Are you the type that likes to be prepared for every situation? Or maybe you enjoy getting up well before the sunrises to get a jump on Mother Nature. If so, then you understand the importance of owning a durable and reliable pair of night vision binoculars.
Whether you’re trying to nab a buck in the cover of night or decided to go hiking after the sun has set, you’re going to find that a flashlight can be detrimental or inefficient for your needs. Night vision binoculars eliminate the possibility of your light source scaring off your prey and uncovers the shadowed areas of the wilderness that a beam of light doesn’t hit, effectively increasing your safety, hunting success, and ability to better survey the area around you.
The most difficult aspect of night vision binoculars is, of course, knowing which one’s to purchase and which to avoid. You can easily spend a ton of money and wind up with the best pair on the market, but higher cost doesn’t guarantee best quality. Like anything else, night vision binoculars have higher end models and lower end models, and it may come as a surprise, but some of the cheaper binoculars may be the best for your needs.
Whether you’re a hunter, hiker, or just love to collect cool gadgets, night vision binoculars are a must-have.
Bushnell Equinox Z Digital Night Vision Monocular
Sure, it’s a monocular, but the clarity that it offers puts it up there with even the best night vision binoculars. Bushell’s Equinox Z comes with built-in IR illuminator technology to promote low-light clarity. Coupled with 3x magnification and a 30mm objective lense, it’ll be like the darkness hasn’t impeded your vision at all.
The illuminator casts light up to 500’ for a vivid display that works great for hunters. Multicoated lenses further promote clarity and ensure that, whatever it is you’re looking at, you’ll see it in a crisp image.
The Equinox Z also has a memory card slot so you can record what you’re seeing and can be mounted on a tripod to document wildlife after the sun has set.
Sightmark Ghost Hunter
Sightmark brings to the forefront a use for night vision binoculars that many likely would never consider: Ghost hunting and paranormal investigating. The SM15070 Ghost Hunter is a convenient, hands-free model that comes with a head strap, so the most affluent investigator can free up their hands for other equipment.
The Ghost Hunter features high quality imaging with a 30-degree field of view and built-in IR illuminator. Since most hunting is done under the cover of night without any ambient light source, the additional illumination prevents safety issues and keeps the corners that may hide usable evidence from falling into the shadows.
The SM15070, of course, isn’t just for ghost hunters and investigators. The hands-free head strap is also great for hikes and regular hunters, as well. It’s a durable model that doesn’t sacrifice functionality, though it’s worth noting the 1x magnification is a bit lower than other models.
Night Owl NOXB-5 Explorer
Night Owl’s NOXB-5 Explorer sports a magnification of up to 5x, meaning you’re sure to see those distant objects with clarity. Coupled with a 700 field of view and range of 575, there’s no doubt that the image will be as crisp as you could want it to be. The binocular’s Steel Stringer System allows full customization of the image’s precision and refinement, ensuring you see what you want to see.
NOXB-5 is equipped with an IR illuminator that casts an infrared light that brightens up even the darkest corners of the wilderness with ease. This is perfect for hunting so your prey can’t scurry off into the shadows.
The lenses are coated with metal oxides and fluorides to enhance image quality even on distant targets.
Luna Optics Premium Night Vision Binocular
You can definitely take the “Premium” part of the name of these night vision binoculars to heart – Luna Optics has put out a model that delivers in all of the necessary ways, including 3x magnification and a lightweight frame. Unlike some models, Luna Optics features comfortable and adjustable padded eye-cup, made from a soft rubber that is soft against your eyes.
These premium night vision binoculars are weather resistant and feature an IR illuminator that will keep your field of view lit even in extreme low-light conditions. Luna Optics delivers a high-quality image that surpasses much of what’s on the market thanks to intensifier tubes that increase ambient lighting to nearly 900 times.
For further usability, both barrels focus individually ensuring the image retains clarity no matter the conditions or the user.
Yukon Tracker Night Vision Binocular
The Yukon Tracker may not offer the best magnification at only 2x normal vision, but their affordability and other functions make it a must-have, especially for people just starting out with night vision binoculars. One of the first notable features is the rubber “armor” that adds a level of protection against shock from dropping and weather.
Beyond durable, the Yukon Tracker features an IR illuminator that covers a range of up to 150 yards, ensuring even in low ambient lighting you’ll be able to see 2x ahead of you with clarity. To remain energy efficient, the IR system uses a “pulsing frequency” that illuminates dark spaces without draining the battery.
An Eclipse Lens Cover System includes flip-up covers that protect the lense but can be clipped on top the body of the binoculars for added convenience. Each cap has a pin hole that allow use of the binoculars during the day when the caps are closed.
Night Owl iGEN Monocular
Sometimes what you’re looking for is too big and isn’t something you want to carry around. That’s not the case with Night Owls’ iGen monocular. When it comes to night vision, this monocular stands up well to its dual-lens competition. Night Owl’s proprietary iGEN technology makes this a top-of-the-line model that delivers light amplification that ranges from 18x to 1,345x the normal.
Night Owl’s monocular sports 2.6x magnification, arguably the only downfall of this model, which it makes up for with 12 angles of view, a variable frame rate of up to 30fps for video, three infrared modes, and day and night functionality.
When maximum clarity and full visibility in low-light situations is needed, the iGEN monocular is a must-have.
Sniper Digital Zoom Deluxe Night Vision Binoculars
Worried about the night just being too dark and your night vision binoculars not being strong enough to illuminate your way? Sniper’s night vision binoculars are equipped with an IR illuminator that should clear up those concerns with its seven levels of intensity.
This pair of binoculars will magnify your vision up to 2 times and will illuminate every inch on the highest intensity with high quality clarity. At night, you should have no issue seeing up to 200’. During the day, these binoculars are capable of showing up to 1,312’ into the distance.
The comfortable eyepiece is an added benefit for prolong use, which comes in handy considering these night vision binoculars are capable of recording video. With its additional functionalities and day-time viewing, Sniper’s deluxe binoculars are a must-have for hunters and hikers.
Solomark Night Vision Monocular
Don’t let the fact that this is a monocular. Even with a single lens, its clarity is top-of-the-line and Solomark’s staple design is brimming with multiple functionalities and added benefits. You can expect high-quality images thanks to the multi-coated lens and high-sensitivity sensor. An IR LED illuminator extends vision in the darkness up to 328’, providing a clear image even in low-light situations.
Mount this monocular on a tripod and set it to take pictures for clear photos that show even the small details of the environment. The compact size makes it easy to carry around and use without fully limiting your mobility and use of hands.
The Solomark monocular zooms up to 2x magnification, which is far from the highest, but also not bottom of the barrel. Generally, you’ll be able to see everything you need to see.
Firefield FF25023 Tracker
Firefield’s FF25023 Tracker is a high-end model that, yes, may be on the higher end of the budget, but is well worth every penny. The plastic shell is waterproof, protecting the inner workings of this high-end model.
Built-in IR illumination promises a clear image without dark spots while 2x magnification ensures you’ll be able to see a bit farther than normal. Multi-coated lenses stand up to even the harshest weather conditions, guaranteeing a clear image no matter what’s going on outside.
Firefield offers an easy-to-use model that can stand up to the elements, making it a great addition to every hunter’s collection of gadgets.
Bushnell LYNX
Though they only run on two AAA batteries, Bushnell’s LYNX are a model that stands up to most other binoculars on the market. Providing high clarity imaging and 2.5x magnification, the LYNX offers the necessities needed for hunters and hikers, including a built-in IR illuminator that can provide light for up to 270’.
The AR coated lenses offer improved quality and durability while the casing is intended for maximum weather resistance, ensuring that fog and rain won’t get in the way of your field of view. Bushnell promotes ease-of-use, so even newcomers to night vision are able to jump in with a quality pair of binoculars.
The LYNX Gen 1 night vision binoculars are a durable brand that can stand up to the worst weather and the shock of being dropped.
Bestguarder Digital Night Vision Binoculars
It may be easy to be intimidated by Bestguarders’ digital night vision binoculars, but if you take the time to work through them, you’ll be met with a product that’s top-of-the-line but not at the top of your budget.
One of the best features of these binoculars is the large digital display, which brings to life a 320×240 resolution of your crystal clear image. View objects via 7x magnification and a dual digital zoom with the added perk of a 31mm objective lense. The IR illuminator provides ample lighting for even the lowest light scenarios, ensuring hunters don’t miss out on that prized target frolicing deep in the late-night wilds.
Want to snag video of what you’re seeing? These binoculars are great for capturing high-quality video and images to share later.
What to Look For in Your Night Vision Binoculars
With this guide, we’re going to outline the 12 best night vision binoculars you can buy, but before we get there, you really should know what makes a good night vision binocular. The following are the components you’re going to most want to look out for. They’re the most important aspects of your night vision binoculars and can be the difference between snagging that prized hunt and going home empty handed. .
Image quality
What good are your binoculars if the image you’re looking at is so grainy you can’t make anything out? Specifically for hunting and hiking, you’re going to want to have binoculars with a higher resolution. If there’s one area you’re going to skimp on, resolution probably shouldn’t be it as it’s one of the most important factories in the quality of your night vision binoculars.
Magnification Power
Do you want to be able to view distant items and be able to make them out clearly? Then you’ll want night vision binoculars that have a higher magnification. Consider a pair of binoculars with 5 times magnification. Objects viewed through them will appear 5 times closer than normal. Keep in mind that the higher the magnification, the more your hand movements will also be amplified, making steady viewing more difficult.
IR Illuminators
When you view objects normally in low light, you’re limited to the electromagnetic spectrum, which determines the amount of visible light your eyes can see. IR illuminators help improve the ability to see at night in very low-lit areas. When shopping for night vision binoculars, make sure that they include IR illuminators to ensure they work in low-light or complete darkness.
Eye Relief
The longer the eye relief, the more comfortable your night vision binoculars are going to be. This is primarily true for people that wear glasses. With a shorter eye relief, typically less than 10 mm, the frame of the glasses can easily get in the way of the viewfinder. Eye relief over 11 mm allows the wearer to hold the instrument further away for maximum comfort.
Lens Coating
A coated lens prevents light reflection that can cause an image to appear less sharp and darker. Lens coating ensures that the image remains clear while reducing reflection from outside light sources. A lens that’s fully multicoated reduces most reflections and increases the transmission of light.
Weather Resistant and Fog Proof
If you’re going to be outdoors, you should consider that the weather won’t cooperate. Night vision binoculars that aren’t weather, water, and fog proof are effectively useless when it rains. Weather resistant and waterproof binoculars are sealed water-tight by O-rings that keep moisture from penetrating the unit. Fog proof binoculars ensure that lenses don’t become hazy in the early morning fog.
Comfort, Portability, and Ease of Use
Obviously, you want to be able to carry around your night vision binoculars easily. You don’t want to be lugging around a large pair of binoculars as they can get in the way and be easily damaged. As for features, you want a pair of binoculars that’s easy to navigate while you’re in the wilderness. Your night vision binoculars should have only the features you need and not include excess things that would only bog down the user experience.