Here is my helmet setup. Agm tiapan tm25. I can’t remember the mount but just a 3D printed on I found online it works quite well. I picked up a military surplus mount and that works really well. I hunted with my buddy for a few yet and he always just used his scope or a handheld monocular. I told him he’d never look back if he bought a helmet set up. He finally broke down and purchased one and he’s very glad he did.
Helmet 🪖
- Thread starter Damon Dog
- Start date
What does a helmet with run of the mill night vision set up cost?. No thermal.
skinney
Director
I wouldn't go too cheap on a helmet. TW and HHV aren't bad options, I'm going to get the OPS Core soon. You'll be around 4-4500 for a PVS-14 if you go mil-spec filmless WP L3 tube. Which I would highly recommend. You'll be happier going with Wilcox hardware to mount it for weight and long term functionality, but you'll pay for it also... Usually the fellas I get rigged up with a proper helmet set up, they are 1500-1800 for the helmet and hardware, NO thermal or NV.
My mount is a norotos and I believe I got that for around $100 and the other mount was a 3D printed piece I can move to either eye. I want to say that was around $50. And my helmet is a team Wendy. I have two buddies with Wilcox mounts and they are not too happy with them I don’t know what I’m missing with this one but I honestly can’t complain.
Wilcox is a joke IMO, they wobble something terrible compared to a Norotos. I don't mind paying for quality but they are WAY overpriced for what they are and nowhere near as rigid as the Norotos Lo-Sto or even a converted Rhino.
I also much prefer a FTO (force to overcome) versus messing around with pushing buttons.
I wrote a pretty extensive setup on helmet rigs but the short answer is the best bang for your buck on something that will last and perform for years is a TW bump helmet, Norotos Rhino 2, dovetail conversion from PYRM and the AX14 Noise fighter arm. About $600 bucks total and will work all day every day. You can cut that cost down even more if you don't mind USGI dovetail arm and you won't need a dovetail conversion.
Thats coming from a dude that doesn't have something to sell or a part time coyote hunter,, I was a professional soldier wearing helmets on a regular basis in the Infantry for a living with multiple tours under my belt.
I also much prefer a FTO (force to overcome) versus messing around with pushing buttons.
I wrote a pretty extensive setup on helmet rigs but the short answer is the best bang for your buck on something that will last and perform for years is a TW bump helmet, Norotos Rhino 2, dovetail conversion from PYRM and the AX14 Noise fighter arm. About $600 bucks total and will work all day every day. You can cut that cost down even more if you don't mind USGI dovetail arm and you won't need a dovetail conversion.
Thats coming from a dude that doesn't have something to sell or a part time coyote hunter,, I was a professional soldier wearing helmets on a regular basis in the Infantry for a living with multiple tours under my belt.
I forgot to talk NODs. So night vision or NODs as we call them in the military has evolved quite a bit from the time I was a private in 1990 to the new ones I have today. In all fairness the old g3 stuff worked. Fir driving, maneuvering ect they definitely worked. The old green phosphorus, filmed units are SUPER durable, actually longer lasting than unfilmed white phosphorus tubes.
I don't know your budget but top shelf American made G3 units like Harris L3s with a super high FOM, low EBI and high SNR will run about $4200. Thats what I'm running but to be completely honest I could absolutely do the same thing with a thin filmed or green phosphorus tubed unit and lower specs. IMO to get a decent unit that works good will run around $3500 with good components and a milspec FOM of minimum of 2376.
I don't know your budget but top shelf American made G3 units like Harris L3s with a super high FOM, low EBI and high SNR will run about $4200. Thats what I'm running but to be completely honest I could absolutely do the same thing with a thin filmed or green phosphorus tubed unit and lower specs. IMO to get a decent unit that works good will run around $3500 with good components and a milspec FOM of minimum of 2376.
So I ordered a tw helmet… I want to use my agm taipan monocular untill I decide on a 640 1x monocular. Would you recommend the rhino or the low pro ? I see that the rhino is significantly less money. I guess what I’m asking is if I get the Norotos Rhino 2, dovetail conversion from PYRM and the AX14 Noise fighter arm, will I be able to run the monocular I have currently, and be able to upgrade down the road while using this setup?
Absolutely but if you can swing the Lo-Sto mount and AX14 upfront, I would definitely go that way. To run two units like PVS-14 on one eye combined with thermal, you will need a bridge and most are dovetail so you need to consider that.
Another thing to consider depends on your style of hunting and what you drive lol!! If you hunt over bait and aren't making lots of stands throughout the night it don't matter,, all will work I'm 6'1" and in and out of the truck about 40-50 times a night, literally. The Low Sto is a much much better option because in the up position it places your NODs on your forehead instead of the top of your head. This position is PRICELESS if your a taller guy and or hunt from a small truck with less headroom. The AX14 arm also allows you to fold it back towards the side a little. Norotos Lo-Sto runs $420ish and another $115 for the arm. If you can swing that by all means do it, there is no upgrade currently from there at any price IMO.
If you go with a Rhino II, its a surplus item that you can find new, used, beat on and prices usually range from $25 to $125. That's a significant savings over the Lo-Sto but if you want dovetail you will need the conversion, another $125 or so. Dovetail is not mandatory but nicer and its much more popular with bridges if you decide to run 2 PVS-14 or ad a thermal in the mix.
Another thing to consider depends on your style of hunting and what you drive lol!! If you hunt over bait and aren't making lots of stands throughout the night it don't matter,, all will work I'm 6'1" and in and out of the truck about 40-50 times a night, literally. The Low Sto is a much much better option because in the up position it places your NODs on your forehead instead of the top of your head. This position is PRICELESS if your a taller guy and or hunt from a small truck with less headroom. The AX14 arm also allows you to fold it back towards the side a little. Norotos Lo-Sto runs $420ish and another $115 for the arm. If you can swing that by all means do it, there is no upgrade currently from there at any price IMO.
If you go with a Rhino II, its a surplus item that you can find new, used, beat on and prices usually range from $25 to $125. That's a significant savings over the Lo-Sto but if you want dovetail you will need the conversion, another $125 or so. Dovetail is not mandatory but nicer and its much more popular with bridges if you decide to run 2 PVS-14 or ad a thermal in the mix.