Trailblazer and Category Leader in Thermal and Night Vision, Armasight announces the release of the Sidekick 320 handheld Thermal Optic. The Sidekick is available immediately online and in select retail outlets.
The Sidekick 320 is the smallest fully multi-functional 12-micron 320 thermal imaging monocular on the market. This unit boasts a fast 60Hz frame rate for smooth operation and industry-best, outstanding visual acuity, based on Armasight’s Iron Wolf thermal technology platform. Weighing under 210 grams, the Sidekick can be used as a handheld mini-monocular or can be headset/helmet mounted utilizing the built-in mini-rail for hands- free operation. The high definition 1024 × 768 OLED display provides a crisp image, with iconography providing key information. The Sidekick utilizes simplified 3 button controls that allow for easy manipulation in the field and offers one-touch in-unit video recording.
The Sidekick 320 offers an extensive suite of features including video and image capture, USB video stream, USB-C interface for viewing your recordings and photos on external devices such as computers or televisions. Users will enjoy the functionality of multiple color palettes, intuitive simple 3 button controls, and compatibility with the Ravyn Rail Bridge Mount for helmet mounting with PVS-14, MNVD, or second Sidekick (sold separately).
Package Includes: Thermal Monocular, 2 × CR123A Battery, USB-C Cable, Battery Extender, Product Manual, Lens Cloth, Soft Case Designed and Assembled in the USA.
The Armasight Sidekick 320 is available for purchase at Armasight.com as well as through select dealers now.
Features:
- Multiple color palettes
- Intuitive 3-button control
- Dovetail Mini-Rail included for Helmet Mounting
- Works with Ravyn Rail Bridge Mount for helmet mounting with PVS-14, MNVD, or second Sidekick (sold separately)
- Video Recording & Image Capture
- USB-C Interface for External Devices
- Works with External Power Banks via USB-C
- Compass
- ULTEM Composite Body and Ergonomic Design
MSRP: Armasight Sidekick 320 – $2,299
Video:https://youtube.com/shorts/FfRA0kP7bl4
Ohhh, I wish I had the money for that.
That’s pit viper sht
Thermal imaging monoculars are incredible. I highly recommend them if you can afford them.
If you have almost limitless funds, then purchase really high resolution models. If you have limited funds (like most people), I do not believe that there is any reason to go beyond 384 pixel resolution.
I specify 384 pixel resolution as being the highest resolution that 98% of people will need because you can identify and discern targets at pretty surprising distances, depending on the optical magnification of your monocular. For example a monocular with a modest 2x optical magnification, enables you to easily discern a deer from a coyote from a human at 200 yards distance minimum and probably out to 300 yards.
I can tell my GSD from my Plotts at that distance with a TM10-256 (256×192).
The price point on this is asinine and I honestly think that the upcharge is mostly in the helmet-mountability, which you see elsewhere in the night-optics world too.
In a move that surprises exactly no one with two or more functioning brain cells, ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine is now attacking the gun industry :
“Mass Murder Is a Choice. The Gun Industry Made It”
“Arms manufacturers pushed more than 24 million assault weapons onto the American streets, one for every 10 adults, each designed with a single purpose — to kill lots of people as fast as possible”
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/mass-shootings-gun-industry-greed-ravaging-america-1234874423/
Yay!
EDIT –
Here’s the ‘money shot’ on that ‘Rolling Stone’ article :
“To Kander, the most crucial reform is to smash the PLCAA shield law. “Everybody always forgets that Congress is not the reason that smoking is so reduced in this country,” he says. “It is juries. And if you let juries just decide what reasonable care a gun manufacturer should take in who they sell guns to, you’d have a very different gun culture in this country. You’d have a lot less people get killed.””
They want the PLCAA law *gone*. We must protect it all costs…
Why do I get the feeling that closing in on half that price tag isn’t in the resolution but rather in the ability to mount it to a helmet?
At $2300, I’ll buy two…..
If you just want a night vision capability ….I’ve got a SightMark Waith 4K I tested out. Its stored away right now but it did a great job for night vision and only costs ~$499.00. So if you want a hand held night vision thing and don’t have $2300.00 for an Armasight Sidekick 320 consider the SightMark maybe (and yes it can be helmet or rifle mounted also).
SightMark Wraith 4K Digital Night Vision Monocular > https://sightmark.com/products/wraith-4k-monocular
“Sightmark’s Wraith 4K Monocular is an optic with multi-mounting versatility. Evolved from the Wraith 4K Mini, this helmet-, handheld- or rifle-mounted optic provides users with a digital night vision optic that is technologically advanced and potentially hands-free. With 1-8x digital zoom, video-recording capabilities and a sleek polymer housing, this optic represents the future of digital night vision. Its auto-adjusting, integrated IR light is ideal for various environmental conditions, and its easy mounting & dismounting make the Wraith 4K Monocular a must-have for Sightmark customers!
…
Features
Built-in USB
4k/1080p imaging
1-8x digital zoom
Built-in photo and video recording
4k (3840×2160) sensor
Polymer housing
2 CR123A batteries
Integrated LED IR at 850nm
Auto-adjust IR”
.40 cal Booger,
There are pros and cons when you compare the function of thermal imaging versus infra-red illuminated night vision.
Thermal imaging enables you to immediately register bodies in daylight conditions as long as the bodies are warmer than the surroundings. Of course thermal imagers do the same at night. However thermal imagers are expensive compared to infra-red illuminated night vision. And you cannot look through windows with thermal imagers.
An advantage of infra-red illuminated night vision is that you can purchase a separate infra-red “spotlight” and significantly increase the range of your night vision device.
Of course infra-red illuminated night vision would be a GIANT liability in a combat situation if your enemy has passive night vision since your infra-red illuminator would make your presence absolutely immediately obvious and unmistakable.
Choose wisely.
Having trained with NVGs when I was in the Army. I will always prefer having passive night vision.
And thanks to the Biden administration the islamists now have hundreds of these devices.
Chris T in KY,
There is no doubt that passive night-vision imagers/goggles are the ultimate method for night vision. Unfortunatey the Gen IV imagers are terribly expensive and beyond the financial means of 99% of the population.
They had the ability to pick up our ir lasers/spotlights way back during the bush admin thanks to cheap chinese videocameras with “night mode”. Even cheaper and smaller cameras exist now that while suck for a lot of general nightvision uses are great for detecting troops with poor IR discipline let alone light discipline.
I’m very surprised just how far the price has fallen on these devices. Yes they are still expensive. But 15 years ago they were $8K and higher.
But there are people that are paying over $3K for a high end long gun. In Nashville, Tennessee, there is a high-end shotgun retail store. There they have shotguns for sale that are priced at over $30,000.
Someday I’d like to get one of these, but even though the price has come down by about 99% in the past 40 years, I still can’t afford it.
When I was in the Army, “portable” thermal night vision scopes were much larger and heavier (they needed their own tripod), and they cost as much as a high-end Mercedes. Glad to hear the price has come down by about 99%.
Our M60A3-TTS tanks had excellent thermal sights, but the tank thermal sights (TTS) weighed hundreds of pounds, were noisy as hell for some reason (their cooling system, I think), and probably cost half a million dollars.
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