Recommend low cost (Sub $300) night vision

[monkeylizard]

Hey TGOers. My mom wants to get my dad some NV of some sort. Handheld monocular or binos would be fine, doesn't have to be actual goggles. They just want to watch deer in the yard at night.

She said $200-300 range. Is it even possible to find something that actually works well enough to watch deer in that price range? Distance would probably be under 50 yards. They come up pretty close to the house. They can hear them moving in the tall grass at night but can't see them. Longer distances would be better, of course. They have a large empty field behind the house with max distance being 200-300 yards away, but he'd need magnification to watch deer at that distance.

Edited February 9 by monkeylizard

[monkeylizard]

Obviously looking for something like these. Just wondering if they're a total waste of money or not.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/barska-night-vision-nvx700-monoculars.html

https://www.opticsplanet.com/x-vision-2-0-pro-digital-night-vision-binoculars.html

[TennesseeCamper]

58 minutes ago, monkeylizard said:

Obviously looking for something like these. Just wondering if they're a total waste of money or not.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/barska-night-vision-nvx700-monoculars.html

https://www.opticsplanet.com/x-vision-2-0-pro-digital-night-vision-binoculars.html

I have  a Yukon nightfall 344 monocular gifted to me by my wife a few years ago. I believe it is barska made. It is useless for night vision or anything else.  And like all Yukon barkska products the outer coating has become sticky. 
A Spotting scope Yukon barska made had  good optics but also cheap outer coating broke down and became  sticky over time.

Maybe they are wonderful now days. Who knows? 
I think to get decent quality you would have to spend over a few grand maybe quite a bit more.

There is a cheap Yashica brand night vision binocular being pushed as a kick starter now on FB. Of course the ads show it as clear with wonderful night vision. I am somewhat skeptical. 
 

Popular Mechanics has a list

https://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoor-gear/g42804755/best-night-vision-goggles/

Edited February 10 by TennesseeCamper

[Alleycat72]

$300 .....it's not going to happen.  I'm sorry 

[Omega]

1 hour ago, monkeylizard said:

Hey TGOers. My mom wants to get my dad some NV of some sort. Handheld monocular or binos would be fine, doesn't have to be actual goggles. They just want to watch deer in the yard at night.

She said $200-300 range. Is it even possible to find something that actually works well enough to watch deer in that price range? Distance would probably be under 50 yards. They come up pretty close to the house. They can hear them moving in the tall grass at night but can't see them. Longer distances would be better, of course. They have a large empty field behind the house with max distance being 200-300 yards away, but he'd need magnification to watch deer at that distance.

Something like these maybe?

https://www.amazon.com/Hiacinto-Starlight-Infrared-Binoculars-Rechargeable/dp/B0CMZWXDJC

From one of the reviewers:

[FrankD]

for a couple hundred bucks you aren't going to get any sort of  handheld NV that is worth it.  I would actually look into an outdoor security cam with "Night Vision" that you could monitor on a phone.  I have a Wyze outdoor cam and it does pretty good at night in the woods, only caveat would be is that the camera needs WiFi so that's a must have

[Rockmup]

If they'd be happy with thermal then these are not bad and almost in your price range. I've had lots of Flir equipment. Not a single complaint

 

https://www.flir.com/products/scout-tkx/?srsltid=AfmBOoop5JKIWiC7YrIljhMPqWRB9uAwE0ly6THgdAhnbi-7-sjGIC--MWo