5 Of The Best Night Vision Binoculars Under $500
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For those who spend their weekends and vacations camping, hunting, or hiking in the great outdoors, a few handy gadgets are necessary to keep safe, secure, and comfortable. A good set of binoculars will come in handy in the wild as they can help bring the majesty of their surroundings into sharp focus for nature lovers. Of course, they can also afford wildlife lovers and hunters the chance to stalk creatures of all shapes and sizes.
However, re-creating those ocular experiences is a little more difficult for outdoor enthusiasts who get their kicks after the sun goes down. In fact, the only way to get a true view of the outdoors when the sun goes down is with a pair of binoculars enabled for night vision, and there are currently dozens of night vision binoculars available on the market.
Fear not, as Slashgear is here to help you sort through your options, having scoured the market for night vision binoculars that won't break the bank and fit our criteria for functionality, image quality, and ease of use, among others. Here are four of the best night-vision binoculars that you can buy for under $500.
Visiocrest Infrared Night Vision Goggles
There are many factors to consider when shopping for night-vision binoculars, but it's safe to assume that cost will be at the top of the list for many. If you're among the many price-conscious shoppers, you can pick up a solid night vision setup these days without breaking the bank. If you want to take pictures or record video at night without using your smartphone camera, Visiocrest has got you covered with a set of infrared-enabled binoculars that'll set you back less than $80.
Not only are Visiocrest's N10X24 night vision binoculars a cost-friendly option, but Popular Mechanics recently named them the best on the market for HD recording. The binoculars come with 960p resolution, giving you HD recording and playback. The powerful infrared light also boosts the visibility of up to 1,000 feet in the dark, with 4k magnification, scratch-resistant lenses, and seven brightness levels designed to ensure crystal clear imagery day or night.
According to Popular Mechanics, the only issue with the N10X24 is that it may be too big for some users, with some consumers also noting battery life as an issue. Still, given the modest investment required, these Visiocrest Night Vision binoculars are a solid buy for seasoned nocturnal pros and outdoor enthusiasts looking to get their first view of wildlife after dark.
JStoon Night Vision Binoculars
If the price is less of a concern, you can upgrade your night vision binocular kit with JStoon's JS-O3, which offers 100% clarity in total darkness and full HD nighttime recording for just $229.99. The binoculars also boast visibility up to 984 feet (300 meters), with the manual focus allowing users to sharpen any image with 3x optical zoom and 4x digital. At that modest cost, JStoon even equips these binoculars with IP56 Water Resistance, meaning you should be able to use them in many damp, dark places. Meanwhile, the device's 850NM, 7-gear infrared illumination makes it easy to fully customize what can be seen in the 3-inch widescreen LCD.
For some users, however, the large display screen proved to be a detractor. A few Amazon reviews claimed that the bright light the screen generates essentially negates the night vision performance. Certain users were also frustrated at the screen's lack of a dimming option.
As it happens, even as USA Today's reviewer listed them among the Best of 2024, they were less than impressed with the picture clarity offered by the JStoon binoculars, noting they may be best utilized at night for watching nocturnal creatures that won't be distracted by the infrared light. But if that's your goal, JStoon's night vision binoculars could be a sneaky good buy.
Nightfox Swift Night Vision Goggles
For those who enjoy hunting prey or hiking trails in the dark, it's helpful to have both hands free, and that is just not possible if you're using them to hold binoculars. Luckily, plenty of night-vision capable devices are out there that can be affixed to a head mount, with Field & Stream recently naming Nightfox's Swift Night Vision binoculars 2024's best for hunting.
Indeed, these compact, user-friendly binoculars come with an adjustable head strap, allowing users to comfortably affix them over their eyes for extended periods without tying up their hands. You can even purchase a special adapter to mount the binoculars to a helmet. The Nightfox Swift also bests many options in the price range with a 40-degree field of view for up to 75 yards away, making them ideal for close-quarter use. Unlike many other night vision binoculars on the market, these also offer an integrated rechargeable power source in the guise of a lithium battery that can be charged via USB.
If you're interested in purchasing a pair, you can cop Nightfox Swift binoculars for about $159.99. Per the Field & Stream ranking, Nightfox's Swift binoculars come with a catch: magnification is fixed at a mere 1x. That restriction may be behind some negative Amazon reviews that knock the binoculars for substandard image quality.
Bestgaurder NV-900 Night Vision Binoculars
On the higher end of the night vision binocular market, you might be hard-pressed to find a set under $500 with quite as much to offer as Bestgaurder's NV-900. Yes, these will set you back a whopping $359.99. That price tag may be a little too much for more casual outdoor enthusiasts, but if you're serious about how you see your surroundings on any given adventure, the NV-900 packs some serious bang for the buck.
Among the device's many attributes are its powerful binocular functions, which offer 5x digital zooming and 6x magnification, allowing users a staggering 3,280 feet of visibility in the daytime and an impressive 1,300 feet in total darkness. The binoculars are water resistant, offer full HD recording capability, and can even shoot time-lapse video. For our money, we're also a big fan of the NV-900's design aesthetic, which prioritizes a mix of comfort and functionality, and all of that comes in a package that weighs just over 1 pound.
While the customer reviews are mostly positive on Amazon, some users are unhappy with how quickly the NV-900 goes through the 8AAA batteries required for use. Meanwhile, others feel Bestgaurder may be overstating the actual size of the device's LCD display, which are potential issues worth considering before you buy.
Creative XP's Elite Night Vision Binoculars
Though it occupies the final spot on this list, Creative XP's Elite model was recently tabbed by Popular Mechanics as the best overall night vision binoculars available. One look at their vital stats would seem to back that ranking up, with the Elite model packing a 35-millimeter lens with eight levels of zooming and magnification topping out at an impressive 40x. As far as their night vision capabilities, they also boast nine adjustable infrared levels, and a 3.5-inch LCD helps bring every daytime and nighttime image into crystal clear focus with visibility up to 1,640 feet.
The Elite model is also equipped with IPX4-level water protection, scratch, oil, and dirt-resistant lenses, and a rechargeable battery that offers up to 4 hours of use. The binoculars also come with a 128GB SD card, meaning you can shoot footage for hours before backing up images and video. Yes, Popular Mechanics rates the Elite's HD camera functionality particularly well, in case there's any question.
With those features, a price tag under $225 makes Creative XP's Elite Night Vision Binoculars a legit bargain buy. Though Popular Mechanics has a lot of love for the Elite model Night Vision Binoculars, some Amazon users are less impressed, dinging them over image quality and a frustratingly narrow field of view. Other negative reviews note the binoculars may not be shooting true 1080p, so you may want to do your due diligence before buying.
How we got here
The night vision binoculars listed above were selected after extensive research, utilizing personal experience, consumer reviews, and critiques from trusted tech sites. The binoculars included here fit our criteria for cost, functionality, design, and cool factor. While this list is to be comprehensive, it may not represent the night vision binocular market in its entirety. If you didn't find what you were looking for in our list, a little extra research might turn up a device better suited to your needs.