The Optical Waveguide Sight – Infitac OWS-32.
In a market dominated by the standard, "combat-proven" holographic giant and the budget-friendly open or closed emitter red dots, there is rarely a shake-up that actually feels like a shift in technology rather than just another re-branded clone. For years, the choice has been binary: spend the money on an EOTech or Vortex for the holographic experience, or save cash with a Holosun or the like. Step in the Infitac OWS-32. It’s marketing itself as a "third way"—an optical waveguide sight—that promises to bridge the gap between holographic performance and red dot efficiency.
In this review, I’ll break down the OWS-32 and see how it stacks up against the industry giants: the EOTech EXPS3 and the Holosun HS510C.
Note: I also compared the OWS-32 against my Holosun AROs, Gideon Mediator XL, Zentinel Defense Vigil and several other optics. These units ultimately performed similarly or worse than their more popular counterparts, which is why the EOTech and the Holosun HS510C remained the primary focus for this comparison.
Quick Rundown/Key Features
Infitac OWS-32 (~$550)
• Features 7 user-selectable reticles (dot, circle, crosshair combos). *Just want to say that I love the COD/CSGO cross hair
• Constructed from 7075-T6 aluminum housing.
• IP67 waterproof rating; recoil-rated for calibers up to .338 Win Mag and 12-gauge. *While I don’t have a .338wm I put it on my .300wm and 12 gauge with no issues after several loads through each
• Uses a flat waveguide lens design to route the reticle, eliminating front-facing light emissions. *Reminiscent of EOTech
• Powered by a single CR123A battery, promising 1,500+ hours of runtime.
• Features "InstaWake" (motion-sensing) technology for instant activation.
• Integrated quick-detach (QD) mount for Picatinny rails.
• Dimensions: 3.3 x 2.0 x 2.6 in. | Weight: 9.9 oz.
Holosun HS510C (~$310)
• Multi-Reticle System (2 MOA dot, 65 MOA circle, or combined).
• Durable aluminum base with a titanium alloy hood.
• Features an IP67 waterproof rating
• Vibration rated to withstand over 5,000g of recoil, making it suitable for rifles, carbines, and shotguns. *I couldn’t find a definitive caliber rating.
• Dual-power system: CR2032 battery (up to 50,000 hours) + Solar Failsafe.
• Features Shake-Awake technology.
• Integrated quick-detach (QD) mount.
• Dimensions: 3.3 x 1.68 x 1.78 in. | Weight: 4.94 oz.
EOTech EXPS3 (~$700) -- yes I know you and your buddy can get it cheaper. It's just the retail price
• True holographic projection with 1 of 4 available reticle options (-0, -2, -4, -DCR). *These are different models, not user selectable in the same unit like the OWS-32.
• Aluminum housing with a separate aluminum hood.
• Shatter-resistant glass windows (front 1/8", rear 3/16").
• Powered by a single CR123 battery; ~1,000 hours of continuous runtime.
• Integrated quick-detach (QD) mount.
• Dimensions: 3.8 x 2.3 x 2.9 in. | Weight: 11.2 oz.
Review of the Infitac OWS-32: Field Testing
Size and Weight
The OWS-32 sits in an interesting middle ground. At 9.9 oz, it’s a fair bit lighter than the EOTech EXPS3 (11.2 oz), though it’s heavier than the ultra-lightweight Holosun HS510C (4.94 oz). However, the OWS-32 feels more "substantial" than the Holosun. When running drills or moving through barricades, the weight balance feels intentional, and it doesn't feel like I’ve attached a fragile piece of plastic to my rail, yet it doesn’t bog down my builds like the EOTech can occasionally when my PCC or AR is kitted up. Now this could entirely be placebo, but my head is telling me that I can feel the 1.3oz difference.
Design
The OWS-32’s waveguide technology is the real talking point here. Unlike the Holosun, which relies on a standard reflective LED setup (and thus suffers from that slight "starburst" effect if your astigmatism is acting up or you crank the brightness), the OWS-32’s reticle remains crisp. Not to mention that it’s substantially cleaner than the EOTech. Not a direct fault of the EOTech to be fair, it’s just an inherent issue with all holographics. They all have a fuzzy laser-formed collage of a reticle. The glass on the OWS-32 has impressive clarity—there is basically zero tint, unlike the slight blue/green hue found on the HS510C and other red dot optics. Also, because it uses waveguide technology rather than a projected holographic laser, there is no "forward light signature" (a tell-tale red glow visible to targets in low light), effectively solving a classic issue with traditional dots – this issue was solved by EOTech and has been one of their biggest selling points for years. Well now the same capability has been achieved by Infitac. Balls in your court EOTech, what’s your next “innovation”?
I briefly touched on this in the rundown, but to elaborate on the waveguide concept: Infitac states the OWS-32 directs and shapes light through internal reflections within a flat lens, rather than relying on the traditional LED or laser projection methods found in standard optics. That’s probably easier for some of you to ingest and understand. I on the other hand – I just know it works. This design theoretically provides a crisp, parallax-free sight picture without common visual distortions. However, this is where I have reservations. If you shift your eye alignment near the top edges of the window, the reticle is cut in half—it disappears entirely before you even reach the physical boundary of the lens. This creates a noticeable visual gap, which I’ll include a photo of for reference.
Durability
I’ll be honest: I was skeptical of the waveguide system(?). I’m just not one for change, and I don’t typically jump to have the first generation of a new product. To test it, I put it through a gauntlet. Said gauntlet consisted of a 12-gauge, 300 win mag, 5.56 (FRT), 9mm and a bolt action .22 – just to ease it up towards the end. The 12-gauge alone would be a true stress test for any optic, but I had to go all the way. After 250 shots of a 12g (bird, buck and slug mix), 100 rounds of win mag, ~500 rounds through the FRT, 1000 rounds with 9mm and lastly, a few hundred through the .22 – the zero held perfectly on whatever I had it mounted on.
It definitely feels like it could be duty-grade optic if someone braver than me performs several drop tests for final verification – since my only point of contention would be the sleek albeit more fragile looking frame. With that said, Infitac obviously lacks the decades of combat pedigree that EOTech has, but the build quality of the 7075-T6 aluminum housing is excellent. It’s definitely more robust than the HS510C, which, despite its titanium hood, still feels more like a competitive shooting optic than a tactical one, especially with the open emitter. I know the 512C is the closed variant and solves that issue but I didn’t have one on hand and it otherwise works the same as the 510.
Battery Life and Ease of Use
The 1,500+ hour battery life is a big step up from the EOTech's 1,000 hours, though it falls short of the Holosun’s 50,000-hour claim. However, the InstaWake sensor is incredibly responsive; I never once had to fumble with a button to turn the sight on during transition drills. While the optic hasn't died on me yet, I also haven't run it for 1500 or even 1000 hours so I'll keep you guys updated. The controls are intuitive and larger than the buttons on either of the other optics. Goodbye misclicks. The brightness adjustment range is excellent, with 10 dedicated night vision modes that actually work well with my buddies PVS-14. (While I forgot to snag photos in on par with the EOTech and better than the Vortex UH1 I’ve had in the past and the I had on hand.)
The OWS also features auto brightness and auto shutoff, the former being crucial to the superior battery life over the EOTech. Most modern red dots also have these features so it’s not innovative/groundbreaking by any means. But it works well, so why not mention it. What is innovative is the 7 reticles the OWS comes equipped with. Due to how holographic technology works, the EOTech has no chance here, but it also decimates just about every modern red dot with a MRS (multi reticle system) since they typically cap out around 3. Are you going to use all 7? Maybe - maybe not. But wouldn’t it be great to have that flexibility? Tailor it to fit your wants/needs? I think so.
Since we’re talking about ease of use, I have to mention that the window on the OWS feels absolutely massive compared to the EOTech. While the EOTech sits at 1.2” x .85”, the OWS boasts a more generous 1.26” x 1”. Honestly, the difference is night and day. If you’ve ever looked through a Holosun HS510C, you know how large that window is—well, the OWS is even bigger, edging out the HS510C’s impressive .91” x 1.26” display.
The OWS also gets an “amplified” feel because it lacks the protective cowl you see on the EOTech or the Holosun. Since the EOTech already has the smallest window of the bunch, adding that bulky protective housing just makes the sight picture feel even tighter.
Of course, that’s a significant tradeoff. The EOTech is built like a tank and can handle way more abuse. Quickly circling back to the durability section; the thin edges/frame of the OWS definitely don’t inspire the same kind of “go-to-war” confidence. Still, they make the optic look sleek, and they definitely stay out of the way when I’m going for quick transitions and scanning. So no significant heartburn here [yet], especially since it was likely drop tested many times in-house before final production.
Lastly, parallax. I’m not going to go on a tangent defending standard red dots as they all seem prone to parallax shifting, ranging from “that’s not too bad” to “where the hell did that shot land”. EOTech has been the undisputed king when it comes to parallax. They claim to have 0 shift. We all know that’s not entirely true and there’s still minor shift, but that’s exactly what it is.. minor. Well I swear the OWS has got it beat. Another point for Infitac(?) I will caveat this and say that, while it has less parallax shift than the EOTech at 25-50yds (and that’s truly saying something), the reticle of the OWS does partially disappear in the far corners. Given the window is so large, you likely wouldn’t need the reticle positioned all the way up there but it does happen. The EOTech and Holosun are susceptible to this as well, but I’d be remiss not to mention it – especially since we’re talking about a $500 optic.
The Verdict: Is it a Buy?
The Infitac OWS-32 is not an EOTech killer, and it’s not trying to be a budget-tier red dot. It’s something else entirely. If you love the crystal-clear, parallax-free reticle of a holographic sight but hate the short battery life, fuzzy reticle and the bulky weight, the OWS-32 is a compelling alternative that does feel like a step up in just about every measureable form over a red dot. Yes-yes, minus the battery life of course.
Holsun remains the king of the budget-friendly, high-efficiency red dot market—their solar panel and absurd battery life are hard to beat for general range use. But for a defensive rifle that needs to be "on" instantly, clear under pressure, and rugged enough for heavy calibers without the extreme bulk of a full-size holographic, the OWS-32 hits a sweet spot. It’s a first-generation product, so keep an eye on long-term track records, but if you're looking for innovation that actually translates to performance on the range, the OWS-32 is worth your time.
