Expert Review Superb basic l3 example in white. almost flawless image, great body, fit, controls, and accessories - TRYBE Optics GEN 3 PVS-14 Night Vision Monocular

Comes in standard canvas zipper belt bag with normal accessories. I have the white phosphor version with filmless L-3 tube. L-3 is arguably the best tube manufacturer in the world, and along with Elbit, supplies our military with night vision, including the PVS-14.

My included Test Data sheet shows a tube with a Figure Of Merit (FOM) of 1862, and I'm quite happy with that. I know how good tubes can get, and I also know that the functional difference between a high FOM tube and a lower FOM tube can be zero, most of the time. Exports to most of the world have a FOM of 1600 max, so I know with an 1862 I have a significantly better performing product than is globally available. Even for little old me, God bless the USA!

It's very difficult to tell the difference between tubes with higher FOM and lower FOM unless they are next to each other to compare with. Just like with daytime optics, when you get to a certain point, you start to expend larger and larger amounts of money for just the tiniest and tiniest of performance increase. And that performance increase will probably not be noticeable to you except in your wallet.

Individual data sheet numbers revealed more important specifications about the DNA in my monocular, as every unit is unique in performance. Artifacts, or spots in the viewing area can be large or small, or in different zones in your field of view. Signal to Noise, Photocathode Sensitivity, Gain, and some other specifics that I don’t understand tend to hurt my brain. But I do know what a bright, clear screen is that doesn’t sparkle or honeycomb or chicken cage or bloom too much or whine or focus clearly or the diopter does not adjust properly, or it has crummy optics or not focus smoothly or have a smooshy-feeling power switch or the illuminator is not centered or the gain control knob is gritty or the whole contraption doesn’t work like it is supposed to. This unit passes everything I know to check with flying colors. Or in this case, a brilliant White Phosphor color, unfilmed L-3 tube with hardly an imperfection made by people that sure seem to know what they’re doing.

As important as my data sheet numbers, a very real test comes after the case and accessories are vetted as standard and normal. It's how the unit looks. This one is sleek and black as night with a satin sheen and properly applied label with tube information and serial number. This same serial number is also on a tag on the carry bag along with the serial number of the housing of the unit.

LOVELY TUBE HARDLY ANY SPOTS! Spots are normal unless they are in my center viewing area. It's quite normal for tubes to have "artifacts", as they are called, or spots. As long as they don't bother me I overlook them. But I had not much to speak of here.
My darkest testing grounds are black as ink and filled with wildlife and rarely a human. I bring a dog because we help each other be brave in the tent, in the dark of night, in front of a swampy tree line, between a football field sized pond and a not-so mighty but mighty scary river at night. Real-world testing takes many forms.

Eventually we found out that the giant splashes from the Loch Ness monster in the pond were actually from catfish, and the giant beaver we thought we saw crossing in front of us once really was a giant beaver. I look at the stars a lot with night vision. If you have not, please do. It’s mind-blowing, especially with no light pollution and your eyes biologically adjusted to the night.
Some “real-world” testing takes place riding an old mountain bike on a trail wearing night vision attached to a bump helmet. What could go wrong, right? If you attempt such foolishness, which I do not recommend, I suggest practicing in the daytime first, and wear knee and elbow pads and have a phone and a leg splint nearby. If the Zombie EMP wars come, I want to be ready. The basket on the bike holds a lot of cool stuff, including my slingshot with biodegradable projectiles. Firearms are not allowed on this particular property, including airguns.

I use a bump helmet because it’s a superior way to hold a NV unit, particularly heavy goggles for extended periods, but the included head mount assembly works ok and it’s light, as is the monocular. It does not have adjustments or flip up, but just fore and aft adjustments, so just choose your eye and go. The medium head pad comes installed, and a small and large are included. It adjusts on my head perfectly. It’s quite comfortable and once you learn how, tiny adjustments move and keep the unit directly in front of your eye.

Works fine with a NV capable sight, but eventually, most people using a PVS-14 in this manner will burn a dark spot in their tube from too much use with a bright aiming dot.

This is a quality, complete PVS-14 system with an excellent tube and performance, and it looks bada**. Highly recommended.
Excellent with TRYBE 3x magnifier.