Thermal Technology has advanced immensely in the last three years. More manufactures are becoming competitive. This is a great for consumers, technology is getting better and the prices are much lower. A great example of this is the new Pulsar product line.
The Workhorse
There is a good chance you have herd of the Apex XD series. These scopes were perfect for your average hunter/ landowner who wanted a scope that was easy to use and would hold up to everyday abuse. The good picture quality and low retail price was a huge plus. Other highlights are the PIP function, display off, and variable zoom that you could not find on other scopes. Pulsar decided to do a little better with their new scopes. You can read a more detailed article about the Apex XD series scopes here, https://jagerpro.com/pulsar-apex-xd50a/
New Apex XQ/ Apex LRF XQ
The new Pulsar XQ scopes will replace the XD’s. They look identical from the outside but it is what’s on the inside that counts. They are upgrading to a new 17-micron pixel core that will give you more definition and better picture on the new AMOLED display. These two upgrades with all the same features is going to make a great product. They also upgraded the water resistance rating on the XQ models to IPX7, which means you can submerse the scope in 3ft of water for up to 30 min. The real game changer in the Apex line is the integrated laser range finder for the LRF series. People have been asking for this feature for a long time and this by far the most affordable option. You will be able to range a target from 1yd – 1000yds. These will still be in the 384×288 resolution which is still plenty for the average hunter. The most surprising information about the upgrades is that the prices have gone down. You can get into the new Apex scopes starting at $2500.
Trail XQ and XP
The highly-anticipated Trail has arrived. This scope has an answer for every complaint customers have had over the years. Some pros of the Trail XP include the new 640×480 17 micron-pixel core. built-in video recorder that will take pictures or video. Built in Battery pack that will give you 8 hours of run time with the option to get a bigger IPS10 pack for longer run time. An upgraded picatinny mount that is easy to put on a gun without having to use a 14mm socket. You can also use the free Stream Vision app to receive real time video to your phone or tablet. After using the scope in the field, I found the scope to be very user friendly. Little things like the easy to use lens focusing ring on top allows you to focus the scope perfectly with ease. The definition is remarkable and a good example is when you look at the Woodline, with most thermals you can see the trees and some branches, but they kind of blend together. Below is a picture of a pig about 100 yards from the Woodline using the Trail XP38. The best way to describe the picture quality is, “Smooth”. All in all I am excited to put these scopes through some more testing and get you guys some side by side comparison videos.
