Toy or tool? - Sightmark Ghost Hunter 1x24 Night Vision Goggle Kit

I bought this item because I wanted to experiment with night vision for less than $300. After playing with the monocle and head mount I an NOT DISAPPOINTED OR OVERLY IMPRESSED. First, adjusting the eye relief and focus are critical for seeing anything. If you adjust it then change the NV's position relative to your eye it will go blurry again. The head mount seems to do an okay job of maintaining the distance between the NV and your eye. Second, in total darkness you will see nothing without the IR illuminator. Third, when your naked eyes can barely make out shapes (small amount of ambient light) the NV will allow you to see some detail (without illuminator). Fourth, the IR illuminator gives off a small amount of red, visible light that can be seen at 40+ yards.

Basically, Gen 1 NV will give your eyes a little more ability in the dark (without illuminator) but will require practice to maintain the focus. The NV was able to locate my dog at distances that my eyes could not. With the illuminator you will see moving people at 30-40 yards, but they will see a little red LED. I plan on making the illuminator completely invisible to the naked eye by attaching a piece of IR pass filter. It will probably make the illuminator a little less effective but significantly more stealthy. You could also pair this with a commercially available IR light that has no visible output.