Whats your Favorite Scanner for Coyotes?

Chance Doane

Chance Doane

Well-known member

Whats everyone’s favorite Thermal Scanner to run for night hunting coyotes?

Ive been running a Bering Optics Phenom 640 and its been a solid unit.

Just looking to what else others are running and the Pros and Cons of your unit.

My only draw back too the Phenom 640 is the internal battery. Other than that im very happy with my purchase.
 
I've been running a Helion XQ28 (384) for a little over four years and battery life is 8 plus hours per battery depending on weather (still using the original two external batteries). I've had no issues with identifying coyotes at 300yds on 2.3 base mag. I recently bought a Thermion XP50 Pro 684 scope and to tell you the truth on clear nights, I can see just as good with the Helion, but the XP Pro excels on raining and foggy (high humidity) nights as I can see twice the distance.

Been real happy with the Helion XQ28 (zero issues) but may upgrade to a Helion 2 XP50 Pro 684 unit (for the reasons listed above).
 
My Helion 2 XP50 PRO is my favorite to date. Most of my older iray and pulsar units work well most of the time, but the Helion 2 XP50 PRO is an improvement. I don't personally see twice the distance because I'm usually in a mix of fields and wooded areas and my older Helion 2 XP50 was pretty good too, but I do pick up things in tough conditions with the Helion 2 XP50 Pro that my iray RL25 and older pulsar units do not.

Pros: Algo is solid, from my LIMITED knowledge it is superior to a lot of the iray stuff I have. It just picks up stuff and differentiates in tough conditions better
Battery life is solid (but I don't like proprietary batteries so that is a con below too)

Cons of that unit:
Proprietary batteries. Buying overpriced proprietary batteries just sucks. I'm stupid and cheap, but I've opted for inexpensive USB power packs instead of buying more spare batteries, which makes the large unit more cumbersome(who wants a cable dangling to another box???) Told you I am stupid but I just can't bring myself to buy their overpriced batteries out of principle

Size/weight: rather big and heavy in comparison to some of the more compact units coming out. Scanning continuously with lighter weight units is more comfortable. I've alleviated some of that issue with the selfie-stick tip Kirsch posted in the past, but still the Helion is not a light optic
 
Scanning 24/7 with the helmet mounted Micro RH25 for me. Been running thermals for over a decade and having the ability to scan all night, hands free has been a huge advantage.
 
Helion 2 PRO or an N-Vision NOX have been my favorites. For a subcompact, helmet mounted unit the iRay Rico Micro or the NOX18. All around the Helion is very hard to beat for the cost vs performance though. It is a bit bulky but thats about the only downside. We have a bunch of them in stock if you decide to pull the trigger: https://www.nightvisionoutfitters.com/pr...3fbce&_ss=r
 
Looks like Pulsar is releasing the TELOS (first will be the LRF model) soon which is replacing the Helion Unit(s). It will more than likely have a better sensor and be a smaller unit.....We'll have to wait until the specs are released to know what exactly the upgrades are.

From what I understand, Pulsar is upgrading the Axion XG Thermal Monocular to the Pro Sensors as well and keeping the price point the same.
 
Originally Posted By: TXCOONDOGLooks like Pulsar is releasing the TELOS (first will be the LRF model) soon which is replacing the Helion Unit(s). It will more than likely have a better sensor and be a smaller unit.....We'll have to wait until the specs are released to know what exactly the upgrades are.

From what I understand, Pulsar is upgrading the Axion XG Thermal Monocular to the Pro Sensors as well and keeping the price point the same.

Yessir correct, but no plans for release date, pricing etc for the states. I certainly wouldn't miss good hunting waiting on it over a helion. They're proven and hard to beat.
 
I have a Pulsar Axion 2 XG35(640) @ 2.5x base and a Trail XP50(640) @ 1.6x base.

....the Trail blows the Axion away with 1.6x for scanning and picture quality.
I took the mount off..still a little bulky.
Was disappointed with the Axion picture quality/clarity/definition.
Will end up buying another killn thermal this fall to have 2 complete gun/scan set-ups.
 
...limbhanger10 unfortunately you are absolutely right. I was able to compare, side by side, apple against apple... the Infiray Finder II Fh35r and the Pulsar Axion 2 XG35 lrf and the latter disappointed me personally... The Infiray FH35R came out on top in the comparison... Watch the nice video (with Fh35r) i posted some time ago....

https://i.imgur.com/9mpLt2p.mp4
 
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I think I am the minority here but see no reason to upgrade from my Bering r25. Good FOV for the tight quarters I hunt about half the time and imo a more than adequate image. No trouble with ID out a lot further than I can shoot. Picks up flying squirrels/mice at know 250+ yards.
I shoot and really like the XG50 Thermion(640) and at native mag (1.4x) with the Bering, the image is comparable.
I know most like the 640 scanners for their image BUT I don't shoot with my scanner.
 
I’ve got the Infiray Zoom ZH38. After using it for a season, I’m on the fence.

Pros: The optical zoom feature is nice, you really don’t loose clarity going from 1.6xto 3.2x. The ability to do this is great for adapting to the landscape you are hunting. In wide open country I scan on 3.2x, but can widen the field of view when in the thick stuff. The ability to go to 1.6x when recovering kills is great too. Battery life is fantastic, I’ve hunted all night several times and never had to use the extra battery. The InfiRay app is great too.

Cons: The picture image one my unit leaves quite a bit to be desired. We hunt from a high rack with 360 degree swiveling chairs, so you have the option to comfortably use your rifle scope to scan. My partner would consistently spot animals through his thermion xp50 that took me quite a while to pick up through the Zoom. I finally wised up and toward the end of the season started scanning with my xg50 lrf scope and only used the Zoom to recover animals. Most of our country is wide open and you can see at least 1000 yards. I don’t think any of this would be an issue if I only hunted thick county.

If I didn’t have the option to use my scope to scan with, I would be running a different unit. But I’ve already spent the money, and the zoom versatility is nice for my needs, so I’ll probably keep using it for at least another season or two.
 
The Pulsar Merger XP50 LRF Pro is my favorite, with a 2.5 base magnification, it is perfect for scanning. If you like all the bells and whistles, this is the way to go. My 2nd favorite would have to be the N-Vision NOX35, it has the 2.5 base mag and the battery lasts forever. The NOX35 has the clearest image out there.
 
Originally Posted By: Brad BaranouskasThe Pulsar Merger XP50 LRF Pro is my favorite, with a 2.5 base magnification, it is perfect for scanning. If you like all the bells and whistles, this is the way to go. My 2nd favorite would have to be the N-Vision NOX35, it has the 2.5 base mag and the battery lasts forever. The NOX35 has the clearest image out there.

I have an IPS 7 battery for a hellion that will not charge. Do you think it is dead or are there any tricks you can do to get it to work again?
 
I wonder how the New AGM Sidewinder compares to like my current Phenom 640 scanner? I like the fact that they have a removable battery.
 


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