Opinions or experience with Swarovski thermal clip-ons? (tM 35+ vs. tM 35.2)

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

The European thermals suck. It is an optical arms race the Chinese are kicking their ass on.

Here in Europe the Geman optics companies can't adapt quick enough. The Chinese ones are years ahead. If you don't believe me, fly over here and go to Frankonia and try them all. Ideally Wurzburg, as that is the biggest shop with the most thermals.

I wanted the Zeiss mid-grade model at $1800. I spent 3 hours using everything my dealer had in stock and I left the store with a $2800 HK Micro model for $1600 as it was a demo.

The demand here is huge, as most European nations have allowed them for hunting during the day time. And for hunting pigs and night. So everyone is using them all the time. I used mine to find a fox I would have never have seen a few weeks ago, who took a nap 250 yards from me on a hillside. I would have never found him.

Personally, I wouldn't go as far as saying that the European Thermals suck. I simply have not used them enough to be able to form that blanket opinion, but I can say that my HK Micro blows my Pulsar out of the water.

 

[Muskox]

I am leaving Germany next year. I will pick up whatever the most current version of the clip on and binoculars is.

I like my hand held a lot, way more than I liked the HK Micro binoculars of current manufacture. They are really cool, but they are twitchy.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I am leaving Germany next year. I will pick up whatever the most current version of the clip on and binoculars is.

I like my hand held a lot, way more than I liked the HK Micro binoculars of current manufacture. They are really cool, but they are twitchy.

I have the clip on that doubles as a handheld. Have not worked with the binoculars.

 

[Muskox]

I have the HK Micro hand held. I need a clip on version.

 

[Red Leg]

The European thermals suck. It is an optical arms race the Chinese are kicking their ass on.

Here in Europe the Geman optics companies can't adapt quick enough. The Chinese ones are years ahead. If you don't believe me, fly over here and go to Frankonia and try them all. Ideally Wurzburg, as that is the biggest shop with the most thermals.

I wanted the Zeiss mid-grade model at $1800. I spent 3 hours using everything my dealer had in stock and I left the store with a $2800 HK Micro model for $1600 as it was a demo.

The demand here is huge, as most European nations have allowed them for hunting during the day time. And for hunting pigs and night. So everyone is using them all the time. I used mine to find a fox I would have never have seen a few weeks ago, who took a nap 250 yards from me on a hillside. I would have never found him.

As I stated earlier, I own and use a Leica Calanox clip on. It is superb. You might try a step up in quality before deciding all European thermals suck. I am unaware of a truly advanced Chinese option of equal quality.

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

I haven't used a clip on but using QD mounts we put Pulsar's on our rifles for night and switch to regular optics for daytime use. Maybe more expensive but seamless in use.

I would add while i don't prefer using the thermal in the day, it works just fine. Even in central Texas the heat signatures are significant in 110 degree heat.

 

[Muskox]

As I stated earlier, I own and use a Leica Calanox clip on. It is superb. You might try a step up in quality before deciding all European thermals suck. I am unaware of a truly advanced Chinese option of equal quality.

I am going to own it, I don't agree. I have used a lot of the European and Chinese models that Frankonia carries up to $3500. Spent days outside behind Zeiss, Leimke, InfiniRay and HK Micro.

Up to $3000, would not consider a European company.

$3000 and up to $5000 the European models will be woven into the better tiers, but not the best.

$5000 and up. There are damn few Asian ones in this price point. The top Zeiss, Swarovski, Leica and Leimeke/Blasers are in this price point.

All of them have the same Schott or Funjinon glass and features once you et to a certain price point.

Most of the European models are either wholly made in Asia, or mostly built in Asia and final finished in their European factories.

The Asian models are being updated multiple times a year. No European company is doing that.

I bought a HK Micro 35 series last year, for what the new 50 is upgraded to. My dealer told me that he doesn't know if he is going to get the Falcon 50's he ordered as they have updated them again and they are telling him he is going to get the more recent model as they figured out new tech and updated the manufacturing process again.

Every time I go into a gun shop in Germany they are all saying the same thing. The Chinese are winning the Thermal optics race.

My 35 is 18 months newer than my PH's 35 and has totally different letter series behind it. What a difference 18 months makes.

The clip ons are funny. I was on a hunting party about 15 years ago where one of my hunting friends shot a bovine heifer calf on a spotlight hunt. I am deathly afraid of shooting something and not seeing it 100%.

I really like night vision vice thermal on the rifle. Or at least I do right now.

Going to Slovenia next weekend. I am going again this fall. I am going to visit Optics Trade and see what they have and how they feel about it. They have thermal rifle scopes, hand held and binoculars. We are not allowed thermal rifle scopes in Germany. So I have not touched one.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

As I stated earlier, I own and use a Leica Calanox clip on. It is superb. You might try a step up in quality before deciding all European thermals suck. I am unaware of a truly advanced Chinese option of equal quality.

My Hk Micro is the dual version that clips on and can be used as a hand held. Its as simple as changing the setting from Handheld to Clip On version, but, you need to confirm zero to ensure that your scope crosshairs are aligned.
In handheld mode, I can pick up an animal at a mile.

 

[Red Leg]

I use the Leica primarily with a .308 AR equipped with a Leica ERi 2.5x10. It shoots to the same point of impact as the scope alone in daylight. When calling at night for bobcats or grey fox, I simply slide it onto a Hornet equipped with the same model scope. Works great.

 

[Canyonet]

I’ve used both and found the TM 35-2 has faster startup and better contrast in rain or fog. Battery life feels longer too, though the difference isn’t huge in real-world use.

I had a similar debate last fall and ended up testing a few options out in the field. What I noticed was how important image processing and refresh rate felt during quick scans or tracking. A buddy of mine uses Pixfra and swears by it for short-range thermal work, especially in tight bush. It might not be for everyone, but I was surprised how clear it was for the price.