Can you has nite vision?

Yes, we can now see in the dark, at least after a fashion.

The Bushnell Night Watch is a Gen I unit in terms of performance. However, unlike the old Vietnam-era “starlight scopes”, it’s in a handy, compact package and has a handy, compact price. (I paid about $175 including shipping for mine, as always, Google (Products) is your friend.)

There are a number of folks out there who will tell you that if it isn’t a Gen III it’s a worthless piece of crap and you’re wasting your money. These generally tend to be the same folks who tell you if it isn’t a Wilson Combat, or you haven’t moved into the far west a tank of gas from the nearest Walmart or whatever, YOU’RE GONNA DIE WHEN TSHTF!!!

Sorry, not buying it. Yes, I live too near a Walmart. I don’t own a Wilson Combat 1911. And I don’t own a Gen III night vision optic. Maybe if things go all Mad Max on us, I’ll only make it 5 minutes longer than the next guy. Maybe not.

I do know that I’m better set than any of my neighbors to be able to hole up and wait out a bad situation. I know I’m far better equipped to do without grid power, grid water or grid sewer. This is because, in part, I don’t spend $3500 on a AN/PVS-7 when the $175 less capable version will do what I really need it to do. I’d rather have my cheap night vision, 5 ARs and a dozen cases of .223 than an AN/PVS-22 and a Moisin with two boxes of ammo.

I don’t need night vision to plop down on the rail of an AR so I can go all high speed low drag in a TEOTWAWKI situation. I am not an operator, nor did I sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night. I am not going to be crashing the Spiky-Haired Mutant Cannibal Bikers Convention on The End + 4. I will not be going zombie hunting.

What I am going to be doing is quietly watching the area around my blacked out and deserted-looking house to see if that bump in the night is something I really need to worry about–or is is just Roddy Raccoon raiding the trash again.

There are some folks out there who do not prepare for bad times because they simply don’t have the money–or at least think they don’t. When faced with $1000 rifles, $300 cases of ammo and all the rest, they throw up their hands and resign themselves to dying because they think they can’t afford to live.

You don’t have to do that. Yes, it’s getting harder everyday as food and energy prices continue to skyrocket, but You. Do. Not. Have. To. Start small–a couple of cans of beans extra this week, 5 pounds of flour next week. A box or three of ammo when the tax refund shows up. A good LED flashlight instead of the lottery tickets for a month.

Or a $175 piece of night vision and money left over for other things, like more food. Remember, if you’re prepared at all you ahead of most people. Get ahead now.