Speaking of thermal scopes, you may think that they have only been available for use by law enforcement agencies and the military for many years. However, these days, the cost of these tools has gone down, and they became more accessible, especially for hunters.
As these scopes are more effective than the night vision optics in detecting animals in the dark, hunters are now hunting to own thermal scopes themselves. Still, because there are various brands and models available in the market, it can be hard for you to choose a perfect one.
Don’t worry; we can help you. Carry on reading to know how to pick the best thermal scope.
How To Choose The Best Thermal Scope?
1. Cost
When considering buying a thermal scope device, the price range is one thing you should think of first. Since even the cheapest thermal scope is never under $1,000, your budget needs to be up to two to three thousand bucks to get a good-quality one.
Still, your investment will be worth the money as these scopes will surprise you with their performance.
2. Magnification
Magnification plays a big part when choosing the best thermal scope of all. This feature’s role is to enlarge the image size multiple times when zooming in on your target.
Some thermal scopes offer variable magnification up to 16 times or more, while other models do not, and they only give you the fixed setting.
If you want the best image zoom of your object, we recommend you go for the models with variable magnification. This type of magnification comes in two options, which are optical and digital ones.
You can choose whichever you want, yet, it would be best to pick up the scopes with optical magnification. Why? This type uses lens adjustments for zooming, and the results are usually clearer, even if you turn the level to maximum
3. Resolution
This feature will decide the clarity of the image appearing on display at the end. Therefore, investing your money into a model that has a high resolution is what we think you must do.
High-resolution scopes will ensure you have clearer and sharper images when doing your shoot. Meanwhile, the models with lower resolutions will end up with blurred or poor-quality images.
The ultimate idea of using a thermal scope is to get clear and detailed images during the time you shoot, even if you’re in the harshest conditions. So, check the resolution description first to make sure that you get the one you need.
4. Refresh rate
There is no way we will miss the refresh rate on the list. This characteristic is the frequency that the image changes per second, so it will benefit a lot in getting accurate aiming, particularly with the moving target.
The refresh rate appears in three common measurements, which are 30Hz, 50Hz, and 60Hz. It is undeniable that the higher your refresh rate is, the better performance you get.
If you go for a high refresh rate, you will achieve an image transition that is seamless and has no blurriness.
5. Reticle Options
The reticle is what you need if you want to be more accurate in aiming at the target. It is the net of dots, crosshairs, fine lines, or other patterns inside a scope.
There is a variety of reticle options, from simple crosshairs to sophisticated MIL-Dot configurations. You can simple crosshairs to hunt in the big game or thick bush as it will give you a precise shot and strike the killing target. Whereas, if you are a sniper or your aim is to hunt for extreme long-distance targets, you will need the sophisticated Mil-Dot to perform well.
However, this trait is optional because you don’t have to purchase a thermal scope with a reticle if you have a good aim.
6. Detection Range
Detection range refers to the ability of your scope to sense the heat radiating from your target.
Each scope comes to the market with a different detection range, but it would help if you could choose a rifle with an effective range that surpasses the scope range you buy.
7. Color Options
Color options will be different, based on which models you choose to buy. Some models have grayscale or monochromatic, while others come with nine color variations.
Each color mode works for each different situation and environment, such as:
- Sepia – the yellow color mode is perfect for viewing your objects in a long period since its design is to limit human eye fatigue.
- White hot works best for viewing objects in urban areas or large landscapes
- Black hot is for indicating body heat in a clearer image.
- Outdoor Alert is best for nigh-time viewing as it can deliver clear body heat detection in darkness
- Rainbow HC is used when viewing any areas that have negligible heat changes
Still, we think that you should go for a model that provides various color options (monochromatic options included) as you will have the flexibility to change between different color modes when needed.
List Of Top 5 Rated Scopes In The Market
Suppose you want to find a thermal scope for coyote hunting, or a thermal rifle scope, or something else. In that case, these models below shall serve your purpose. They are all in the top 5 rated scopes of 2020.
#1. ATN ThOR HD 640
#2. ATN ThOR HD 384
In Short
After reading this post, we hope you can know how to choose the best thermal scope and buy one for yourself. It will not be that hard to pick up the one that suits you if you have already considered all the features mentioned above.
Good luck with your choice. Thank you for reading.
