Night Vision Housings Explained: Choosing the Right Setup for Your Needs

Why Night Vision Matters

Night vision is one of the greatest force multipliers available to modern shooters, hunters, and prepared citizens. Whether you’re running a PVS14 monocular or a dual tube housing, night vision gives you capabilities in the dark that feel almost like a superpower.

If you’re new to night vision or considering an upgrade, the choices can be overwhelming. Should you buy a monocular housing like the PVS14? Is it worth investing in dual tubes? Do you need manual gain, or will automatic brightness control be enough?

In this guide, we’ll break down the most common night vision housings, compare their features, and highlight what really matters when you’re deciding where to spend your money.

 

The PVS14: A Proven Workhorse

The PVS14 has been around for decades. It’s a monocular housing, so you run a single tube over one eye.

What makes the PVS14 appealing is its price point and reliability. It is lighter, less expensive than dual tubes, and still completely capable for navigation, shooting, or hunting at night. Most PVS14 units run on AA batteries, but newer versions accept CR123A batteries, which many shooters already carry for lights and lasers.

While dual tubes provide better depth perception, the PVS14 is still a highly effective entry point into night vision and continues to be widely used by professionals and hunters alike.

And don’t forget to protect your investment. The NightVisionCap adds either a built-in kill flash / ARD or a removable sacrificial lens, making it perfect for real-world use and force-on-force training like airsoft or sims.

Thermal and Night Vision Together

A major trend in the community is bridging thermal monoculars with night vision housings. Predator hunters, hog hunters, and military units are combining setups like a PVS14 with an RH25 or Skeet IR.

The reason is simple. Thermal detects heat signatures instantly, something night vision alone struggles with. Night vision is excellent for navigation, but spotting movement in the dark is far easier with thermal. By bridging the two, you gain the strengths of both technologies.

The war in Ukraine has shown how critical thermal is for detection, and hunters here in the States are discovering the same thing. If you want early detection, pairing thermal with night vision is a game changer. The iRay RH25 Multi-Use Thermal Device is one of the best examples, giving you versatile detection capabilities on your helmet or weapon.

Dual Tube Night Vision

Dual tubes provide a more natural and immersive experience. They improve depth perception and make extended use far more comfortable.

Here are some of the dual tube housings we carry:

• ActinBlack DTNVS — extremely lightweight and now available with manual gain.
  
  

• AB RNVG-A — rugged, fixed bridge durability with articulating shutoff.
  
  

• Steel Nighthawk — full metal articulating housing with manual gain and tool-less IPD stops.
  
  

• Nocturn Katana — one of the lightest dual tube housings available.
  
  

• Nocturn Manticore-R — innovative digital controls with manual gain.

Manual Gain vs Automatic Brightness Control

Manual gain allows you to fine tune brightness for your environment. This can be invaluable when moving from deep darkness to urban areas with streetlights or moonlight. Automatic brightness control, on the other hand, handles adjustments for you.

If you prefer simplicity and speed, ABC may be the better choice. If you want more control and image refinement, manual gain is worth it.

Fixed Bridge or Articulating Housings

Fixed bridge housings are strong and often less expensive, but they force you to raise the entire system when you want it out of the way. They also don’t lay flat against the front of your helmet when they’re stowed, which causes them to become a frequent snag hazard. Most people that have used them can attest to this. 

Articulating housings are the cream of the crop. They let you swing one or both pods out of the way, giving you the ability to keep one eye natural and one eye under night vision. They also make getting in and out of vehicles easier because they don’t protrude off the front of your helmet like a dang rhinoceros horn. For most people, articulation is worth the added cost.

What to Consider When Buying Night Vision

• Power source: CR123A batteries integrate well with other gear, but AA batteries are easier to find.
  
  

• Weight: Every ounce matters when it’s on your helmet.
  
  

• Durability: Metal housings are generally regarded as tougher, but polymer housings are lighter.
  
  

• Price: PVS14s are the most affordable, while dual tubes add capability at a higher cost.
  
  

• Future plans: Will you bridge thermal later? Will you want to upgrade to duals?
  
  

To run night vision effectively, you’ll also need reliable mounting and helmet solutions. The Team Wendy EXFIL Rail 3.0 Ballistic Helmet paired with the Wilcox L4 G24 Mount is a proven setup used by professionals around the world. There are some cool new mount options that are coming out in the near future, but for now the G24 is still considered the gold standard of mounts.

For shooting under night vision, IR laser aiming modules (LAMs) are essential. After extensive testing, we narrowed the field to the three best options currently available. The B.E. Meyers MAWL-C1 came out on top for overall performance and capability. In second place was the Wilcox RAID XE, an excellent unit with strong features and reliability. Rounding out the list is the Holosun IRIS GR3. While it isn’t as feature-rich as the MAWL or RAID XE, at roughly one-sixth the price of the MAWL it delivers impressive value, making it a compelling choice for shooters on a budget.

If you’re just getting into night vision, pairing an IRIS GR3 with a Team Wendy EXFIL LTP Bump Helmet is one of the most cost-effective ways to start building your setup.

For a full breakdown of how each laser performed, including side-by-side comparisons, watch our IR Laser Comparison Video on YouTube.

Final Thoughts

If you're still deciding between a PVS14 and the various dual tube housings, you can check out our Night Vision Housings Guide on YouTube, where we walk through the strengths, weaknesses, and real-world use cases of the most popular housings.

Night vision is expensive, but it is also one of the most valuable tools you can own. Whether you start with a PVS14, bridge it with thermal, or invest in a dual tube setup, the key is to actually use it. Take your gear out on night hikes, coyote hunts, or stargazing trips. The more familiar you are with your equipment, the more effective it becomes.

At One Hundred Concepts, we’ve selected housings and accessories that balance durability, performance, and value. From proven PVS14 monoculars to advanced dual tubes like the DTNVS and Manticore-R, we have options for every shooter.

Explore our full lineup of night vision housings, caps, and accessories today — and make the dark your advantage.