That $200 night vision monocular at the gun show was actually clear enough

I always figured those cheap optics from the Mesa gun show were pure hype, but I picked one up last month for deer spotting anyway. Took it out to the ranch near Florence and I could read a fence post number at about 80 yards in pitch dark. Has anyone else had a budget gadget that surprised them, or did I just get lucky with this one?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancyn691mo ago

80 yards in pitch dark" sounds like a stretch to me. I've messed with enough cheap optics to know most of that stuff is just a toy with a green light and a lot of wishful thinking. You probably got a freak batch or the moon was out and you didn't notice. Even the decent budget stuff I've seen falls apart after a few months, the image gets fuzzy or the battery drain gets stupid. I'd say enjoy it while it lasts, but don't count on it holding up for next season.

sandra_bennett591mo ago

Yeah, "wishful thinking" is probably doing a lot of heavy lifting there, like the scope's warranty. Sounds like you're describing every $80 piece of gear I've ever bought, but I'll give Nancy credit for one thing, at least she's getting some exercise running back to the truck to swap batteries.