Weight
How heavy the device is. Check whether the maker weighed it with or without the battery, because brands do it differently.
What it means
Weight is the maker’s figure, which we show in ounces. Most thermal monoculars on this site weigh about 10 to 20 ounces. Thermal scopes mostly run from about 18 ounces to 2.5 pounds, and binoculars about 1.6 to 2.3 pounds. Some makers weigh the unit with its battery and some without, which can be a difference of a few ounces.
What it changes in the field
Handhelds. A scanner rides around your neck or in a chest pouch all night and comes up to the eye dozens of times on every stand. A few ounces matter more than you’d expect, and a light unit is steadier when you hold it out at arm’s length.
Scopes. Weight on the rifle changes balance, especially with a big objective sitting forward. Hunters who carry rifles across sections of pasture or stand for long periods notice it. Clip-on units add weight to the front of a day scope that is already there.
Weight also tends to come with reach: bigger lenses and bigger batteries are heavier.
What to look for
- Compare like with like: battery in or battery out.
- Add the mount, external battery pack and any lens accessories. A setup’s real weight is often well above the scope’s.
- For a handheld, weigh how often you will lift it against how much detail a bigger, heavier unit adds.
How we use it on this site
We show the maker’s weight, flagged “no battery” when the maker weighed it without one. Lighter scores better in the table, but check the flag before deciding on a close call.