Bering Optics Hogster-r throw lever

cajun bob

LSB Member
What's your verdict on the Hogster? Someone on another forum was asking for suggestions on a thermal scope in the $2500 range. I thought of the Hogster but haven't heard much about reliability or customer service. What say you?
 

Rookie

LSB Member
I've been amazed with it. My primary thermal is an IR Hunter. While it's not as good as the Trijicon, the Hogster can hold it's own. I think the contrast is better than Trijicon. Bering Optics has a four year warranty. I haven't heard any complaints about them.
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
I've been amazed with it. My primary thermal is an IR Hunter. While it's not as good as the Trijicon, the Hogster can hold it's own. I think the contrast is better than Trijicon. Bering Optics has a four year warranty. I haven't heard any complaints about them.

Truthfully, you haven't heard any complaints about them because there are so few units out there. In other words, it is a sampling issue. Bering Optics is new to thermal, though in business selling budget night vision for more than a decade, I believe. The Hogster seems to still be developing. After my video on why auto nuc is bad, Bering Optics made a change to the scope to allow for semi-auto nucing, so that the user commands when the nuc occurrs.

What's your verdict on the Hogster? Someone on another forum was asking for suggestions on a thermal scope in the $2500 range. I thought of the Hogster but haven't heard much about reliability or customer service. What say you?

Clarity is close but below that of a Pulsar Trail XQ38. When you zoom the Hogster, it tends to have a much more pixelated image than the Pulsar. Thermal sensitivity does appear to be better, what Rookie referred to as 'contast.' You tend to get better imagery on the background standing out. Pulsar has upped their game with the '2' series, but they are more expensive. The problem I experienced with the Hogster is that sometimes, the background stands out too much and your target and the background blend. You can't fine tune it very much because of the limited number of setting possible on the Hogster. The limited number of settings is both a positive and a negative. The limited choices are pretty good options, but are a limited number of options.

With that said, in some environmental conditions, the image can be really pretty good, but not always.

Pic N Pic runs 1-2 frames slower than the image you see on the screen, in other words, you have lag between the images.

The Hogster R really is best used in its native magnification. Zooming 4 times renders a pretty bad image. That isn't uncommon on thermals, but the Hogster's is notably bad.

If you spring for the the super duper RTZ mount, it seems to be a worthwhile investment. My hunting partner did and moved the unit between rifles and it seems to RTZ very well. He was able to do this because the Hogster R allows for multiple rifle profiles.

Most changes to the image need to go through the menu process, including zoom, IIRC. That is a bit cumbersome. I found running Pic N Pic helpful for alleviating that issue for zoom.

One of the cool things about the Hogster R is that as an entry level thermal, it does have the ability to focus. I didn't find adjusting focus to be a significant issue, with or without gloves. Honestly, I think I would just use a little friction tape if the issue bothered me. Throw levers are nice, but can be snag issues.

The Hogster-R is a nifty lightweight and small size.

It is a reasonably priced and functional thermal. I don't know that anyone knows how well they will or will not hold up or how their service will be on thermal near the end of the warranty period. We know that ATN has issues with CS and with know that Pulsar has great CS through the warranty period.

I expect to see the quality and features of Bering Optics thermal scopes to improve as they mature in the thermal portion of the industry.
 

cajun bob

LSB Member
Thanks Brian,

I have a neighbor that's looking at getting into thermal especially since the hog population on his deer lease is growing by the year. He likes my Pulsar XQ50 Trail but the price point is a little out of his range. I'll have him read your thoughts on the scope. And it may be had for cheaper than list price as I see some sites have a "make offer" option.
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Bob,
It won't be as refined as yours, but like you said, $$. It will be functional. I considered picking one up as a spare/guest scope, but then the Covid-19 crap hit and finances changed.

There is a lot to be said for the simplicity of choices for the settings, particularly for a newbie.

B.
 
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