Pocket Recon: A Monocular for the Prepared Citizen
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- From spotting, observing, people watching and more. The uses cases for this thing are evergreen.
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I was a rural peace officer for several years and I kept a monocular in my patrol bag because it didn't take up much space. I only used it a few times, but it helped me catch a hit-and-run driver and identify when a domestic violence suspect was alone so we were better able to plan our approach for the arrest with least risk. A Vortex, 10x25. That mono now lives in my Get Home Bag.
"identify when a domestic violence suspect was alone so we were better able to plan our approach for the arrest with least risk" - very considerate and professional of you
It’s also useful for looking at things far away without pointing rifles at them. A militant in 2020 was successfully prosecuted for this; turns out you can’t muzzle cops with your LPVO.
You talking about NFAC? That’s what I was thinking of too
It was, but I think the lesson applies to everyone. How many people have you heard on the internet saying that you need magnification on your rifle for PID? Beyond breaking gun safety rule #2, muzzling people that shouldn’t be shot isn’t the best plan, especially if rule of law is intact.
@@seraph045 oh absolutely agree there
@@seraph045I kinda always thought of LPVOs to be regulated to WROL situations if you're actually cranking that magnification
Ideally you would be behind cover too, lessening the chance someone would even know you were aiming a gun at them
Also I wonder how the law would handle someone saying "I didn't muzzle them, ever, I pointed the optic away from them so I could see them on the edge of the optic, at no point was my muzzle pointed at them"
That kind of thing
Most people freely incriminate themselves so without me knowing anything about the NFAC case I just assumed he said something stupid like admitting he intentionally muzzled them
I think he was more specifically using his WML to PID something in the dark casually, but your point still stands
I've been carrying this EXACT model on my kit for years.
The impetus was being stuck on patrols with my NG unit and consistently being unable to see what objects were. Nobody, not even NCOs, carried binos; not even in vehicles. Is that a wire going across the road? Who knows!
No amount of prodding would compel the supply trolls to part with even a single unit from their horde of Frasier-Volpe image syabalized binos they were using as paper weights, so I had to buy my own kit.
8x is great mid power magnification, and the battery-free ranging comes in real handy for a truck gunner.
I've used one during deployment, found it useful. Less weight then a binos.
more eye strain, longer observation using a mono is pretty rough. For quickly scanning though its fine.
Then and than are different words with different meanings, hyper-mega-super brain.
Definitely better than carrying the giant 10 lb 10x binos that eventually get dropped or bumped enough to where the two tubes are no longer aligned and it gives you an instant headache when you look through them with both eyes. Plus this is double the magnification of the ACOG. Having this issued to gun teams would be a lot better than the small or large binos.
@@M.H.D.actual But also a lot cheaper and less likely to break. The Military Industrial Complex no likey. Oh shit, Biden just read the comment and is sending another 13 billion. This time for optics. (10% to the big guy!)
I think it was S2 Underground that did a video on accessory optics a while ago, spotting scopes, binos, etc. And having something that you can scan without pointing your rifle is a lot like having a handheld flashlight where you can scan without pointing your rifle at everything. One point of note: optics with magnifications in the 6-10x range are generally better than higher powered stuff if you're not using a tripod at the same time, a 20x is practically unusable without some kind of mounting system keeping it stable and pointed at something.
I haven't seen this before, that's a pretty reasonable price for something with a reticle. I have an old pair of 8x16 binos I bought back in the 90's at Big 5 that somehow have managed to survive despite being carried thousands of miles on hunting and backpacking trips.
At first I was excited because I thought it was a new thermal. Then I was disappointed because it's only a monocular. Then I was excited again because I got to see Nova.
This is the roller coaster that is this channel.
@cocopotato5598 🤣
The dogs name is Nova lol
Well thanks for saving me from having to watch this video. I was hoping it was thermal as well... wait, you say Nova is in this video? Ok, I’ll stay for the pup
I initially thought it was a rangefinder, lol. But it's cool anyway
You must be mentally worn out at the end of the day. LOL
I think this is important kit for people who *don't* live out west. I'm in Florida and having more than 200m of distance to worry about is rare. 4x prisms and 1-4s are more useful for actual shooting in this area and with our heat and aggressive brush, a heavy 10-12x scope is a pain in the ass. Being able to PID without pointing your gun at someone is a boon. Source, I've been using a monocular for looking at things in the wilderness for about 4 years.
A real nice thing about binos or any focusable optics in these environments is being able to roll the focus while you scan through the trees/vegetation. It's a lot easier to pick out that tiny bit of antlers (or people/gear) that's just barely visible through the treeline at the moment when your focus is precisely on the distance of that target. Its kinda hard to explain over text but give it a try in the woods and you might be surprised how much easier it is to spot small things through the woods that way.
How far do you think this one would clearly see, do you think? Thanks.
@@bungarraoz254 I picked up this model fairly recently myself and while I haven't used it much so far, it was perfectly adequate on a moderately sunny day for people-watching (and gazing at geese) from about 850 meters across a lake, and picking out larger details on homes about 2 miles away on surrounding hillsides.
For “recce,” a monocular is an important piece of kit because a rifle is not a telescope and you shouldn’t be pointing guns at things just to figure out what they are. But you can also use a range finder for the same thing. Usually not as good of glass (although they can be), but they provide more information and serve a dual purpose. Alternatively, you can carry a compact spotting scope. But that’s heavier, so it really depends on what you’re doing. Regardless of what you’re doing, you should have *some* form of observation device, because your only method of magnifying things in the distance shouldn’t be pointing a rifle at them.
yeah in an LPOP or surv site I'd rather have a spotting scope or high powered binos on a tripod. Scopes, especially LPVOs often have inferior light gathering anyways and rifles are harder to conceal while still maintaining good visibility.
I have a compact spotting scope and I love it for sitting on a mountain and glassing. That said, a small monocular or compact binos would absolutely be more convenient for on the move
I actually bought one of these two years ago and use it pretty regularly. One of my favorite times was at Gettysburg where we were overlooking the Devil's Den area from the hills above it and was able to accurately gauge how far it was by overlaying other tourists with the silhouette markers. Really handy and underrated piece of kit.
I have the 10x version, bought it a couple years back, and it's great. Dial is a little stiff, but i can read a license plate from 200y and see a person at 600. Highly recommend.
This along with binos are much more useful than most will admit.
Then most would even appreciate. I'll take the guy who can ruck 5 mi into an OP and has the skill to do actual recon than the guy who shoots sub second Bill drills.
@@ketononeill8898 "the guy who can ruck 5 mi into an OP and has the skill to do actual recon" other than a hunter who only kinda does this, does anyone actually train on this?
It ain't sexy so I'd say a fraction of a fraction of a percent.
@@ketononeill8898 You can do both. You should be able to do both.
@hateferlife I mean I do. But that's also kinda my point. Nobody wants to do the "boring" stuff. It's like "bombshell" trophy wife who does one thing vs a 7/10 who can cook, clean, raise kids, and do taxes.
*range finder
I went to buy the 8x years ago and it was always out of stock so I bought the 10x. Even though it doesn't have the ranging capability and crosshairs I must say it has been one valuable tool over the years. I'll be picking up the 8x now that it's more available and passing my 10x off to a buddy who should have one but doesn't.
Man I was just randomly browsing Academy Sports the other day and found that exact monocular on sale for $100 even. I didn’t have a monocular at that time so I checked it out and the reticle and ranging features sold me immediately. Also, theres two separate adjustments on the tube, one focuses the lens, the other removes the reticle in case you want an unobstructed field of view. I love that feature as well. I recommended this monocular to all the guys in my tribe, if nothing else, it helps when zero’ing your rifles.
I never considered using the diopter adjustment to remove the reticle. Great idea, thanks.
Brass facts is my favorite Ghost Recon Wildlands character
Thanks for the heads up on this, I didn't know they made a version with a reticle! I've had a Vortex Solo 8x for years now. Always with me backpacking, hunting, day bag etc. 8x is a great place for a handheld, not shaky at all, lightweight, and easy to focus.
I’ve had one of these for a few years. Easy to pack on a trip and transport. Inconspicuous. Super clear glass. Easy ranging. It is a cool toy.
I've had one of those for a few years now. Love it. I travel around the country a lot for work and keep it in my pack everywhere I go, it's great for just checking stuff out. With knowledge of a couple simple formulas and knowing some common measurements for various objects, you can get pretty accurate range estimations on the fly using the mils. Plus it's just fun to look at stuff from far away.
I bought one of these years ago. Take it on hikes all the time. Great simple practice ranging targets without a laser
I’ve run one of these since they came out and I love it, and I’m glad to see others giving this thing some love too!
Handy for ranging passively.
There is also a big difference between aiming a rifle at someone or looking at them through a monocular before you know if they are potentially a threat or not. Think about how any of us might respond if we see someone aiming a rifle at us or our friend or whatever…
"I used up my water cooling off supressors."
Strange flex, but we'll allow it.
I bought one for my brother to use while elk hunting. He loves it and easily packs for daily jaunts into the wildlands.
Great hand held optic..Very accurate for ranging..What’s cool about the low magnification is you don’t get a lot of shake..So when the reticle is on the target the scale isn’t jumping around..My only complaint about the device is the eye shield, it tends to deteriorate quickly..I’ve been through two in less than two years..Super clear optics though I’m happy with Vortex..
I use it for navigation as well. Trees, fence post road width etc. can give you distance. Ranger Beads and a compass can really be enhanced. It can be used for pre determined shooting distances for over watch too. If I hunt a power line or wide open space I will have markers at variable distances pre done so I can make I fast range estimate on my rifle scope. This is a great tool. Mine is older and in mil-dot.
Me and the boys taking the pirate pill and getting telescopes
Based pirate take.
I've always liked having a monocular fir observation, wanting to "upgrade" to a monocular with a laser rangefinder like the vortex 1800 (or similar) because i like to pinpoint my distances when im shooting rather than use generic ranging tools in a scope reticle (im not very good at using those tools apparently, and i often misjudge due to the reticle being calibrated for an "average" person.
I've carried mine for about 3 years now. Absolutely love it! Keep it clipped to my edc bag and use it quite a bit. I especially like it when i go to stadiums or arenas.
Neat. I've had the 10x for a while now and it's pretty nice
I love my Vortex R/T. It is awesome on a tripod or stabilizer stick and it ranges targets nicely.
Good video, having a monocle or binoculars on my chest rig is super useful, I think depending on the situation it's better to observe with this than the rifle scope or crossbow, my monocular is simple and cheap, but I can observe up to 5 kilometers.
I have this exact same 8x36 Vortex Solo Tactical R/T Monocular, and have had it for years. If I had to do it all over again, I would have opted not to get the R/T model with the ranging reticle. I feel it gets in the way of what I'm looking at sometimes.
It's a great optic, I would just prefer it without the ranging reticle.
Hell, i bought a 6x rangefinder for range use and im whipping that thing out ALL the time. Fits in a wee lil pouch on my belt and weighs nothing. Some of the best money ive spent, gear wise. I would definitely be into a true dedicated monocular
A 10x binocular goes really well with a 1-6 or 1-8 lpvo.
Perfect timing. I was literally browsing range finders yesterday, and then this drops. Thanks again BF.
For the people mentioning 'not pointing rifles just for PID'; this is part of why i chose a magnifier with red dot as my duty setup since i can detach/reattach the magnifier without losing zero. It's not as good as this for general observation (especially because of a much less forgiving eye box) but it's a fine compromise when I've used it to read license plates and watch people's hands for "transactions". If i were on a more specialized unit where i did more observation i would probably pick one of these up.
This optic really does well for its price and size. 👍🏻
I have the 15x and while it's large, its very nice to use and even has accessory mounts for a pic rail or tripod mount. I quite like it and often use it for recording with a phone.
I love having a monocle when sitting in a fixed position. Its a lot easier to swing around a 6" monocle than a 26" rifle. Especially when you're going to sit there and scan until you find something to kill or you fall asleep
I wasn't real impressed with the glass on the standard models but the 15x HD model I played with some years ago was like a miniature spotting scope. And almost as heavy as a small spotter too.
They now sell an 8X with HD glass so I'm going to revisit these. My solution, to date, has been the Leupold Yosemite 6x binoculars. They're cheap and effective but don't pack quite as small as a monocular. Even with only 6-8x it's possible to spot stuff at pretty extended ranges that aren't visible to the naked eye.
I own one of these and it is great for what it is. What I realized was getting a good range finder gave me the same capability with the addition of range, temp, and angle.Either way it is a good idea NOT to use the rifle optic for scanning... people get itchy on their triggers when you point a rifle at them.
I was looking at this very monocular just a few days ago but I came to the realization what I really want is a small laser rangefinder around 8x magnification with an etched reticle as a backup. As far as I know this doesn't exist. Yet. *Hint hint Optics manufacturers.*
Bushnell has a 10x42 monocular with a mil reticle also. It has a bit of pic rail on it that can be used to attach it to a tripod.
I have owned a cheap Monocular for these reasons for years and funny enough I just upgraded to this Vortex Monocular last weekend. Good choice.
I think our entire concept of recon is pretty off, in the realm of being a partisan/geurilla and doing “recon” being able to blend in and being self sustaining is your biggest asset, rolling around with a long gun, camo and a chest rig makes half of that null and void.
Yup, and nobody wants to learn those things.
Big gun go boom, fight boogie man. Unga bunga
I bought one of these and told my buddies I was like look how cool this is and they're like this is lame and now today I sent them this link because I'm vindicated.
Dude, the timing is perfect, I was just looking for something like this, but didn’t know about this product. Thanks broseff
Been eyeballing one of these for a few months, thanks for the video step uncle
They’re awesome, highly recommend. They fit in lots of small pouches and are really nice for day hikes and stuff. Can practice salute reports or whatever without rocking kit all the time.
If you are on terrain with those distances, wouldn't you just want binos or a longer range scope?
Another thing for people to check out: Nikon P1000. It’s bigger than a mono, but you get legit surveillance capability, and can easily identify someone at a mile if you have the ability to stabilize it. And you can take pictures/video of what’s going on to review later.
Just a thought ;)
that'd be sweet. Those are bit pricy tho.
@@BrassFacts Indeed they are, however much quieter and cheaper than an equivalent drone. All depends on the mission at the end of the day, and considering most of us won’t be working with a large network conducting surveillance to coordinate offensive maneuvers it’s probably unnecessary/too bulky for most situations.
Thanks for the reply though! I love the channel and that you read through the comments.
The best use that I can think of is in a get home kit. Where you need to get home from work, on foot, and your edc is a pistol. Throw this in your bag and you have the ability to scan your area for threats. Cool product.
I have some Leupold 8x25 binocs only 1 pound easily packable. Used them the other day to see what was happening with ambulances at my neighbors house. Handy as hell.
I bought the 4x for some reason and never really use it, 8x seems like the right buy so I will try it out. Thanks dude!
Maybe this bridges the problem I have always had with wearing a chest rug but not having room for my bingo pouch up front… sacrifice some FoV and weight to be able to still run a rifle well, but with quick magnified optic to observe w/o pointing a rifle around
I've had one in my get home bag for years, although I've never had to use it. It seems very handy for recon and observation in an urban environment.
I keep one of these in my get home bag. Ever since I read Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, I want the ability to glass an area before I enter it.
This looks like a great peice of kit, and I'd happily use your affiliate link if I didn't already have a Vortex pro deal!
As a full time highcountry cowboy by summer, avid elk hunter by fall, and all-year shooter in the Rockies, I've been packing my little 8x Diamondback binos to hell and back when exactly this would give as much (if not more) information in a smaller footprint! Is that a cow or a bush? Legal bull or cow elk? Hiker or hunter? Friend or foe?
Space is surprisingly tight in saddlebags, and even tighter in my Recce chest rig, so this should help free up some more space.
I use the 8x one of these to set up quick LPOP's and to read licenses plates and it great. Easy to carry in a backpack and may get the 10x next to try out.
You use 8 of these??!! Thats gangsta! Why not 4 binoculars??
Me: being disappointed that others don't like my LPVO as much as I do, BUT here's some AsS FaCtS to brighten my day
Ooh, what a nifty piece of kit. I might look into getting one.
Also adorable doggo at the end is a bonus.
I have had a vortex monocular for years and it rocks
I have a one. I like throwing it in my backpack when hiking and I'm only carrying a handgun.
I shot my right eye out with a rubberband when I was three, something like this is right up my alley.
This is why i love my Eotech G45! I can detach from my AR without losing zero.
I have several, i use them often
Cool I was already looking at getting the 10x but I’ll go through affiliate
Nice - Helpful Vid. I just bought the Trijicon 4X32 ACOG LED - Love it, but always wish it had a MilRad Range function - This is a super quick and handy gadget - and it is a BUY using your AMZ Link. Thanks!
my brain read that as 'Pocket Raccoon' and while disappointed in the reality, this is still pretty cool.
Read this as "Rocket Raccoon" and was momentarily thrown for a loop.
Hey I noticed some of ur guys have prescription glasses, a video on glasses for shtf would be great
buy tons of extra contact lens, buy 4-5 extra glasses, keep some at home, stash others in your car as such.
Came here for the monocular review, then hyped myself up for a potential Brass Facts review on the new GLX 5x micro prism.
I think you missed the part where flagging some people/things with your rifle is a bad idea, and a monocular or other optic isn't felony assault. Kind of like the light on your home-defense firearm is a good thing, but a separate flashlight doesn't get you put behind bars when you point it at a non-intruder. A separate optic isn't really optional if you take basic gun safety rules seriously.
for sure. That being said. I'm not all that convinced I'm going to be using a full blown rifle in a scenario where police are actively out and about. Maybe. Who knows.
I was think of adding one of these to my chest rig and was looking at the 10×25 but the 8×36 with the reticle is the clear winner
Used one of these when hiking through a national park to keep an eye on a lone male buffalo so we wouldn't cross paths or stumble onto any others
I bought one to support all this quality doggo footage.
This was just on time, I was thinking about buying this. Thanks bro
Yeah, another solid point is... it's not wise in all situations to raise a rifle towards something. Identifying something that might be looking at you, is not going to look good should the person not be a threat, they may become a threat when they see your rifle pointed their direction.
Hunters with scoped rifles use binos and monos all the time. Not sure why we wouldn’t carry them in other scenarios. The ranging feature is sick
“Mk 1 eyeball” dudes really talking like he’s in night city😂 or it’s a reference I’m not aware of. Love the videos man.
Very good points. Always enjoy the videos!! Excellent video work on this one as well 💥💥🍻🍻
I keep a 6x range finder in my truck bag. Serves double purpose as hunting and light observation capabilities. Only a tiny bit bigger than a monocular and you can find any of your budget 6x range finders for around $100 bucks.
What brand? I think 8x and 10x are too much zoom to be practical in my region.
@@dillonc7955 Nikon. Absolutely love that little thing.
Can I mount this to my helmet, just to look like I have night vision, and that I'm some idiot that's using night vision during the day? Just kidding, or maybe I'm not kidding, IDK.
Sleeper Agent Nova!
I keep a small pair of bino’s in a leather pouch in my bag but having something like that used with one hand and one eye isn’t a bad idea. I’ve wanted a thermal monocular for a while now but these are cool too
I got the 10x version without the reticle and i love it. Super clear glass and way better image than my budget lpvo but at a great price point. While it’s nice for the range i honestly like the ability to stuff in my pants and use in random places. Wow that sounds bad lol
Also, if you're not yet sure if what you are looking at is a hostile position, aiming a rifle at it is a quick way to auto answer that question
I love these things.
Have you tried integrating a pair of binos into your kit? Way more comfy when glassing for long periods of time....which is probably a more important part of the recce mission, yeah?
I have vortex 12x binos for spotting when i hunt. Let me tell you its a pain in the ass to pull them out and pull the caps off every time you want a good look at something. There is something to be said for a small mono like this.
I'll step out and say, a lot of us probably won't be doing the cool dude boog/spooky boi stuff. As much as we might like to think we would. A lot of us will be better served in recon/intel depots. LP/OP stuff. And you being required to raise your rifle at an object to PID it, will instantly make you a target to get third partied or otherwise. Everyone wants to do the cool guy stuff.
Most dont want to learn "boring" stuff like LP/OP setup. Land nav. Comms. Etc.
We've gotta be capable of all the things [insert opposing force name here] would do, without the logistical backbone of [insert opposing force name here]
Wow, solid comment, my man. As a noob, is it Training first - then optics - then ammo - then - gun then all the pretty farkles?
I use a rangefinder works double duty and if you get the small class size its barely bigger than this but optical specs are probably less
Okay, so I ordered through the affiliate link for $147.00 one day free shipping. They cancelled the order the next day and said it was undeliverable, but if I still wanted the Monocular, I could re-order it. Now it's $148.50...I know the economy is bad guys, but this is kind of wrong.
Reminds me when Cheaper than dirt cancelled processing orders for magazines and ammo the day of a school shooting and media talk of gun bans; just to raise the prices and tell customers, they can buy it again.
Since you used the word "Prepared," I was surprised you didn't cover one aspect of other advantages. In the old days we were taught that a 7 x 50 was excellent at seeing in dusk or near dark conditions. This scope seems to offer similar improvement in low light conditions. I'd like to see a comparison of this scope vs 7 x 50 vs ?? to show value of low light observation.
Just calculate the exit pupil. 7x50 is a 7.14mm exit pupil, and even in the youngest/healthiest people that corresponds to the maximum pupil dilation in the dark, hence no loss of image brightness.
However, one has to keep in mind that for older people this is much less of an issue. Ex. someone 50 years old has an approximate max pupil diameter of just 5mm, and hence a 7x35 and 7x50 would look equally bright (assuming identical optical transparency).
I cut out some foam and glue them to a flashbang pouch. It helps to protect the lenses
Hey man,
Can you do us a solid and stick to reviewing gear that's either too expensive to impulse buy or cheap enough if we do impulse buy, it won't raise eyebrows with our imaginary GFs?
tks I love you (say it back)
love you too
Thank you. 👍
I've got the cheaper / smaller 8x version of this. Primarily used for peeking out the windows
The 10x solo can be found for pretty cheap on fleabay. Had one for a few year or so. Been dropped once, dumped on in the rain and left in my pack in the snow, hasn’t fogged on me yet. Glass is great. Clarity and focus is excellent. Eye box is very tight like your eye is constantly working to keep up as you move slightly while holding the monocular to your face. Can be pretty exhausting. Biggest draw is the 10x doesn’t have the reticle. My only huge complaint. Highly recommend.
I keep one in my truck. The ladies love it.
I am wanting to know more about your backpack chest rig configuration. looks like its working good. i know MR has some that have a whole harness. but im not sure how it works with other gear. I would love to get an update on your large bag plz.