Thermal scanner arm fatigue solution

bdub24

New member
I have a thermion xp50 mounted to my rifle on a bog pod...
It is awesome...killing lots of yotes...but wears me out on sets using it to scan....neck and back being hunched over looking in scope..so I started using my pts233 flir to scan when solo (or hunting with friends that have night vision, I only have 1)...this is wearing my arms out..and let's face it after looking through a xp50 no one wants to look through a pts233...I am going 2 sell the flir but am trying to figure out what to get for scanning (helion xp/xq vs a better scope that has multi purpose ??)... and also a setup solution

What r u guys doing to reduce shld/arm fatigue when scanning? I've heard helmet mounts.. but most scanners r 2 big... I think the only option there is trijicon ir...little too high 4 me!..saw another guy say he uses a selfie stick or monopod? Is anyone doing this?. or maybe I just need to hit up some curls and quit being a pus!


Any insight is greatly apprecieated
 
I think kirsh uses a selfie stick. I think he rigged a piece of rail on it but I really didn’t look at it that hard. Maybe he can post a picture of it again.
 
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To rephrase my questions.... in my situation would you buy anything else after selling the flir?..
What would you do for arm fatigue?

Keep in mind I hunt coyotes in mississippi primarily and have about 3k to blow on something new

Best idea so far:
buddy of mine said run your phone display wifi connection mounted to your gun or hand held= no neck or arm strain.. and save up
 
I think I’m gonna go with hogster 25mm on selfie stick when I get money saved up. I just returned a trail xq38 and will use whatever they send me back as a dedicated rifle scope. Hoping it’s the thermion xq38 since the trail xq38 has been discontinued. I think bering optics hogster goes for around $2200. This way I can left friend use on rifle when I bring somebody and use it as a scanner when when hunting alone.
 
Long Post, sorry but lots to cover:

Option 1 - StreamVision: Your buddy already mentioned this. I discussed this as an option back in 2018 on PM. Historically, StreamVision has struggled holding a wifi connection to i-devices, but it has improved so should work with either i-devices or Android now. You can read about it here.

bipod2.jpg


With this type of magnet mount, you just connect once set up in the field. Pros: Only $15 more in cost. Similar to what you do currently but don't have to have head down on gun. Cons: Hard to rotate 360 degrees, screen is smaller than what you will see with your eyes, puts off a lot of glow so may spook game, and will eat through your smart phone battery in a hurry.

Option 2 - Handsfree: You mentioned helmet mounting. About the only realistic thermal helmet mount option in your price range is the Flir Breach. You could potentially get a helmet set up and the Breach for around 3K. However, image wise, it is still a Flir 12 micron, 320 res, but a 9mm lens vs 19mm so wider fov/short range, but similar to the PTS233 you have. The benefit is hands free. Cons - you have to be wearing a helmet to use it, can't be used on a gun, and doesn't have a lot of range. If you just want to take a quick look at your backyard, or roll the window down, and scan a field, you have to be wearing the helmet. Your arms will be less tired but wearing a helmet for hours at a time isn't fun either.

Option 3 - Selfie stick/monopod: This is what I do. The issue with using a scanner is most of the time you are raising your arm or shoulder. This is ok for a little while but if you do this for an entire night or even for 45 minutes on a stand, it adds up. Anything you can do to keep you arm/shoulder from having to lift, helps a lot. You could use your PTS233, but it is a little bulky (but not horrible). The key is you need to connect it via a picatinny rail. This can be easily done with any mount with a 1/4" tripod screw. Just tap a hole through a picatinny riser, and thread it for 1/4" 20 and you are good to go.

selfie1.jpg

selfie2.jpg


The difference in size, weight and image quality of the Hogster 25mm vs the PTS233 is enough I would recommend you sell the PTS233 and use the Hogster-R 25mm. The 2nd image shown above is of the 35mm. If using it mainly as a backup scope and sometimes a scanner, I would go with the 35mm if the primary use is a scope and secondary use is a scanner. If mainly as a scanner, and secondary is scope, I would go with the 25mm.
 
I would go with the Hogster 35mm. I've never looked thru a Hogster but I had a Trijicon MK2 19mm that just didn't have enough basic mag.. I sent it in and had it upgraded to a 35mm and was super happy I did. Just sounds like a little more basic magnification for a scanner might be better and its not much more price wise is it?
 
Originally Posted By: igorI would go with the Hogster 35mm. I've never looked thru a Hogster but I had a Trijicon MK2 19mm that just didn't have enough basic mag.. I sent it in and had it upgraded to a 35mm and was super happy I did. Just sounds like a little more basic magnification for a scanner might be better and its not much more price wise is it? I agree 100% that I personally like a scanner with a little more base magnification with the open terrain I hunt. The sweet spot for my terrain is around 1.5-2x, but there are probably more people on this forum who prefer a low magnification and bigger FOV option.

There is currently a $320 price difference between the Hogster-R 25 and 35 at Night Goggles. The 35mm from Night Goggles also comes with an upgraded Tactical QD mount ($75 additional value) and in my opinion has a nicer butler creek style end cap vs the floppy plastic end-piece of the 25mm.

The big difference is FOV and base mag. Here's a spec comparison:
comp6.jpg


Give Tom Austin, Program's Director Night Goggles, a call and see what his final price would be for Predator Master's Members. 909-312-5424 X531
 
Holy crap guys thanks for all of the response!... got a lot of ideas to go with! I'll let you know what I come up with...just an fyi if phone screen brightness is an issue there is an app that can take it dimmer than stock... it's called color filter...you can make screen have varying color filters on it and you can adjust the intensity red ...black etc...black will dim it a good bit
 
Trail won’t hold zero. 3rd one to go back for same problem. So glad they don’t make them anymore. 3 seasons (years) of frustration. Thermion has been around a little while and haven’t heard anything negative except for battery life. Hopefully that’s what they send me back. Sent to me from pulsar in October 2019
 
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You can buy an ops core or team wendy bump helmet for just a few hundred dollars.
To me helmet mounted is the only way to scan.
 
Note to self...dont buy a trail!...the thermion xp50 has been amazing for me...only issue is a jacked up pixel...it doesn't effect my hints at all and you can manually fix it but it keeps coming back!...you can see it in this video..

 
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