Night vision or a mountain bike?

[mikefraz]

I am going to receive a bonus this year and I am wanting to check one of the items on my “that would be nice to have” list off. I’ve been really wanting to get into mountain biking, and it would help me get back into better shape. It would be a nice, lightweight, full suspension bike. This would be purely a fun purchase. The other option is decent gen 2/3 NVG. I would be getting them mostly for when the “SHTF” and for walking around like a cool guy at night. I do already have an IR laser because I had planned to get NVG at some point regardless.

I realize that these two options are so similar that it may be hard to pick. I’m just torn here. Neither purchase is a need, both purchases would be fun to have, just in different ways. What would you do?

 

[Vigilant]

Smce you are already half set up for NV, go there! Just walk faster at night while being a cool guy, and the better shape will come.

 

[T.Lex]

Do you have any interest in hunting, specifically coyotes or hogs? The NV is a really good option for those.

I only ask because I'm trying to help you rationalize the NV purchase beyond just SHTF.

 

[patience0830]

If you want biking support, you came to the wrong forum.

 

[Dyerbill]

I'd love to wander the woods at night....

 

[mikefraz]

I’ll have ~$3000 to spend, so that’s plenty for gen 3 and a helmet setup. It’s also enough for a pretty kickass mountain bike setup. I’ll eventually get both, I’m just torn on which I’ll get first. I’m responsible with my discretionary income 95% of the time throughout the year, and I didn’t expect this bonus. So whichever one I don’t choose will have to wait for some time. I honestly think I’ll get more use out of the mountain bike as I don’t hunt (though I’d love to go coyote/hog hunting), but the night vision is definitely higher on the “cool stuff” meter.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I know that you're talking about an "either/or" situation, but how cool would it be to ride a mountain bike WITH NVG. Gliding like a ghost through the woods at night....

 

[femurphy77]

Put it on your mortgage. You'll thank you later!

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

For $3K you can start getting into a thermal imaging scope for a rifle. That's my next big thing. Predator vision.

 

[mikefraz]

I’d prefer helmet mounted solutions for non shooting activities as well, which thermal IMO, isn’t as good as night vision at.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Do you currently have ANY debt?

 

[mikefraz]

Do you currently have ANY debt?

Yes. I have a home mortgage. And I know where you’re going with this. Our tax return is 100% going to pay off debt. Like I said earlier, I’m responsible with my money 95% of the time throughout the year, but sometimes you have to spend some money on yourself every once in a while.

 

[yeti rider]

I'd go mountain bike. Like you said, there WILL be a health benefit and the new night vision scope will most likely fall in to the category of "that was fun for a little bit".

 

[Tactically Fat]

If all you have is the mortgage... Carry on, Mr. Responsible.

As much as I'd like night vision, I'd probably lean towards a bike. I doubt I'd get enough use out of the NV to make it worth it.

 

[mikefraz]

I'd go mountain bike. Like you said, there WILL be a health benefit and the new night vision scope will most likely fall in to the category of "that was fun for a little bit".

That’s what I’m afraid of. I don’t really have that many opportunities to shoot at night currently, so I feel like it’s something that would be a novelty, but I novelty I’d love to have, especially since I already have some of the supporting equipment.

If all you have is the mortgage... Carry on, Mr. Responsible.

As much as I'd like night vision, I'd probably lean towards a bike. I doubt I'd get enough use out of the NV to make it worth it.

I feel like it would be easier to justify the bike. I also live a stones throw away from a state park that has bike trails, which means I’d no doubt use the bike more.


There’s just something about being a night wizard though that keeps drawing me back in.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I’ll have ~$3000 to spend, so that’s plenty for gen 3 and a helmet setup.

IMHO, save some money on the helmet setup, buy a used mount for ~$25-100 on ebay and slap it on a generic skating helmet. The over-priced whiz-bang "jump" helmets and mounts with fancy features are targeted to gear-queers that like their Gucci stuff. It's a waste of money for what you want to do. I'm running my nvg on a used ebay Norotos TATM mount & shroud that I stole from ebay for $50. It's currently on a knock-off Cree Night-cap type soft head-mount but I could easily put it on a $30 skate helmet if I wanted to.

For $3K you can start getting into a thermal imaging scope for a rifle. That's my next big thing. Predator vision.

Thermal is a great compliment to night-vision. I always recommend night-vision as the first step as it gives you the greatest step up in advantage because you can actually clearly see & identify things in the dark. Thermal lets you know there is a temperature difference; if there isn't much temp difference the resolution goes to pot. Cheaper units don't have much resolution to begin with (comparatively speaking).

For example, I have an industrial thermal unit (not meant for hunting) that is low resolution and readily available used on ebay for ~$1k. Even with temps in the 20s-40s it can't see deer much further than ~100 yards.*

*Disclaimer: It is illegal to spot deer with thermal devices for the purpose of hunting/pursuing them. I do not use it to spot deer for hunting-related activities. I use it to track deer movements/counts prior to and after deer season.


In this case, it sounds like the OP doesn't want night-vision for hunting related activities; he wants to be able to see at night. Yes, it's true that sometimes the things he may want to see will be warm, and will be spotted by a thermal, but in many cases, the things he's looking for may not show a temperature differential and would not show up on thermal. IE, Sticking with his SHTF idea, lets say he's looking for a good rock to take shelter by as he is moving at night. He may have enough ambient light to walk around, and not trip over a stick at his feet, but seeing much further than that may be challenging depending on the light conditions so spotting that rock for shelter is going to be tough without a light. That rock may show as a marginal glow on thermal if there has recently been a decent temp-swing, but he won't be able to see any detail of the rock and what surrounds it.

Because I have both (although the thermal is admittedly weak-sauce) I almost exclusively only use the thermal for a 'rough spot' then I ID/watch/track what I'm looking at with NVG. I do, however desire to get a thermal scope to compliment my hand-held NVG so that I can effectively kill things at night. I've killed 'yotes before by looking through my rifle-scope with head-mounted NVG but it's a PITA and not effective for anything that is moving.


As to NVG vs a bike... WTF is a bike? Haha

 

[KittySlayer]

I’ve been really wanting to get into mountain biking, and it would help me get back into better shape.

The other option is decent gen 2/3 NVG. I would be getting them mostly for...

when the “SHTF”

Well while round is a shape it is not necessarily the one you would want for SHTF. It would seem to me that being in shape and fit will be a far more valuable asset when the SHTF than a piece of hardware.

The NVG would be a cool toy and could be an asset depending on how quickly things when downhill. The bike could help you cover more ground quickly if cars/trucks were not available. First off make getting in shape a priority (on or off the bike) and then buy either of the two toys based on what you would get the most use and enjoyment from currently.

 

[yeti rider]

Mikefraz, I also enjoy mountain biking. Maybe you buy the mountain bike and a nice light for night riding. I'm not sure what state park you live by, but riding trails in the night is usually crazy fun!

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Yeah, I have a couple of gen 2 monoculars on my bench right behind me, a couple of pretty badass scopes (a gen 2 and a gen 3) and a helmet mounted gen 2 that I put on my PASGT helmet. It was hard enough to find one of those that would fit my cranium, so I use it for NV and GoPro. I have a specific project that I want a thermal on, though.

 

[Old Dog]

There are mountains in Indiana? I have a 21 speed full suspension bike that you could have for cheap (cheap bike). You could get your exercise on it and still get the night vision too.