Night Vision Devices -- The Ultimate in BackCountry Toys
By: Chuck Fitzgerald

Many nights in the backcountry are far from dark. A bright moon and a sky full of stars can throw off enough light to allow for reading a book, but add cloud cover, mountains or trees and it gets dark awfully fast. When you need to see in the dark, you have two choices - you either turn on a light, or use one of the many available night vision devices (NVD). The NVD could be the ultimate backcountry toy.
Like choosing many other types of technology, choosing the correct NVD is all about how you are going to use it. When most people think of night vision capabilities, they think about spy movies, the military or law enforcement - applications where it is vital for the good guys to see without being seen by the bad guys. A drop in pricing over the past few years has made a NVD affordable for campers, hunters, hikers and a wide variety of other outdoor enthusiasts. However, high-end devices used for specialized purposes remain quite expensive.
There are two broad categories of NVD. Image Enhancement devices collect small amounts of light and amplify them to the point where the human eye can observe the object. Thermal Imaging devices capture the high end of the infrared light spectrum which is emitted as heat by objects. Image Enhancement devices will provide a much crisper image with detail while Thermal Imaging devices show regions of heat. Currently, five Generations of NVD exist. Generations 0 and 1 are less expensive and typically produce a poor image quality. Generations 2, 3 and 4 have increasingly better image quality and an equally increasing price to match.
Applications for NVD are actually quite diverse. They include but are not limited to: military, law enforcement, hunting, wildlife observation, surveillance, security, navigation, hidden-object detection, spelunking and entertainment. NVD can be found on helicopters, rifles, camcorders, cameras, boats?.just about anywhere. A new craze found at up-scale gatherings is called ?A Dinner in the Dark Party? where guests wear an NVD throughout their dining experience.
Many outdoor enthusiasts are beginning to discover the wonderful world that can be found after darkness falls in the backcountry. If you like to camp, hike or hunt, chances are good an NVD will be perfect for you. Use this information and you?ll Get It Right The First Time. Get Outdoors!

About Author
Chuck Fitzgerald is Owner and President of Arizona based BackCountry Toys, an online store providing backcountry specialty gear and educational information for outdoor enthusiasts. Visit www.BackCountryToys.com to receive the free newsletter "FreshAir? or call (800) 316-9055.
chuck@backcountrytoys.com

More Hunting and Outdoor Articles>>>

Elk Hunting Tips and Articles Considering elk hunting? We have put together a great collection of articles and tips. Many by guide and outdoor writer T.R. Michels. Learn about, The elk rut, understanding elk, elk activity and calling. This comprehensive reading is sure to put the odds in your favor. Turkey Hunting Tips and Articles Before going turkey hunting this spring, catch up on all the basic and complex turkey information you need to get that big tom in close. Hunting, Fishing, Outfitters and Lodges Looking for an outfitter, the hunt of a lifetime or a family outdoor vacation? Here you can find just what you are looking for. Send for your free brochure today.	Hunting Articles Improving Your Hunting Property Sound Management or Management Blunder Spring Scouting for Whitetail deer Get Your Buck Into Bow Range With Decoys How To Tune For Broadheads Influences On Whitetail Deer Activity More Articles>>>
Tell A Friend Friends Email:	Latest Hunting and Shooting News Catch the latest news and updates related to hunting and shooting. No matter if your into all out waterfowl hunting or just want to know a littler more on duck calling, we have some good reading right here!
Trophy Gallery Share your Photos Manage Your Own Photo Album Duck Identifacation: Detailed descriptions and photos to help you better identify waterfowl while hunting in the field.