Thermal Setup

[Hawkeye54]

What is everyone running for your thermal setups? I am looking to purchase mine and curious if I could use the Thermion XQ LRF for a scope and the Hogster vibe for a scanner. Anyone running something similar? Any other recommendations in the $6500 - $7000 range for a scope and scanner? I like the idea of being able to put the Hogster on as a scope if needed.

 

[Skerhunter]

That combo would work great for calling! A better set up will just cost you more (nicer scanner).

 

[Hawkeye54]

That combo would work great for calling! A better set up will just cost you more (nicer scanner).

Any idea on the battery life for the Hogster? I know they claim up to 4 hours, but I doubt it lasts that long with continuous use.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

i can get about 20hrs of runtime on my super hogster using a 6700mAh anker, don't even bother with the cr123's if its cold outside. the cr123's are worthless in cold weather IMO.

Beings you want the capability to use your "scanner" as a backup weapon sight your set-up will work just fine. If you were looking for a dedicated full time scanner i would tweak your choices a touch.

if you have not checked these guys out I would recommend it:

https://www.youtube.com/@TheLateNightVisionShow/videos

Call jason @ outdoor legacy & they will steer you in the right direction with upselling you a bunch of bull$shit

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[Hawkeye54]

i can get about 20hrs of runtime on my super hogster using a 6700mAh anker, don't even bother with the cr123's if its cold outside. the cr123's are worthless in cold weather IMO.

Beings you want the capability to use your "scanner" as a backup weapon sight your set-up will work just fine. If you were looking for a dedicated full time scanner i would tweak your choices a touch.

Am I thinking about this wrong? Would it be a better choice to get a dedicated scanner?

 

[Skerhunter]

Any idea on the battery life for the Hogster? I know they claim up to 4 hours, but I doubt it lasts that long with continuous use.

With CR123's you only get 2-3 stands out of them before they die (cold doesn't help). The 5K battery packs will last me most of the night ~8-10 hours (apex 3d makes a handle/5K battery holder made of using a sight as a scanner - works nice for how cheap it is).

You can get a dedicated scanner - most of them would be "better" (nicer image/better detection) than using the hogster to scan with. But you can't use it as a back up sight. It's also one of those upgrades where it's not going to make you way more effective, since you still need to call animals within range. Anything within range you can easily pick up with the hogster or similar scope. You can see coyotes with the 2x base mag 384 scopes, a lot further than you can shoot!

Best reasonable set up is a good 640 scanner with wide field of view and a LRF 640 scope with a higher base mag. Next would probably be a 640 scanner with a scope like you have picked out. Then your down to a 384 scanner and a scope with higher base mag with or without lrf.

 

[dirtytough]

I used a Hogster 35 as my first scanner. Like you I wanted a weapon sight so if needed I could throw it on a gun.

I never mounted it. I only used it as a scanner. It’s not as comfortable to scan with since I only had a short handle with a pic rail. With a dedicated scanner that has a 1/4-20 nut in it I use a longer handle. That way I’m not having to lift my arm all night to hold it.

Now myself, I would rather scan all night with a good scanner and let my buddy use the rifle, than scan with a rifle when a buddy comes along and a not as good scanner when he doesn’t come.

The good thing is you can buy and try for a season. If it’s what you dreamed it would be sweet. If not sell what you don’t like and try something else.

I would take a look at the Iray G-LRF 35.

 

[Hawkeye54]

With CR123's you only get 2-3 stands out of them before they die (cold doesn't help). The 5K battery packs will last me most of the night ~8-10 hours (apex 3d makes a handle/5K battery holder made of using a sight as a scanner - works nice for how cheap it is).

You can get a dedicated scanner - most of them would be "better" (nicer image/better detection) than using the hogster to scan with. But you can't use it as a back up sight. It's also one of those upgrades where it's not going to make you way more effective, since you still need to call animals within range. Anything within range you can easily pick up with the hogster or similar scope. You can see coyotes with the 2x base mag 384 scopes, a lot further than you can shoot!

Best reasonable set up is a good 640 scanner with wide field of view and a LRF 640 scope with a higher base mag. Next would probably be a 640 scanner with a scope like you have picked out. Then your down to a 384 scanner and a scope with higher base mag with or without lrf.

Thanks!

 

[Hawkeye54]

I used a Hogster 35 as my first scanner. Like you I wanted a weapon sight so if needed I could throw it on a gun.

I never mounted it. I only used it as a scanner. It’s not as comfortable to scan with since I only had a short handle with a pic rail. With a dedicated scanner that has a 1/4-20 nut in it I use a longer handle. That way I’m not having to lift my arm all night to hold it.

Now myself, I would rather scan all night with a good scanner and let my buddy use the rifle, than scan with a rifle when a buddy comes along and a not as good scanner when he doesn’t come.

The good thing is you can buy and try for a season. If it’s what you dreamed it would be sweet. If not sell what you don’t like and try something else.

I would take a look at the Iray G-LRF 35.

Thanks! Good points, you may have talked me into a dedicated scanner!

 

[SuperDUECE22]

Am I thinking about this wrong? Would it be a better choice to get a dedicated scanner?

I'll echo some of the other responses. Your idea would work but id lean more towards a dedicated scanner. Buy the best 640 12-micron scanner you can afford as you'll be looking through this 95% of the time and your scope maybe 5%. Unless something has changed recently, I'd also stay away from the pulsar axion scanners, they perform poorly in humidity and there are a lot better options out there for that price range. The number of thermal optics that have hit the market in the last couple years is crazy and that's why in my earlier edited post i recommend calling Jason @ outdoor legacy. These guys get their hands on everything and if you talk to them & give them your budgets and desires, they will get you set-up perfectly.

 

[Hawkeye54]

I'll echo some of the other responses. Your idea would work but id lean more towards a dedicated scanner. Buy the best 640 12-micron scanner you can afford as you'll be looking through this 95% of the time and your scope maybe 5%. Unless something has changed recently, I'd also stay away from the pulsar axion scanners, they perform poorly in humidity and there are a lot better options out there for that price range. The number of thermal optics that have hit the market in the last couple years is crazy and that's why in my earlier edited post i recommend calling Jason @ outdoor legacy. These guys get their hands on everything and if you talk to them & give them your budgets and desires, they will get you set-up perfectly.

I’ll give him a call. Thank you!

 

[Split toe]

I for sure recommend a dedicated 640 scanner. I prefer Pulsar Helion monocular.

 

[satchamo]

I literally just got the thermion xq50 lrf. I have a super hogster I was using for a scope and an agm tm19 taipan. The taipan kind of sucks IMO so I’m going to run my SH as a scanner for a bit and sell the taipan. Then after this season I’m selling the super hogster and going to save for the helion 2 pro.

The thermion is a badass scope, wayyyy nicer than the super hogster in every way. Not that the super hogster is bad, it’s not at all, I’ve killed a handful of coyotes this season with it but I wanted Lrf.

The issue I see with scanning on a hogster is you’ll almost have to rig it up with an ext battery pack OR get the extended cal and use 16650s.

 

[budweiserlovr]

I have the thermion xp50 I got a really good deal on. And xq 38 scanner/lrf. The scanner gets used way more than the scope. I had a hard time judging distance at first until you get used to using thermal. Would like to have an lrf scope when I'm hunting alone. The scanner, rifle and thermal and e caller is almost a 2 man operation.

 

[Dinosdeuce]

I use a Thermion 2 XP50 Pro on the rifle and a Hogster vibe as a scanner. As already mentioned the thought process was primarily a scanner and back up/buddy scope. Don't know if I would do it different if given a chance.

 

[Hawkeye54]

I have the thermion xp50 I got a really good deal on. And xq 38 scanner/lrf. The scanner gets used way more than the scope. I had a hard time judging distance at first until you get used to using thermal. Would like to have an lrf scope when I'm hunting alone. The scanner, rifle and thermal and e caller is almost a 2 man operation.

How do you like your scanner? Looking at the Axion 2 XQ35.

 

[Hawkeye54]

I use a Thermion 2 XP50 Pro on the rifle and a Hogster vibe as a scanner. As already mentioned the thought process was primarily a scanner and back up/buddy scope. Don't know if I would do it different if given a chance.

How do you like scanning with the Hogster? Is it a pain with an external battery? Do you mount it on a tripod?

 

[budweiserlovr]

I like it. Wouldn't hesitate on picking one up. My xp50 is a thermion 1 and viewer is clearer. Can range out to 400 fairly easy. My buddy picked one up after looking through mine and bought the non LRF model and really likes it.

 

[Dinosdeuce]

How do you like scanning with the Hogster? Is it a pain with an external battery? Do you mount it on a tripod?

Since this is the only setup I have I can't compare it to anything else. Wear a bino harness with small pouches on either side. Put the Anker in a pouch on the opposite side of shouldering your gun. That way you can drop the Hogster in the bino pouch and get on the gun and the cord stays out of the way. I wouldn't want to be restricted by mounting a scanner on a tripod. Apex 3d makes a part that fits where the external power plugs in protecting the connection. Hope this helps some.

 

[Hawkeye54]

Since this is the only setup I have I can't compare it to anything else. Wear a bino harness with small pouches on either side. Put the Anker in a pouch on the opposite side of shouldering your gun. That way you can drop the Hogster in the bino pouch and get on the gun and the cord stays out of the way. I wouldn't want to be restricted by mounting a scanner on a tripod. Apex 3d makes a part that fits where the external power plugs in protecting the connection. Hope this helps some.

That does help. Never thought about using my bino harness.