I have been reading about the hands free helmet mounted thermal for scanning. It seems like it might suit me with the way I hunt. The problem is I haven't seen the setup in person so I am looking for advice, both pro and con. comfort, weight, will they work with glasses etc. How many guys here use them. Are they just a waste of time and money.
helmet mounted thermal
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bohunr
Well-known member
my hunting / calling partner uses one. he can scan while walking in and out, its a one power base mag. with a 640 resolution. not sure of the brand. i want one but its unaffordable for me.
the scope / scanner is around $6,500 if i remember correctly. it looks cool and leaves your hands free, no shoulder strain holding a scanner up to eye for hours a night.
NOT a waste of time or money. i look at it like a safety issue, with the clear resolution of a 640 scanner you can spot groundhog holes before stepping into them and spot skunks before they get you.
i cant walk and scan with my hand held pulsar axion as its a 3.5 base mag and a 384 resolution. the resolution is fine but that base mag brings everything 3.5 times closer, its over looks the close stuff. i would be falling all over the place walking and scanning with that.
the scope / scanner is around $6,500 if i remember correctly. it looks cool and leaves your hands free, no shoulder strain holding a scanner up to eye for hours a night.
NOT a waste of time or money. i look at it like a safety issue, with the clear resolution of a 640 scanner you can spot groundhog holes before stepping into them and spot skunks before they get you.
i cant walk and scan with my hand held pulsar axion as its a 3.5 base mag and a 384 resolution. the resolution is fine but that base mag brings everything 3.5 times closer, its over looks the close stuff. i would be falling all over the place walking and scanning with that.
Dead Down Wind
Well-known member
With Thermal, you will not have depth perception.
My recommendation would be a helmet mounted PVS 14 with a decent IR source for walking in and out of stands.
My recommendation would be a helmet mounted PVS 14 with a decent IR source for walking in and out of stands.
I guess I should be more specific as to what I am asking. I don't want NV. I want to get rid of my handheld scanner and try a helmet mounted thermal scanner. I want to see an animal in the field and not to see where I am walking as the fields I hunt are not hard to get around in. So would a helmet mounted thermal scanner replace my handheld or is the handheld the better way to go. I have been using handheld for about 8-10 yrs now
alf
Well-known member
I was pretty sure I was going to go helmet mounted this year, one of the reasons I bought the RH25 V2.
Buddy went with with a 4D Sof Cap, so I was going to copy him, but after playing with it, I've decided to stay with hand held.
4dtactical.com
Buddy went with with a 4D Sof Cap, so I was going to copy him, but after playing with it, I've decided to stay with hand held.
4D Tactical SOF Cap
The 4D Tactical SOF Cap- Provides the wearer a means to run NODS, comms, beacons, and any other ancillary equipment you would normally run with a bump or ballistic helmet. The 4DT SOF Cap is compact, lightweight, and when not in use, can be folded up and stored in a cargo pocket. The SOF Cap is...
4dtactical.com
I also borrowed a helmet---cost me a shot in my first set with it so back to the suv I went for my selfie stick and to leave the helmet! I had practiced with it at home for about an hour getting it "out of the way" but in the heat of the moment I couldn't find the button quick enough. Didn't like the heat of the helmet or the weight. And I only have 1 eye that works so it had to be flipped up. And at 75, I am not walking in my terrain w/o a headlight! Maybe some guys can shoot with it down and scan with the non- dominant eye.
Pa Mick has the same scanner as me and runs a helmet and loves it as do many others.
Pa Mick has the same scanner as me and runs a helmet and loves it as do many others.
limbhanger10
Well-known member
I had a similar scenario as Mike...except when I went to flip on a pair that came in- I got it flipped up alright, right out of the shoe, clangn n bangn against the gun and off go the coyotes into the fog.
Operator error- didn't have shoe release set correctly due to practicing at home wasn't as intense.
In my opinion helmet is WAYYYY more practical for me than handheld. I spent many years red light scanning and handheld thermal scanning and will never go back.
I use a NVision Nox18 at 1x base and Team Wendy EXFIL bump. Wilcox G24. Mod Armory J Arm.
I can turn it up to the side. I cant keep the helmet on and drive(Not to scan and drive).
The ventilation is fine. I have a cover on it.
We have basically 5 months here of humidity over 75% plus mosquitoes that are just horrible.
Weight isn't an issue for me.
Navigating is fine. ...The only time it sucks is when we get snow...which can be any where from 6" to 3 feet and you loose depth of perception anyway.
I've used my Pulsar XP50(1.6X) in the past and have a Axion 2 XG35 640 (2.5X). For me the XP50 was great except for the weight of holding it. The Axion base mag sucks and in my opinion anything over 1.5x sucks.
They are many helmet options out there along with accessories..many thermal options out there. Some of the helmet options are rather pricey but we'll worth it in the end.
Operator error- didn't have shoe release set correctly due to practicing at home wasn't as intense.
In my opinion helmet is WAYYYY more practical for me than handheld. I spent many years red light scanning and handheld thermal scanning and will never go back.
I use a NVision Nox18 at 1x base and Team Wendy EXFIL bump. Wilcox G24. Mod Armory J Arm.
I can turn it up to the side. I cant keep the helmet on and drive(Not to scan and drive).
The ventilation is fine. I have a cover on it.
We have basically 5 months here of humidity over 75% plus mosquitoes that are just horrible.
Weight isn't an issue for me.
Navigating is fine. ...The only time it sucks is when we get snow...which can be any where from 6" to 3 feet and you loose depth of perception anyway.
I've used my Pulsar XP50(1.6X) in the past and have a Axion 2 XG35 640 (2.5X). For me the XP50 was great except for the weight of holding it. The Axion base mag sucks and in my opinion anything over 1.5x sucks.
They are many helmet options out there along with accessories..many thermal options out there. Some of the helmet options are rather pricey but we'll worth it in the end.
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Pa. Mick
Well-known member
After checking out limberhanger10’s helmet setup I immediately ordered my setup ! I was hesitant as I’ve had a neck fusion in the past, really didn’t want the extra weight. I use a RIX scanner which is very light weight ! Don’t like the extra weight even though it’s not much BUT will never go back to hand scanning 
!
I love walking in using it !
!I love walking in using it !