Night vision equipment is highly valuable on hunting expeditions and tactical excursion. The ability to see in the dark is often the difference between life and death or serious injury. With good night vision equipment you could be able to see an object up to 200 yards from you on a cloudy, moonless night or even in a dark, dark room without any light. This makes night vision intriguing and very appealing. But before you buy night vision equipment, you must consider a few things that would determine the kind of night vision equipment you need.

Night Vision Technology

Night vision equipment uses infrared light which is not normally visible to the eyes, to make a dark object seem clearer. Such equipment can work in either of two ways, depending on the technology being used:

1. Thermal Imaging: Night vision equipment using thermal imaging uses heat emission from objects and bodies which makes up the upper portion of the infrared light spectrum.
2. Image Enhancement: Infrared light is invisible to the eyes but still exists and bounces off objects. NV equipment amplifies IR light to make objects visible to the observer.

Night Vision Equipment

There are various types of night vision equipment and if you are looking to get your hands on one, it is best to know which type works for what type of work. They are divided into three broad categories:

1. Monocular: Monocular means having only one eye piece.
2. Binocular: Binocular means having two eye pieces.
3. Cameras: A night vision camera can be used to take images or record videos and is best when used for surveillance or live feeds of dark places.

Generations

Night vision equipment is divided into four generations where generation is the deciding factor when it comes to performance and price of the device.

• Generation 1: Generation 1 is the oldest technology in night vision equipment and therefore the least expensive. The performance is lowest as compared to other generations.
• Generation 2: Generation 2 is miles away from Gen 1 in terms of performance and also price.
• Generation 3: Gen 3 is the highest generation of night vision equipment commonly available, and is the generation of choice for serious users.
• Generation 4: Gen 4 night vision equipment had the major drawback of reduced tube life, which made it unpopular with users and that is why it not commonly found or produced.

Keeping all these factors in mind, the best night vision goggles are the ones that fulfill the purpose you intend for them. Each of the above factors describes a key feature of NV equipment, and the combination of these features for the best results for your specific purpose will give you the best NV goggles in context of your use. TOG – The Outdoor Gear has a vast range of NV googles from some of the best global brands and you are sure to find the best night vision goggles for you!