Bering Optics Hogster C Thermal Clip On Review

Kirsch

Active member
I've had the pleasure of trying out a Bering Optics Hogster Thermal Clip On recently. This is a very versatile device as it can be used as a clip on thermal on your favorite daytime scope as well as be used as a 3x optical magnification scanner. The build quality is very good, and it is very compact.

384x288
1x clip on: 3x scanner
White Hot / Black Hot / Colored Hot Palettes
Power: CR123s, 3.7 V Rechargeable 123s, or External Power
Ability to center the screen with respect to the viewed reticle
Automatic shatter based thermal core
High resolution 1280×960 Display
38 attachment sizes 34mm-64mm (Available from Bering Optics)
Precise lens focusing mechanism
Battery status indicator
50 BMG Recoil Rating
Video Out

I was very impressed with it as a monocular as well as a thermal clip on. The Hogster has Video Out but does not include Internal Recording. Due to this, I took all video via the eyepiece (I know it is pretty shaky). This coupled with a recent snowstorm resulted in video recording as a scanner only. It worked equally well in clip-on mode during the zero process. It is truly a very versatile thermal device.



More Information On The Hogster

If you are looking for a weapon's site instead of a clip on, exciting news on that front in the near future.
 
Korey, in your response to my post and anothers about looking for a scanner that could double as scope when hunting with others, you said you felt it was better to go with a dedicated scanner. Does the Hogster perform sufficiently well enough in each role for you to consider it a option for those looking for scanner that doubles as a scope?
 
Great question. The Hogster is the first thermal scope that changes my view. The form factor is very conducive to be used as a scanner. It’s between 1/2 and 2/3 the size of my Helion. However, the clipon has a 3X base/optical magnification. This is a fairly high magnification to be used as a coyote scanner for some terrains but will be great for others.

I’ll be doing a review on the Hogster-R, which is a stand alone thermal rifle scope. It is roughly the same size as the clip-on but has a 2X optical/base magnification. Both will make good scanners but the Hogster R will be preferred for people wanting a bigger FOV and less magnification and don’t need a clip on. Hopefully the review will be ready in a week or less. These Bering Optics Thermals are great options for people looking for a good thermal at a moderate price (for thermals). The thermals are also built and serviced right in Irving TX. This is not a cheap Chinese built Thermal clone.
 
Thank you for the response, another option to consider then. How do you feel it compares to the cheaper Flir PTS233 or The 536 you are shooting? Image quality the same as a comparable pulsar?
Looking forward to the review on the Hogster-R.
 
It is hard to compare unless all thermals are used at the same time and all adjusted. However, the image of the Hogster -R s better than the PTS233. I personally feel the background is better on the Hogster in comparison to the 536. However, the actual animal detail is better on the 536. 50mm objective plus 12 micron is probably the reason.

Think of the Hogster as a Pulsar Apex 38 at about 30% the size, plus it has color reticles, color backgrounds, QD base, and 3 options for batteries. I used the Trail XQ38 for a year, and with limited exposure to the Hogster, I think the Hogster probably has a better image but a little less control over contrast and brightness.
 
So there are two different scopes, clip on version and stand alone rifle scope version ? does clip on version have the adapter on eye piece so you can view as scanner ? or is that separate ?
 
Originally Posted By: Alan D So there are two different scopes, clip on version and stand alone rifle scope version ? does clip on version have the adapter on eye piece so you can view as scanner ? or is that separate ? Yes there are actually 2 types of Hogster thermals as you pointed out.

Hogster-C: This is a clip on thermal scope. A person purchases the specific clip on attachment from Bering Optics due to all the potential objective sizes. To answer your question, it does come with a scanner eyepiece to be used as a stand alone scanner. You can see me remove the Clip On Attachment and put on the Scanner Eyepiece at 2:17 of the video. It has a base optical magnification of 3x when used as a scanner. The Hogster-C has a 42mm lens. When you wish to use it as a clip-on again, you remove the scanner eyepiece, and thread on the clip-on collar system, and connect it back to the scope. The review is the one above.

Hogster-R: This is a stand alone rifle scope. However, due it's compact size, the scope could easily be used as a scanner as well. There is a 35mm and a 25mm version. When Night Goggles has the Hogster-R available on their website (hopefully soon), I will post my review for the thermal. The base optical mag is 2x on the 35mm and 1.4x on the 25mm version. They are extremely compact, lightweight and have a great image. The Hogster-R does come with a Picatinny QD mount so it could be used in a dual purpose role.

I am very excited about both of these options. I already purchased the Hogster-R for my own personal use.

 
Originally Posted By: 6mm06What will be the price of the R model? The price will be up to Night Goggles, so we will know when the Hogster-R is officially posted for sale on their site. I believe it will be under $3K just to get a general idea. I probably should have waited until it was available before talking about it, but some questions/comments made it difficult not to mention the -R.

I planned to talk about this when I do the review of the -R, but there are lots of people on Predator Masters and other sites who have been asking for 2 things.

#1) Many people ask about wanting a scope that can also be used as a scanner when not hunting with buddies. The -R is going to be awesome for this purpose.

#2) A lot of people complained when Pulsar quit the Apex line which was a no frills, great scope at a more affordable price with a lower base magnification in comparison to the Thermion XM series. The Hogster -R really fits this market space but in a much smaller package with greater flexibility.
 
What is the warranty period on these ? How many years ?

Does it come with rechargeable batteries and chargers ? I did read you said cr 123

HOGSTER C / I see adapters are extra too ! How much ?
 
Originally Posted By: Pa. MickWhat is the warranty period on these? Bering Optics 384x288 thermal systems have a warranty of 2 years. It appears additional years of warranty can be purchased for $95/year for up to 5 additional years.
Originally Posted By: Pa. MickDoes it come with rechargeable batteries and chargers ? I did read you said cr 123. All scopes I have tested came with a set of standard CR123 batteries. There is no internal proprietary battery. However, the scopes also allow for Rechargeable CR123s such as these. Most scopes don't allow rechargeable 123s because they have a different voltage (3.7), but the Hogsters do.

The scope also allows for an external battery source. It uses the same USB micro c plug like the Flirs. The Night Goggles TRB pack will work with them.

Originally Posted By: Pa. MickHOGSTER C / I see adapters are extra too ! How much ? The adapter is the only thing that is extra. They have options for so many different ones and the reason Night Goggles would never be able to stock enough to cover all the choices. The price for all diameters of Throw Level Clip-On Adaptor is the same - $199.00 Adaptors are available in 38 sizes (diameters are measured in mm).
 
Thanks Kirsch ! I always try to buy USA MADE whenever possible. This is a nice option for guys for sure. The HOGSTER C ( clip on ) is a nice option when you have multiple scopes with the same diameter to slip onto so you could switch rifles. I could maybe see one of these in my future.

Also changing the eye piece allowing it to become a scanner is pretty neat too !
 
Originally Posted By: Rookietjx2Do you mean the Beast-R or is there another coming out as well?
https://www.nightgoggles.com/shop/therma...335327148437500 There is another thermal scope being released by Bering Optics. It isn't on the Bering Optics or Night Goggles sites yet. It is the Hogster-R. The Beast-R is a 50mm scope and about the size of most thermal scopes. The Hogster-R is a much more compact scope with options of 35mm and 25mm lens size. It will also be less expensive. It should be available to purchase in the next few weeks from Night Goggles.
 
There was a question on Warranty for Bering Optics Devices and price of the throw adapters for the Hogster-C Clip On. Here are the more in-depth answers.

Warranty:
Your Bering Optics product is warranted free of defects in workmanship and materials. In the event of a defect under this warranty, we will, repair or replace the product. For night vision products, the image intensifier tube that enables night vision capability is warranted to be free from defects for a period of 1 year for Gen 1, Green Phosphor Gen 2+ night vision systems, 2 years for White Phosphor Gen 2+ and ECHO, 3 years for Gen 3, as are other light emitting devices such as IR Illuminators, red dots, and telescopic sight. Additional warranty can be purchased for Gen 3 night vision and thermal systems at a cost of $95/year up to maximum of 5 years.

384x288 thermal imaging systems are warranted for 2 years. 640x480 thermal imaging systems are warranted for 3 years. Batteries are not applicable to this warranty. This warranty does not cover damages caused by misuse or improper handling. Also, this warranty is null and void if modification or maintenance is provided by a third party not authorized by Bering Optics. Hogster-C and Hogster-R thermal devices are 384, so they have a 2 year warranty.

Throw Lever Adapters:
The MAP price for all diameters of Throw Level Clip-On Adaptor is the same - $199.00. Adaptors are available in 38 sizes (diameters are measured in mm). The following table shows the most popular diameters.
Last two digits of the SKU# numbers correlates to the Diameter mm:
BE80930-30
BE80936-36
BE80940-40
BE80942-42
BE80946-46
BE80948-48
BE80950-50
BE80952-52
BE80956-56
BE80958-58
BE80960-60
BE80962-62
BE80964-64
BE80968-68
BE80972-72
BE80980-80
 
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