocular. You only gain pseudo depth perception with binos, and the funds saved could be repurposed to cover training classes, an IR laser, and getting a quality helmet setup.

And don't get wrapped around the axle about green vs white phosphor. It's the filmless tubes that make the difference. If you can swing the filmless WP, go for it. Otherwise, the standard TNVC PVS-14s have very high specs and perform far beyond what comparably priced 14s run from other vendors.



This comes from time looking through the "toilet paper tube wide" FOV of death. I practice wearing NODs just like I do dry firing a pistol, dismounting my vehicle, or any other task that I want to be subconsciously competent in. Also, don't underestimate the value of having one eye adjusted to ambient lighting. You haven't run NODs enough to know how much of a blessing that actually is when navigating densely vegetated forests or crossing streams.

You can absolutely, positively navigate just fine cross country under PVS-14s. Tens of thousands of Infantrymen have proven so over the past 16 years of war. I have dead sprinted across terraced farmland in contact wearing 14s. Dual tube setups are fantastic, and I do have reasons for preferring them, but they are not worth the extreme difference in cost in your case.

Maybe it's just because we don't use them enough then. Or I have different expectations of the difference in pace. Probably a little bit of both.


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[GTF425]

Maybe it's just because we don't use them enough then.

That was the biggest limiting factor whenever I was training guys. I honestly don't think I was truly proficient under NODs until the end of my 2nd deployment.

[Lurp]

If you're focused on a helmet and want something budget friendly, any of the various Ops Core airsoft copies out there will work. I would recommend springing for an actual Ops Core bump as its integral VAS shroud will interface with every industry standard NODs arm available, it will have an actual suspension system and pad setup that's comfortable, and should you choose to swap parts around it's an industry standard item and gets rid of a lot of the worrying about parts compatibility and whatnot.

I would not make it a goal to have a ballistic helmet for the role you're looking to use NODs in.



Stick to a PVS-14. It's rugged, light weight, and the FOV is the exact same between a monocular and binocular. You only gain pseudo depth perception with binos, and the funds saved could be repurposed to cover training classes, an IR laser, and getting a quality helmet setup.

And don't get wrapped around the axle about green vs white phosphor. It's the filmless tubes that make the difference. If you can swing the filmless WP, go for it. Otherwise, the standard TNVC PVS-14s have very high specs and perform far beyond what comparably priced 14s run from other vendors.



This comes from time looking through the "toilet paper tube wide" FOV of death. I practice wearing NODs just like I do dry firing a pistol, dismounting my vehicle, or any other task that I want to be subconsciously competent in. Also, don't underestimate the value of having one eye adjusted to ambient lighting. You haven't run NODs enough to know how much of a blessing that actually is when navigating densely vegetated forests or crossing streams.

You can absolutely, positively navigate just fine cross country under PVS-14s. Tens of thousands of Infantrymen have proven so over the past 16 years of war. I have dead sprinted across terraced farmland in contact wearing 14s. Dual tube setups are fantastic, and I do have reasons for preferring them, but they are not worth the extreme difference in cost in your case.

Very informative post, thank you. I was actually looking at the Ops Core Bump helmet as I have no need for a ballistic helmet and the weight it adds. You make a valid point about having one eye adjusted to ambient light when trying to traverse difficult objects as I can see the depth perception being valuable from the adjusted eye. I was under the impression having one eye adjusted to ambient light was more for an urban environment where you're more likely to encounter bright visible lights.

As you stated I have heard that theirs not much real difference between dual tube and a monocular scientifically, only in the way your brain perceives the incoming information, which makes it seem like increased depth perception. Without hands on experience its hard to judge how significant the gap in perception is, hence why I was asking for information from people with a superior knowledge base. Your input is valued on that matter.

I was looking into picking up the Steiner Dbal D2. Seems to have a good illuminator from the research I have done. Any comments or suggestions? Would also like to pick up a hand held IR light so I'm looking for input on those if possible. Thanks again.