AGM Sidewinder TM25-384 2-16x Thermal Monocular

I live in rural south Missouri and have been researching a thermal monocular for some time. Generally, a very wooded area and looking for one to locate varmints at night. Possums, skunks, coyotes and hogs are on the list. Mostly inside 80 yards but I also do a lot of deer watching in my pasture so views as far away as 500 yards.

Had narrowed the search down to the AGM TAIPAN TM15-384 for it’s affordability, FoV and resolution. I held off due to the non-replaceable battery. Really just couldn’t get around that.

Saw the Outdoor Legacy video on the SIDEWINDER TM25-384and it really seemed a nice upgrade…with replaceable batteries now. Based on that review I placed an order with them. Turns out, Outdoor Legacy was also the cheapest option... and when I called about shipping they were very nice and was able to use UPS for me. In my area FedEx is problematic. Arrived in a few days with no issues at all.

I’ll refrain from a long review as the Outdoor Legacy vid really covers everything and I agree with their take. But some points. 384x288 is working just fine for me but if you have the funds, get 640x512. The 2x magnification is about as high as I would want for my use. It’s a little tight for seeing pests close to the house but certainly very usable once you get a little practice. Out in the field…works great. Easy to tell a rabbit from a deer from a hog from a coyote out to 200 yards. The unit is well built and comes with all you need. Run time might be a little shorter than specs but I only have one cycle on the batteries …and you can buy more batteries. Lots of cover in the woods now so you have to study/scan to find critters but the learning curve is high. Caught a possum trying to sneak into the barn last night. Solid build and very nice mid level unit. Viewing screen is great! No regrets and would/will certainly use Outdoor Legacy again.

Two cons. The area around the tripod socket isn’t very flat so can be hard to get a solid connection with my tripod mount. Trick for this is to use a thin rubber washer on the screw. If I don’t it just feels a bit fragile/loose. And the manual doesn’t cover well what some of the features do. Example: “Image boost” …hard to tell what that is really doing. Wish it was better explained. Manual works but could be a bit better with explanations. Also….the spec on detection range is way off …as I can see the moon and spot those high flying passenger jets with ease 😊

AGM Sidewinder TM25-384 2-16x Thermal Monocular

As usual the crew at outdoor legacy is awesome. The reviews they do on each of their products they sell really helped me decide on this monocular. The review was spot on. (Even the eye cup being a little stiff but I actually don't mind it at all.) I got my order on time for a hog hunt I was planning. Got a chance to use it right away and it was perfect for my type of hunting. Pic quality better then expected. I like the 2 power base. Large field of view for quick identification. I was easly identifying hogs out to 200 yards and most likly further if i had the chance. Battery life was excellent and with a few extra batteries in my bag I really could have hunted all night. Menu and button lay out is easy to use. My only problem was the video record button is a long press vs a short press on my pulsar. Not a problem and just something I have to get use to. I figured it out pretty quick during the hunt when it snapped a pic instead of recording and still had time to get some decent footage. The conditions were not optimal for thermal during my hunt with high temps and high humidity but I felt the unit performed excellent. Cant wait to use back home in the North for yotes in cooler and dryer conditions. Storage case that comes with it is pretty nice and the charger is really an upgrade from what normally comes with most other products. I like the neoprene sleeve that comes with it as well. I used it to protect the unit while not in use in my back pack. I would say it would be nice if the opening of the sleeve was a little bit bigger to make easier to pull in and out. Over all its a really nice product and if someone is looking for a thermal scanner, want a large field of view, excellent image for a 384, relatively cheap batteries that you can pick up anywhere, and easy to use. I would definitely pick one up from these guys.

Great unit, very easy to use. Rechargeable batteries are a must. I told the guys what I wanted to do with it and they suggested this unit, perfect fit for me. Very clear, can easily identify what animals are what. Fourth unit from these folks and I've been happy every time.

Called several times and talked to them before I ordered the am sidewinder. Awesome people to deal with