I have used night vision with IR laser so I am familiar with the capability although I have never used a truly good one just a PSV-14 on a helmet. Certainly works with an IR laser you should easily put rounds on a man sized target out to 200 yards if you can identify.

Thermals are all the rage. Never used one. Looking at them but what I don't understand are the Humidity issues and I assume that means the picture is degraded or washed out in high humidity. Like Alabama 100% nearly all summer?

What are you guys using and for those that are on thermals any humidity issues?

I was thinking about getting a mid-range model in the "cheap" thermals like a Hogster to try. Talking myself out of NODs. Just seems with Thermals stuff can't hide in the shadows, etc. but I'm concerned with the overall range on a 384 model I'm worried about the screen resolution, etc.. Limiting me to 100-150 yards on a thermal is not a big deal that's going to be about the limit of the NODs in my environment just based pines and brush.

Anyone have any advice?

wrong audience I guess.

I've used the Xsight Pro 4K, Thor LT and Thor 384. First is digital NV and last two are thermal. No comparison, I spend the extra coin and buy thermal. I've yet to encounter conditions that I couldn't adjust settings to make it usable. I'm set up on an AR in 6.5 Grendel so 400 yards shots are not something I'd attempt anyway.

Do you feel like you have decent resolution with the Thor 384 @ 200 yards? I don't need to see something's whiskers but what I'm worried about is a pixel blob I can't tell what it is. The Hogster Thermal is 384 which is why I'm asking.

Have no trouble differentiating a deer from a hog, etc. Base magnification is very important. As you zoom digitally you loose resolution. Although, too much magnification limits your field of view. 2.5X is a good base magnification for normal ranges.

Sightmark Wraith 4-32x power is pretty effective for pigs, racoons and coyotes. I also have an Armasight Zeus 336 another good rifle scope if you are just wanting a very effective night scope.

Hunting in pine thickets and such at night really does limit your range as you mentioned; but something I did was rent a scope a few times. There used to be an outfit in Huntsville that rented thermals for like a weekend.

Just keep this in mind. There is a world of difference between the video of a thermal scope on youtube, viewed on a computer monitor and viewing that same video on a 1 inch by 1 inch screen about 2 to 3 inches from your eyeball. Like any shooting skill, using a night scope takes time and practice.

https://youtu.be/4oLs0BH_rhQ

Did have some trouble with the conditions last night, tried adjusting sensitivity and contrast with no real results. Missed out on an shot at some pigs. Then tried switching from Black hot to white hot and it improved my view considerably. Just a part of the learning curve.

Almost always used white hot on my zeus 336

For target practice I would set an IR illuminator on the table and taped a 1 inch square of aluminum foil to a standard paper target. Helped me really zero my scope.

They may a foil tape for sealing ducts that works well, that or a handwarmer.

Black hot can have better resolution for ID and detail, but white hot is far faster to find things and easier to stay on movers. Humidity can often be mitigated with settings and such, but will also eat batteries due to constant nuking and gain adjustments.....whether manual or auto. Larger sensors usually handle bad conditions better......50-60mm, all else equal. 640 and 12um with good cores are where you can get extra detail and resolution at longer range and higher magnification.....but these are all generalities. Thick vegetation is a pain, but thermals are still better than any NV that has to have an illuminator, due to all the reflectance from the IR back at you.....creates white out and shadows......but they’re all useful over nothing, for sure. Once you start, you want better, and better. Once you’ve used good stuff, it’s hard to deal with lesser. However, you don’t need something high end for under 100 yards or 22 use, either.