I’ve spent a fair bit of time reading reviews, watching YouTube videos and going through articles trying to figure out what thermal monocular to buy. A mate of mine told me to give Ben from Hunt the Night a call, so I did. After explaining what I wanted out of a unit, he recommended the DNT Hound 635R Ballistic.
I took it out for a hunt last week to use during day light hours and the unit absolutely excelled. It does take a little getting used to, but once you figure it out, it’s a genuine game changer.
A few things I noticed: it won’t see through bush (no thermal will), but if you’ve got a clear view, you’ll see whatever is there. It was fairly hot where I was hunting, and once the air temp got above 20°C, things were harder to pick out. Below 20°C, anything that moves stands out clearly. One of the mornings was around 10°C and I was spotting animals at around 200 m. Closing in to about 150 m, I could clearly identify exactly what I was looking at.
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Pros
• Built tough: Hard-wearing unit. If you dropped it, it wouldn’t bother it.
• Lightweight: No heavier than a good rangefinder.
• Rangefinder works well: Just need a steady hand.
• White hot mode: Turns night into day.
• Iron hot at first light: My favourite mode at dawn.
• Zoom: Works well up to 3x.
• Buttons: Once you learn them, they’re sweet.
• Recording function: Excellent quality; really handy.
• App: Easy to use. You can download clips straight to your phone.
• Sound on recordings: Surprisingly good.
• Live view streaming: You can send a live feed to your phone or other platforms. My mate held it out the car window while driving and it worked well.
• Compact: Fits nicely in my pocket (Hunter Element hunting pants)
• Price: One of the cheapest 640-sensor thermal units on the market.
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Cons
• Battery life: One battery lasts about an hour. I grabbed two more from Jaycar for $19 each.
• Sleep mode heat: Gets hot in your pocket while asleep.
• Screen colour fade when hot: I noticed a bit of colour fade when the unit got warm (turning it off and back on fixed it).
• Learning curve: Took an hour or two to master the switch and settings. Once I actually read the manual, it all made sense — but you do need the instructions.
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Final Thoughts
With a 640 sensor and solid performance across all weather conditions, this unit is incredible value for money. It’s not going to make you shoot any straighter, but it will show you what’s out there and remind you to slow down and take your time.
If you’ve been thinking about getting a thermal monocular — just do it. You could be dead tomorrow.
Big thanks to Ben from Hunt the Night for pointing me in the right direction. Talking to him is like talking to an old mate.