Rigel 3200 Pro NVG

Rigel 3200 Pro NVG

Postby Nocte » Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:59 pm

Publish Date: March 27, 2008
Provided by: Rigel Optics

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Every now and again, the serious airsofter decides to take the plunge on a single piece of gear that is equal parts status symbol and major tactical advantage. This often leads to the player with an NOD (nighttime optical display) setup, and the ability to turn the tide of an entire firefight. Whether he opts for the monocular style or the binocular style (aka NVG) display, the player operating behind this piece of equipment has the ability to identify and engage targets in little to no ambient light, without compromising his position with a tac-light. The Rigel 3200 Pro certainly provides this advantage to the user, and it oozes "cool."

My first impressions were that the unit felt comfortable in my hands. When using as (non-magnifying) binocular, buttons are well placed and easy to find without looking. The power and IR illuminator buttons are directly under my index and middle fingers when holding it, but not so easy to push as to activate the IR or power off the unit accidentally. The flat black finish is non reflective and does not scratch easily; I even rubbed it with the edge of a quarter to test the finish with no visible effect. Overall, it's a very sturdy NVG.

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An AEG spur gear is shown for scale reference


The Rigel 3200 Pro is a Gen I Night Vision Goggle (NVG), which means it cannot be used in bright/normal light settings without catastrophic damage to the unit, although there is a sensor to detect quick flashes and adjust display accordingly. This is not to be relied heavily upon, however, as slight damage to the tubes can still occur, and as a result, dark spots can accumulate on the display over time.

The manual states that the maximum viewing distance is 200 meters, when viewing large objects (i.e. a moose) with ¼ moonlight or an equivalent ambient light source. In total darkness, with the IR illuminator on, the maximum range falls to about 100-140 yards. I could see raccoons scavenging around my garbage dumpster from my balcony about 75 yards away with as much clarity and detail as I could during daylight, discounting the obvious monochromatic green display that's standard with NVG units. People further away were also very distinguishable - I was able to positively identify a friend from 100+ yards at an elevated position, under a full moon, with the IR illuminator engaged. Granted, I only knew it was him because of the hat he always wears, but at 100+ yards I was able to identify this hat easily.

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User is able to distinguish attacker in near darkness and respond appropriately (I shot him).


Depth perception is near that of the naked eye, however the obvious disadvantage of losing peripheral vision as a result of using a binocular is present - although this will be the case with any NVG. The viewable angle of sight is 40 degrees. Peripheral vision with the naked eye extends to about 60 degrees (without moving your eyes), so you're losing ~10 degrees of peripheral vision on each side.

Focusing rings are set for incoming light into the NOD tubes, and also for light exiting the tubes going to the eyes, so that each eye has two focus adjustments. Focus can be set to objects as close as 10 inches from the NVG. I could clearly read my drivers license and credit card numbers with the NVG on.

The Rigel 3200 Pro has a built-in infared (IR) illuminator. IR light is not visible to the naked eye, but instead acts as an "invisible flashlight" to the NVG unit. The IR illuminator on the 3200 is has a focus ring on it, similar to a flashlight, so that the IR beam can be widened or narrowed to varying intensities. Once the IR illuminator is turned on, it's difficult to want to turn off. While the tubes alone will magnify trace amounts of light in, it's still a bit hard to see in very dark conditions with it off.

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From left to right: Naked Eye, NVG on without IR illumination, NVG with IR illumination


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The biggest downfall of the Rigel 3200 Pro is that the IR illuminator broadcasts a red LED light in the forward direction of the headset, compromising the wearer's location in dark/dim areas. Especially in a dark scenario, a glowing red light is sure to compromise your stealth when the IR illuminator is turned on.

The Rigel 3200 Pro runs off two N batteries, which only cost about $3 each. Battery life is very impressive considering the small power supply of such small batteries; the 3200 will run for 24 hours of continuous use, although with the IR illuminator engaged, that is shorted to 12 hours. One pair of batteries will easily last through two full airsoft events.

Included Accessories

Head Gear:
The Rigel 3200 Pro ships with a mount to secure the NVG to the head so the user can operate the NVG hands-free. It consists of a sturdy, well-padded, plastic ring supported to the head by smooth, adjustable, nylon straps and a rubber cup for the chin. The mount holds the NVG securely in place with no wobble. At no point did I feel that it would drop or come loose while wearing it on the head mount. The mounting hardware can also swivel to an upright position if the user needs unassisted vision for a short time, and can easily flip back down to the usable position.

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Overall, the mount is a good design and very comfortable, but there are a few drawbacks. It's difficult to get a good eye seal using head mount; the unit doesn't seem to slide far enough back on the mount to make contact with the face. When I was able to get a good seal with the face, the unit sat at too low of an angle to my face such that I couldn't effectively use it. Regardless of how I wore it, I was completely unable to sight my weapon (a P90-TR with an Aimpoint) with the NVG on, although a weapon-mounted IR laser would have made this a trivial flaw. Your mileage may vary depending on face size - my head is a bit on the narrow side. The NVG unit is a bit heavy (~1.17 pounds) when wearing it on the head mount, and is awkward to wear for extended periods of time. Also, wearing a head cover with the mount is a challenge. The mount has a thick pad on the forehead for comfort and the mounting hardware itself sits where the brim of a hat or helmet would be, such that properly wearing either is nearly impossible. A beanie, however, can mostly conform to the shape and size of the mount for adequate head cover.

Carrying Case:
This is a basic, zippered bag large enough to store the head mount and the NVG unit, plus an extra accessory pouch and an adjustable carrying strap.

The only other point of interest is that the focus rings tend to get tweaked after storing in case, resulting in the need to refocus all 4 focus rings before use after storing in the case. I don't know that I'd want the focus rings on the NVG to be tightened down to avoid this, though, as they move very smoothly and refocusing is quick and easy.

My overall opinion of the Rigel 3200 Pro is that it is an adequate NVG for the purposes of watching things happen in the dark if in a situation where compromising your own position isn't an issue. That red LED is too serious of a disadvantage for actual gameplay in an airsoft environment, so I can't recommend it for that, but as an administrative tool to for game promoters to regulate their games in the dark, there is a real value. As of this writing, the Rigel 3200 Pro has a sale price of $689 (regularly $749).
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