Athlon Optics has made its name by offering Ridiculously Good Optics, and accessories, at a Ridiculously Good Price. Athlon’s newest binoculars are no exception. Features abound in these high-power binoculars and include, just to name a few, an ATBR MIL reticle, UHD glass, and a lightweight magnesium chassis.

Athlon MIDAS G2 UHD PRO 12X50 BINOCULARS (#113011) – MSRP $562.49

The Midas G2 Pro binoculars are perfect for anyone who is looking to improve their precision mid or long-range shooting in either tactical or hunting applications. The diopter, reticle focus, reticle leveling adjustment, and main-focus wheel combine to result in unmatched clarity and sharpness. The Midas G2 Pro offers a field of view of 281 feet at 1000 yards, an interpupillary distance of 55-74 mm, a tripod adapter socket (1/4-20 thread), and an etched reticle. The Midas G2 Pro, which weighs in at an impressive 32 ounces, is also waterproof and features XPL coating, phase-corrected prisms, BaK4 prisms, and is argon purged. Of course, every unit is also covered by Athlon’s unconditional lifetime warranty. Click here to find out more. Read more

iRayUSA, the United States Distributor of InfiRay Outdoor thermal optics, introduces the AFFO handheld thermal monocular, available with 9mm (AP09) and 13mm (AP13) lens options. Units are in stock now and beginning to ship to dealers.

The AFFO is a lightweight and compact handheld viewer, ideal for scouting, short range hog and varmint hunting, game recovery, search and rescue, and security applications. The AFFO features a 256×192 microbolometer (thermal sensor) and a 600×400 AMOLED display. A polymer housing with rubberized grip texture allows the unit to be lightweight and compact, as well as rugged and comfortable to the touch in cold or wet weather conditions. Both AFFO models utilize Infiray’s newest “Reality+” image processing technology, providing the very best image quality from even a smaller thermal sensor. Read more

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – This week on the No Lowballers Podcast, Logan Metesh and his panel dive into the dark world of night vision, looking at its history, how it works and the myths that surround the technology.

From its birth in WWII to the latest in special forces technology, the NLB team cover the development of NODs as only they can.

As an added bonus, the team sidetracks into the world of thermal optics as well, comparing and contrasting their benefits against night vision. While both have their uses, the panel debates which is the most beneficial to the civilian and hunter. Where do they land? Tune in or download the episode and find out!

New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found on GunBroker.com, Go Wild’s YouTube page and the Sportsmen Empire podcast page.

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

Years ago, I was looking to upgrade my glassing ability with a new binocular.  As an eyeglass wearer at the time, it needed to have sufficient eye relief to compensate for the extra distance between the optic and my eyes.  After a call to the media representative for Leupold, I settled on its Katmai line in 8×32 configuration.

No doubt, the Japanese-ground lenses were far superior to any binocular I had possessed at any time.  Small enough not to be a burden afield, it was my go-to glass afield.

Eventually, however, it had developed an issue with the ocular lens eyecups to the point they were stuck in one position for use with eyeglasses.  I put up with it until recently, when I discovered my distant vision no longer required the use of eyeglasses, which made the optic difficult to use.

With Leupold’s online presence, a form was filled out and submitted only a few weeks from opening day of this deer season.  Once the package was received by Leupold, a responding email indicated the firm would get to the issue sometime in the next five weeks.  Convinced the issue would not be resolved before hunting season, I accepted blame for not having begun the process earlier.

Surprisingly, email notification came of a shipment after a mere two-week wait!  On the shipping list was a new binocular:  Leupold’s BX-4 Pro Guide HD. After using the highly advanced optic, which has positive reviews online and on YouTube, I couldn’t be happier with Leupold’s commitment to customer service and its no-questions-asked lifetime guarantee.

A similar experience worth a shout-out comes from another fine American optics manufacturer:  Burris Optics of Greeley, Colorado.  After purchasing a used Burris binocular on Ebay, I had found that the middle hinge didn’t hold position very well.  Eventually, the issue got worse to the point the binocular couldn’t be used effectively.

Fortunately, through an online hunting forum, the matter came up with a Burris service technician, who invited me to send the binocular to his attention.  Once he surveyed the issue, he wanted to know what power binocular I would like as a replacement.  Wow!  The company simply didn’t want that older technology out there for fear of bad press, no matter whether it could be repaired.  Burris promptly delivered a new, highly upgraded binocular to my doorstep.

Hunters typically spend their money on firearms and scopes and often overlook the advantage of a good binocular.  In fact, many of us hunt without the advantage of quick-deploying binoculars – and, that’s a big mistake.  Although inexpensive Chinese glass is better than nothing – it is still superior to technology we had decades ago.

Conversely, I’ve never met an outdoors aficionado who’s plunked down some hard-earned cash on good glass, who was sorry afterward; doing so makes us better hunters.  What’s even better is the option to support these American companies that mean what they say when it comes to lifetime guarantees.