Been using em all year, even started the ''airsoft sionyx user discussion group'' on fb and got lions and sionyx on board and chris from task force delta.
When you get into using the aurora you are wakling into a very different avenue though. It has pros that far exceeed nvgs and cons that could be a game changer in not getting em vs a pvs14 etc.... It's more about where you play and how well players are equipped and what works for you.
For example, if there is ambiant light near a town or there are a couple of lights in the area like a night time paintball field it's like looking through a normal camera in daytime it's really incredible but as soon as you get into really dark conditions, it gets realbad real fast.
If most people you know are running gen2+ and gen 3 you may want to reconsider and save your money. I've been drilling with both this and a gen2+ and my splits are like 40% faster just because the barely perceptable lag is not there.
Bear in mind, this is better than gen1+ etc... and pretty much all the digital scopes you can get on the market at that price point but it will still get barely beat by a gen2+ and get it's ass handed to you in good gen3 and up.
I've compared it to gen 3 also in case you are wondering. A cheap tube will be better like an omni3 etc... but it's not extreme compared to good ones.
If however you are using IR light this thing can be a monster. You get color night vision combined with GPS and a compass and 720p recording and pictures.
From what we've seen, we may get a free update soon that uses the gps function to basically have a hud that lets you see allies and objectives. I would be tempted to use that and a pvs running as binos, that would be a game changer as to getting the best of both worlds until we get something that is really worth while like 3x the sensativity of the actual unit would make this thing a real contender.
I'm still working on the 1050nm problem also, most nvg dont see past that but this could so if this manages to come to market that would be a real problem for nod users because while they have better sesativity to low-light, being able to run a 700lumens at 1050nm would make every dark spot a non issue for aurora users and nods would not be able to see that light. That is the theory but in practice what i've been able to find is leo/mil restricted so this could end up just being just a cool idea :/
I've navigated only using the compass in very dark woods with no moon and I could not see squat. You can check my vid on FAQMILSIM fb page here that shows you what that looks like.
https://www.facebook.com/FAQMilsim/v...5873598033696/
All this said, at the end of the day, it's still about the money or restrictions in certain countries.
This is a great alternative but it's like surfing a wave on something that was not initially planned. It works but it's not quite there yet, it still needs a small push for it to be a real contender.
Comes down to your means and the competition in your area. If a bunch of guys had the sports version with a cheap ir light they could have a lot of fun and record at the same time they are doing it.