Got my Tripower today! I immediately opened it up and mounted it on the LT cantilever mount that came also (Thanks Grant!!). If Nick doesn’t mind me hijacking his thread, here are my first impressions…
It came with it’s own mount! I did not expect that at all. I didn’t use the included mount, but it appears to be a low mount. Not quick detach.
The tritium (Power 1) is weak to the point of being non-existent. It should be called a Doublepower, cuz that’s all it is. In reference to our discussion above on a possible tritium defect, the manual claims “Check the tritium lamp for failure…in a darkened room… It is important to let your eyes adjust to the darkness before trying to see the tritium.” Ok, so I went in my bathroom and tried this and low and behold I could make out the reticle. However, as soon as I lit up the room with a flashlight, I lost the reticle.
The fiber optics (Power 2) are ok. I can pick up the reticle while moving thru a dimly lit house, but it doesn’t stand out real well. Outside, it is again, ok. Maybe comparable to my Aimpoint ML2 on a medium setting.
The battery backup (Power 3) is just fine. With this power source, this is as good or better than the Aimpoint. I’d even go so far as “better” since the reticle is larger and therefore faster to focus on (for me anyways).
The buttons for the battery power suffer from the same problems as the older Eotechs. Not very user friendly. Hard to “feel out” when not looking at them. Might be better if they went to the more tactile rubber buttons like the newer Eotechs or just go to a switch like an Aimpoint.
The manual says the battery power is good for 10 hours constant use. It has a 2 hour auto-shut off feature. I’m not real thrilled with this. It’s obviously way worse than the Aimpoint and Eotech. It wouldn’t be near as bad if the tritium worked better, but unfortunately I foresee having to use the battery power in all low-light/night situations (and I work midnights, so…).
Batteries are 1/3N, and it came with two sets.
It has a cover for the fiber optic donut on top and a neoprene sock a la Acogs.
I really like the chevron reticle and find it much more superior to the Aimpoint and Eotech reticles.
Pros:
-Excellent reticle.
-Battery-saving options (Fibre optic illumination).
-Compatible with Aimpoint mounts.
-Rugged build.
-Comes with a mount.
-Comes with two sets of batteries.
Cons:
-Tritium is useless. I almost have to question if it’s even there.
-Low battery life.
-Auto shutoff is a little too quick, but considering the low battery life, this may be a good thing.
-Cost is ~$100 more than a new Aimpoint. It does come with a mount though.
I feel it is a toss up between this and the Aimpoint. I think if I had to choose right now, I’d be a bit torn. Some sustained use, especially in low light is going to be the deciding factor.
So, from an early perspective, and not having shot with it, I must say I’m a little disappointed. I’m still planning to keep it and I think I’ll shoot better with it (which is the main goal), but I had hoped for a more efficient lighting system. I am taking it to work tonight so me and the guys can play with it on the job and compare it a bit more to the Aimpoint.
