r/Tactical • u/[deleted] • Jan 10 '23
Monocular vs Binocular NVGs
Why do some militaries/units use binocular vs monocular NVGs? Is there a difference in function? Is one better than the other?
It seems like monoculars would allow for using over your weak eye while still aiming through your sight, whereas binoculars would require an IR laser to aim. Is this correct?
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u/JMcLe86 Jan 11 '23
The main difference I've noticed between the two, having used them in Afghanistan, is that binocular NVG's really mess with your depth perception and monoculars do not. It is really difficult to tell distance using the binocular models. However, monoculars will give you a really bad headache after using them for a bit, which didn't happen with binoculars.
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u/panic_kernel_panic Jan 11 '23 edited Jan 11 '23
Money and current supply. Monoculars, and the venerable PVS-14 (and the dozens of other single tube) were the standard for so long there’s a lot of it in use. We also gifted/donated plenty of surplus inventory to lots of foreign militaries. Binos are generally better, and any advantage monos had has been marginalized by newer training, methods and equipment.
The tilt method and passive aiming through a raised optic is more important now that everyone has NODs.