EMBRACING THE DARK SIDE

WE’RE HEADING ON INTO THE WINTER MONTHS HERE AT AAHQ AND THAT MEANS THAT FOR US THE DAYS ARE INCREASINGLY FORESHORTENED, AND EVEN A SIMPLE SKIRMISH DAY IS GOING TO END UP BEING PLAYED OUT AS DARKNESS FALLS… BUT DON’T DESPAIR IF YOUR AIRSOFT BUDGET DOESN’T STRETCH TO MIL-GRADE NV, AS NITESIGHTS MAY HAVE THE ANSWER EVEN FOR THOSE THAT ARE CASH-STRAPPED! BILL TELLS MORE…

Over the past few months you may have noticed that a new company, NITESIGHTS, have been running a pretty full-on social media marketing campaign to get news of their unique products out to us, the players, and I think you’ll definitely be needing some “eyesight assistance” if you haven’t seen it! Their tagline centres around a simple, cost-effective night vision device called the ELITE NVG, and the comment that caught my attention online was “Don’t let the absurd prices of military-grade NVGs hold you back. That’s why we made the UK’s BEST affordable night past the obvious spiel, delving a little bit deeper into what was actually on offer.

The ELITE appeared to be a lightweight and compact unit that weighed just 236g and was only 135mm long! This was indeed “compact”, and I further thought to myself “Well that’s not bad, that’s not going to add much to a helmet, and what IF it REALLY does let you play effectively in the dark?” then I started looking

Of course, that’s what we all want when it comes to night vision devices, isn’t it? A nice light and lodrag helmet-mounted unit that’s going to let us see in the dark just like those “Team 6 OPR8RS” that many love to emulate in-game. We want in this case not perhaps “the look” but “the performance”, the ability to carry our games beyond the daytime realm and into the shadows of the righteous!

I’ll state here that I haven’t personally owned any “NVGs” up to now as I just could not justify the cost! As much as they are definitely “cool guy kit” when I was at my most active as a player we played night games… in the dark! It was all about understanding how your eyes and other senses worked after dark and making the most of your fieldcraft and natural abilities. Over time though friends of mine, and indeed some of them among the AA Crew now, started running Gen I night vision devices at MilSim events; I tried them and made the decision that as largely an OpFor MilSimmer I wasn’t going to bother, I’d leave that kind of spend to the BluFor hard-chargers, and rely on what I had for so many years… my own eyes and ears.

Changing Times

Things have a habit of moving on though, and the “tech” that the guys were running when I played against them just got better and better. Not only did those “Gens” move forward and the devices themselves improved the vision you actually got from them in the dark, but I started seeing these being married up with thermal sighting options too… the dark just got a whole lot harder to skulk in, that’s for sure… but still, with friends spending at least late three figures (and even sometimes early FOUR figures!) in their quest for advantage I decided that this was not an arms-race I wanted, or had the ability to, invest in. I have at times used both NV and thermal technology in-game, when I’ve had a unit to test, or have hired some kit for a specific scenario.. I love “the look”, but I just haven’t got the cash to spare on top of all my other airsoft gear to invest… Plus, my wife would batter me if I did…

But back to NITESIGHTS!

After looking at the physical footprint of the unit, before I started getting all excited and diving into the “tech specs” of what it could do, I looked next at the price… and was genuinely shocked! For under UK£200 I could have not just the unit, but a FREE helmet and RHINO mount set to run it on! Yup, that’s right, although you CAN buy the ELITE unit as a standalone, you can also get the whole setup in one go… and it won’t break the bank like the “Mil” gear either!

Now I thought again “This is too good to be true!”, so I spoke to a couple of guys in the AA Crew, and immediately our “man downunder”, Iggy, told me that he’d already been using the ELITE, and that although he hadn’t yet given it thorough and full testing, he was impressed. This was an evaluation that I was willing to happily accept… Iggy has used the “real deal in real settings”, so if he said it was good, he knew what he was talking about.

Also, online I saw the “laughing emojis” that greeted the early announcements of the ELITE turn slowly but surely into “smiling, cool, and thumbs-up emojis” as new users took the plunge and got their own units… and genuinely loved them! At this point I reached out to Leon at NITESIGHTS, and he and I have been speaking regualraly ever since, especially when I received my own unit to test!

I asked Leon what his motivation for initiating this project was, and he kindly shared with me that...

“My initial goal was to create an affordable night vision solution for NERF wars, knowing that most players wouldn’t want to spend a lot on equipment for casual, night-time games. As I explored further, I realised that airsoft players in the UK were facing a similar challenge; there weren’t many budget-friendly options for quality gear.

“In the USA, players can justify investing heavily in advanced night vision systems, such as analogue Gen 3, because they use them for more serious purposes like home defence. However, the culture in the UK is different. British players tend to take a more relaxed approach, especially since we don’t use real guns here, and we understand that it’s all just part of the game. That makes using IR technology more acceptable and manageable. Recognising this, I designed my own product to meet the needs of UK players, providing quality night vision at a price that makes sense for both NERF and airsoft enthusiasts.

“Since I’m based in the UK, I’m passionate about offering the best service possible, including

“SINCE I’M BASED IN THE UK, I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT OFFERING THE BEST SERVICE POSSIBLE, INCLUDING A 12-MONTH WARRANTY TO ENSURE OUR CUSTOMERS FEEL SUPPORTED AND CONFIDENT IN THEIR PURCHASE. BEING ABLE TO INTERACT WITH PLAYERS BOTH LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS WHAT DRIVES ME TO CONSTANTLY IMPROVE THE PRODUCT AND OFFER EVEN BETTER SERVICE.”

Being able to interact with players both locally and across the country is what drives me to constantly improve the product and offer even better service.”

Getting Work Done

So far, so darn cool… the potentially right kit created for the best of reasons! But putting my rather tinfoil “tech hat” on, what does the NITESIGHTS ELITE actually offer, how will it enable you to “get work done”?

Well, for one, you CAN see in the dark in clear black and white! I say that somewhat flippantly, but the fact is that the ELITE unit will let you see pretty darn well in the darkness, out to a maximum of 100m, and at this distance the image is actually clear. Where it comes into its own, though, is at the engagement distances we’d mostly find in a night game, say 30-50m, and then it’s actually VERY clear and sharp indeed. But what gives it the “Oomph!” to do this? I asked Leon, and again he told me:

“The ELITE is built to provide airsoft players with exceptional low-light visibility at an accessible price point. Designed as a great starter package, the ELITE is ideal for players looking for a balance of affordability, performance, and practicality.

“Unlike cheap, plastic night vision options that suffer from poor quality and frustrating lag, they deliver a superior experience in build quality, performance, and reliability. They offer an affordable alternative for those who may find Gen 2 or 3 NVGs out of reach, providing the confidence to enjoy casual games without fear of breaking expensive equipment.”

To do this the ELITE benefits from:

• Wide Angle 1x Lens – The ELITE uses a 1x wideangle lens for clear, distortion-free visibility. Unlike many cheap plastic night vision devices that often come with overzoomed (3x7x) lenses, the 1x lens provides a practical, wide view that’s perfect for close-quarters battles (CQB), offering a wide field of view and maintaining full situational awareness, which is ideal for both beginner and experienced players. Older players will appreciate the ease of use and reduced strain during extended play.

• 940nm Low-Emission IR Light with Adjustable Focus – The ELITE is equipped with a 940nm infrared light that’s invisible to the naked eye, with adjustable focus. The invisible IR light ensures stealth, crucial for tactical night operations. Adjustable focus makes it easier to switch between different distances, adapting to any airsoft scenario.

• Virtually No Display Lag (0.01ms Latency) – The ELITE features a 60Hz refresh rate and minimal display delay. Unlike cheaper alternatives that often suffer from frustrating lag and poor refresh rates, these goggles provide a smooth, real-time feed without lag, helping players react quickly without the discomfort that often comes with delayed visuals. This is particularly valuable during high-intensity scenarios.

• Durable and Lightweight Design – The ELITE is made with a 2mm thick metal exterior for enhanced durability, combined with rubber elements, while weighing only 236g. Many entry-level night vision devices are made of low-quality plastic that easily breaks, but the ELITE unit is built to withstand the rigours of gameplay. The lightweight design reduces fatigue, making extended play more comfortable and providing reliability and confidence for older players who seek dependable gear.

• Rechargeable Battery with USB-C Charging –The ELITE has a battery life of up to 2 hours per charge, with USB-C compatibility for ingame charging; you can use a power bank 9even helmet mounted!) if needed to extend game time, providing convenience and fewer interruptions, which will be appreciated by players who want a hassle-free experience during longer scenarios.

Overall then the NITESIGHTS ELITE is quite a package! At a price that will put “NV” 100% within the reach of the skirmisher (rather than just the dedicated MilSimmer), I believe it’s a brilliant step forward, one that will allow more and more players “reach out in the darkness”. Is it a MilSim-level device? No, but then it was never designed to be.

Planned Development

Obviously I’ll be doing more testing and putting it up against some of the NV units that the guys in the AA Crew are currently running, both “Mil” and commercial, and I’ll be speaking more to Iggy about his experiences with the ELITE on the other side of the world too in order to draw together a fuller picture for you.

Initially though, what are my own experiences to date? Easily operated via a sequence of four easy-touse (even with gloves) buttons, as much as I don’t personally like RHINO mounts, the one supplied with the “package deal” is solid with the unit fitted, and it works perfectly as intended for helmet-use. If you wear glasses as I do, you may need to juggle with the eye relief to get it right for you, but perseverance in this area WILL pay off! And if you want to use the ELITE without a helmet, then there’s also a useful elasticated headband setup included too.

I’ve also been trying the ELITE rail-mounted on the range and I have to say that if I were running an “OpFor AK” this would most certainly be the way I would run the unit, as it offers very little back-glow from the screen to give your position away. I feel that the current simple rail-mount as offered still needs a little work… it works, but it feels a little “exposed and high” up on top of a rifle or carbine, and I’m discussing with Leon more solutions for this.

And Leon does LISTEN to feedback as he does genuinely want the ELITE to be the best for players on a budget, and I admire that, I really do! He tells me that further mounting options are still in development, and that he’s begun to get into incorporating thermal technology too, so there’s more to come from NITESIGHTS, and there’ll be more to come from the AA Crew as the system develops!

Many thanks to Leon for all his assistance in bringing this “first look” together, and to find out more about the ELITE and keep up to speed with developments please do checkout www.nitesights. co.uk AA