SPOTLIGHT ON...
NIGHTVISION
Night Vision Survey Results
IS NV EQUIPMENT
PERMITTED FOR
CIVILIANS TO USE
IN YOUR COUNTRY?
OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS…
TOP-SELLING BRANDS
(ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
www.guntradeworld.com
American Technologies Network
Bering Optics
Bushnell
Leica
NiteSite
Pulsar
Sighmark
Yukon
Zeiss
27
PRIMARY PURPOSE
FOR PURCHASE
MOST POPULAR TYPE
OF NV EQUIPMENT
■ Monocular 15%
■ Scope Adapter/NV Converter 23%
■ Rifl e Scope 62%
SALES OF GEN 1, 2, 3 TYPE
NV EQUIPMENT ARE:
■ Up 46%
■ Same 23%
■ Down 31%
IS HUNTING
WITH NV
EQUIPMENT
ALLOWED?
■ Yes 85%
■ No 15%
■ Yes 85%
■ No 15%
IS A SPECIAL
PERMIT/LICENCE
REQUIRED TO
USE NV?
■ Yes 15%
■ No 85%
PRIORITIES IN
MAKING AN NV
PURCHASE
■ Build quality 7%
■ Brand/Make 12%
■ Price 35%
■ Performance 46%
SALES OF DIGITAL TYPE
NV EQUIPMENT ARE:
■ Up 85%
■ Same 15%
POPULAR TYPES
Night vision equipment can generally be split into
three broad categories. Hand-held observation
devices, rifl escopes and multi-purpose/frontattachment
products. For the hunting market,
monocular handheld observation devices are popular.
Growing in popularity fast however are rifl escope
attachments and multi-purpose devices. Th anks to
these attachments, you can turn a daylight scope
into a night vision device in no time. Multi-purpose
devices have the added benefi t of a detachable
eyepiece. Th ese devices can be used both for handheld
observation with the ocular as well as doubling
as rifl escope attachments without the ocular.
Increasing technological improvements fuelled by
greater demand has turned this into a strong sector
for the key brands.
According to the retailers in our survey, most
popular types of night vision gear are rifl escopes,
followed by scope attachment devices and
monoculars. Night shooting is still the primary
reason (70 per cent) to get in to night vision while
night observation of game and security/surveillance
together take about 15 per cent of the market each.
LEGAL ISSUES
Few things are more diff erent the world over than
local laws concerning night vision devices. In some
countries they are banned altogether while in
others you can own and use handheld devices for
observation but multi-purpose devices or rifl escopes
are banned. In others still everything is allowed,
including front attachments, except rifl escopes. Or
every type is allowed but you can not use night vision
for hunting unless you have a special permit… As a
distributor or retailer, please take into account your
local laws regarding night vision as these can vary
widely from one country to the other.
OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
As consumers are getting more and more
accustomed with night vision, time is ripe for them
to start buying dedicated gear for their specifi c
purposes instead of just ‘some’ night vision device. A
hunter who will use his device from a high seat or
tree stand and has a limited range of maximum 100
metres, does not really needs night vision kit that
has a range of over a kilometre. As a retailer, fi nd
out what your customers want to do with their gear
and advise them accordingly. Regardless of technical
aspects though, it is very interesting to conclude the
retailers in our survey claim their customers prioritise
on performance when buying a night vision device.
Price comes in second, well before brand/make.
As retailers in the gun trade, ignoring night vision
puts you at the peril of being overtaken by someone
else. Customer demand is clearly there. Without
doubt this is a thriving new industry off ering lots of
opportunities for those willing to dig in. GTW
■ NV scope for shooting at night 70%
■ Observing game positions, movement and numbers
for census/culling 15%
■ Spott ing target species when hunting at night 15%
/www.guntradeworld.com