Category Archives: Gadgets

Gadgets, Shooting Sports

Vector Optics Owlset HEIM ES X-NANO RSS08

At the Vector Optics booth at Shot Show 2026, I discovered the smallest thermal optic I’d ever seen, the Owlset HEIM ES X-Nano RSS08. This thermal optic has an ACRO and is sized between an enclosed pistol red dot and an EOTech holosight.

The RSS08 is powered by an 18280/CR2 battery and came with 3 cells in the box along with a USB-C combatible charger. Each cell is rated to run the unit for up to 3.5 hours (in standby/sleep mode). The unit can also be powered and recharged using a USB-C port.

The RSS08 is not just a thermal imager, but it is also a thermal camera, allowing the user to record video and photo stills. The unit has about 14-16GB of internal memory. The RSS08 model can be connected via WiFi to an Owlset mobile App to control the camera and to download files. Or you can download the files via the USB-C port to your computer.

Its 1.4″ LCD display screen is a touch display which allows for gesture controls and access to the menu. Two external control buttons allow additional access the menu and activate/deactivate the unit. The RSS08 offers 6 false-color modes to display hot/cold objects and 10 reticle options for targeting. The default PURE MODE setting must be deactivated before the reticles are available.

Nighttime, hand-held testing did reveal the unsuitability of using the RSS08 as a pistol optic. I was able to clearly ID human and varmint-sized objects in complete darkness over 100 yards away. But the rapid movement of the LCD screen under recoil would make it unreadable in rapid fire. On a rifle, it would necessitate very slow semi-fire. On a pistol slide, impossible.

Moreover, the light spill from the screen would easily give the user’s position away to another human. To an animal, this wouldn’t be as alarming as the noise we make walking around at night. And before using this thermal on a firearm, you should consult your local hunting and gun laws.

One major drawback to using the RSS08 as a combat or patrol optic is water. The RSS08 is IPX6 water-resistant, able to survive rain and water spills. But as anybody with a phone knows, moisture renders LCD touchscreens inoperable until they can be wiped dry.

Where I see this mini thermal being used is co-mounted to a red dot or other optic. The box comes with an ACRO to Picatinny adapter plate, and Vector Optics makes a selection of adapters. The RSS08 isn’t the firearms optic as I’d originally hoped, but it is a capable and affordable full-featured thermal camera.

BUY

Vector Optics get 12% Off using code: MOONDOG
https://vector2007.com/VEOT-RSS08

SPECS

X-NANO RSS08

Infrared Resolution: 256×192 / 12μm

Frame Rate: 50Hz

Magnification: 0.5x /1x

NETD: ≤40 mK

Detection Range: ≤ 600m (656.17yds)

Recognition Range: ≤ 150m (164.04yds)

Angular Field of View: 13.5° × 10.1°

Focus Range: 5m – ∞

Display Screen: 1.4

Pseudo-Color Modes: White Hot, Black Hot, Hot Iron, Rainbow, Iron Red, Cold Color

Reticle: 10 Reticle Options with 5 Color Modes (Black / White / Red / Green / Yellow)

Weight: 123 g / 4.34 oz

Dimension: 51×43×46 mm / 2.01×1.69×1.81 in

Wi-Fi & App Support: Yes

Waterproof: IP66

Shockproof: 1000 G

Battery Type (Not Include): 16280, 900 mAh

Operating Duration: 3.5h

Charging Interface: USB Type-C, 5 V

Operating Temperature: -20°C to 60°C / -4°F to +140°F

Gadgets

OLight OClip Ultra

The OClip Ultra is a tougher, beefier version of the OClip Pro. Physically, it has slightly more squared-off edges and replaces the red beam with a high-intensity UV. Under the hood, it ups the battery capacity and white-beam output 30 lumens.

But the biggest difference isn’t visible. The Ultra is made with Olight’s proprietary O-Aluminum, which is 1.73 times harder than standard 6061 aluminum. The Ultra is more scratch and dent-resistant but OLight still hasn’t improved the water-tightness of the unit, water got into the unit during my water hose test.

The OClip is designed to clip on pockets, backpack straps or even a hat brim. As a shoulder-mounted lamp, it works great. But as a headlamp, its right-angle beam points down at your feet and into your eyes.

If you don’t need a red light but need the toughness for a work lamp, the Ultra is a good choice.

BUY IT

Amazon https://amzn.to/3Z1KTcR

SPECS

Max Output (Floodlight) 530 Lumens

Max Output (Spotlight) 450 Lumens

Max Beam Distance 130 meters / 142 yards

UV Output 365-370nm (approx. 800mW)

Battery Capacity 580 mAh built-in Lithium-ion

Battery Life Up to 144 hours (on lowest moonlight mode)

Charging Interface USB-C (approx. 1.5-hour charge time)

Dimensions 2.24 x 1.11 x 1.10 inches (57 x 28.3 x 27.9 mm)

Weight 1.94 oz (55 g) including battery

Water Resistance IPX6

Body Material OAL™ (proprietary super aluminum)

Gadgets

SHOT2026 Fenix Lighting

Fenix showed off and launched new upgraded flashlights at SHOT Show 2026. For their everyday flat EDC line, they released the EO6R PRO, an elongated E06R that is about the same size as an OLight Arkfeld; the flashlight they’re most likely aiming to compete with. Unlike other flat EDC’s made by OLight and others, the Fenix adds a tail switch activation.

For those who prefer a more traditional cylindrical tactical flashlight, they launched the LD30 Renegade which has a traditional tail button that can tail-stand, and a physical lock out switch.

What’s great about Fenix is that they listen to customer feedback and make improvements. For hikers, workmen, and fisherman their HM55R headlamps now offer a high-output red beam for wider area of illumination at night, and consistent color temperature on their white flood and spot beam.

SHOP

E06R Pro
Amazon https://amzn.to/4nKhDDz

LD30 Tac Light
Amazon https://amzn.to/4fBF5Rg

HM55R headlamp
Amazon https://amzn.to/49ig6P1

Gadgets, Product Reviews

Maven B.3 6×30 Compact Binoculars

https://youtu.be/EFFqttX-Zww

The Maven B.3 series of compact binoculars are designed for those who want high performance in a small package. Despite its size, it offers a generous exit pupil for a big image. Its 30mm object Japanese ED glass offers extremely bright and clear image with a wide depth of field and field of view.

The body is covered in a rubberized grey armor with stylish color accents that can be customized on Maven’s website. It comes with retained lens covers and a neck strap. It has integral, rotate to extend eye-cups and a buttery smooth focus dial.

Maven is the most premium-looking American-made optics. They also offer the most customizable products of any optics maker. When purchased from the website, you can upgrade to a custom package which allows you to change or customize the color of its components and skin.

Maven is known for making some of the most luxurious-looking optics in the market, with stylish external design, colors, and user customization. They also produce some excellent performing pocket-sized binoculars in the B.3 series. I reviewed their 8×30 binoculars a year ago. This season I test its 6x model offering a wider field of view in an identical footprint.

The 6×30 produced a crisp, bright, and color-accurate image. It is lightweight and small enough to fit into a wide coat pocket. While this performance and style comes at a premium price, its performance is worth every penny.

SHOP

Amazon https://amzn.to/4jz2tPt

SPECS

Magnification: 6x
Objective Lens: 30mm
Glass Type: ED (Extra-low Dispersion) Glass
Lens Coating: Fully Multi-Coated (Scratch & Oil Resistant)
Prism Type: Schmidt-Pechan, with Phase Correction & Dielectric Coatings
FOV @ 1000 yrds: 8.5° (446 ft)
Exit Pupil: 5mm
Eye Relief: 18.3mm
Weight: ~16.1 oz (457g)
Width: ~4.7 in
Height: 4.6 in
Depth: 1.6 in
Close focus: 8.2 ft (2.5m)
Waterproof: IPX7

Gadgets

OLight imini 2

The Olight iMini 2, a keychain flashlight that only claims to pump out 50 lumens. But this pocket-sized powerhouse illuminates like it’s compensating for something. Probably its size. It’s not because its cold, this compact flashlight makes your Chapstick look like the flashlight she told you not to worry about.

The iMini 2’s design is delightfully simple: two magnetic halves that snap together. The front half houses the LED bult, while the back half terminates in a bare USB-A jack. To activate, simply pull the two halves apart. The light stays on until you reunite the halves, in a snap.

The most surprising feature was its run time. OLight claims a one-hour runtime, but I got considerably more. After an hour, it dimmed like your enthusiasm on Monday morning, then gradually faded over two hours. By the three-hour mark, it was so faint that in daylight, I thought it had given up the ghost. But I discovered it was still on with a faint glow; maybe just 1 lumen? I left it on my desk where it ran for another 12 hours before I gave up on testing it because I had to recharge it for filming more testing the next day.

At around $20, this diminutive dynamo costs less than a movie ticket and outlasts most celebrity marriages.

SHOP

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C54ZH8WW?ref=t_ac_spc_accepted_tile&linkCode=tr1&tag=moondogindu05-20&linkId=B0C54ZH8WW_1789060764191

SPECS

Max Lumens: 50 

Throw: 68 ft (21 m)

Length: 2.17 in  (55 mm)

Diameter: 0.59 in (15.1 mm)

Weight: 0.69 oz (19.5 g)

Battery Capacity: 80mAh

Connection: USB-A

Waterproof: IPX6

Gadgets

Miady Clip on Lamp

https://youtu.be/Te2XpodfhSY

The Miady Clip-On Lamp set comes with 2 lamps. Each lamp offers the option to run it wirelessly using its built in Lion battery. Or you can remove the internal 18650 battery and use it as a USB-C us it as a normal plug-in lamp.

They do not recommend leaving the battery in the base while using it as a plug-in lamp because it probably does not have a strong cut-off circuit to prevent over-charging the battery. The lamp has a touch-activated button on the clip-on base. Each touch changes the brightness mode. With a price under $20 for a pair of them including the battery, this makes for a compelling value.

BUY

Amazon https://amzn.to/3TUK4k2

Gadgets

Nitecore EDC17 flashlight

Modern, flat/rectangular flashlights with analog switch controls blew up in the EDC market with the introduction of the OLight Arklight flashlights. These flat flashlights fit far more comfortably in back pockets, like EDC knives and multi-tools. Nitecore leans hard into this aesthetic with the EDC17.

At SHOT Show 2026, I got a look at Nitecore’s newest flashlights and the ED17 was a standout. At first, I thought Nightcore was releasing a folding knife, but as it turned out, it was a flashlight.

Its analog control switch runs along the thin side, like a box cutter. Next to it is a mode button that switches the light between white beam, green laser pointer, and UV bulb. Both the white and UV beam have low-medium-high output settings. The EDC17 maxes out at 1500 lumens and in my testing exceeded 1600 lumens.

During my waterproof testing, my flashlight turned itself off after a minute. After drying and testing it, I was surprised to find it met its IPX7 rating and kept water out of the housing.

I recharged it and found it functioned normally. In my runtime test, it slightly exceeded its 105 minutes in high-mode, and stayed at high light output for 99% of its runtime. I still don’t know why it turned itself off during the IPX7 test?

SHOP

Amazon https://amzn.to/47Ggsho

SPECS

EDC17

LED: UHi 25 

Max Output: 1500 lumens

Peak Distance: 251 yards

Peak Intensity: 12400 cd

IP Rating: X7

Impact Resistance: 2 m

Length: 4.84″

Width:1.26″

Height: 0.63″

Weight: 3.74 oz

Gadgets

SHOT2026 Nite Ize

Nite Ize brought practical, high-utility new gear to SHOT Show 2026. Nite Ize has a reputation for clever everyday solutions, producing innovative gadgets to outdoor and climbing; they invented the S-shaped carabiner.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the RunOff Waterproof Phone Case Plus offers complete protection for larger smartphones in wet or rugged environments, while the G‑Series Mini Lanyard 2 Pack provides a simple tethering solution for small essentials using stainless steel dual‑chamber carabiners.

Nite Ize earned a SHOT Show new product awared for their new Orange Screw, a large plastic anchor designed for securing tents and pop‑ups in soft ground. My favorite product is their wire twist ties.

Gadgets

Wuben G5 flashlight

The G5 is an unusual, flat EDC flashlight that is about the size and form factor of a zippo lighter. But that isn’t what makes it unique. This flashlight has a pivoting emitter head that can rotate 180º and a pocket clip that can also rotate 180º. This allows a lot of flexibility in how this flashlight can be mounted, stored, and used as a work light or head lamp.

The controls are primarily analog. Sliding the lockout switch one click allows the primary button to function and sliding it all the way up, reveals a USB-C port. Under to the activation/mode button is a rotary dial which is a stepless brightness adjustment and when pressed into the RGB allows you to change the color of the light. A double-tap switches the flashlight into a colored emergency beacon.

I found the flashlight to be more than bright, exceeding 400 lumens in high mode. The G5 is IPX68 rated, which means it is supposed to survive underwater immersion, but when I tested it with a power washer, water got into the unit (probably through the analog switch or dial). After a few hours, the flashlight turned on by itself in blue light mode and wouldn’t turn off until the battery died. It would not recharge.

I contacted Wuben’s customer service. They have up to a 5-year warranty if you register your product with Wuben. My unit was a testing sample, so I did not have a receipt or order number so they couldn’t replace my unit. I had to contact my marketing contact at Wuben to get a replacement. So if you are buying a G5 be sure to keep your receipt or if giving it as a gift, include a gift receipt so that your recipient can register the product.

SHOP

Save 20%, $24.99 → $19.99
Wuben G5: https://www.wubenlight.com/products/wuben-g5-edc-light?ref=wjotytoc
Amazon:https://amzn.to/47qwjzR

Amazon (green) https://amzn.to/4piN5rr
Amazon (black) https://amzn.to/4aAdFcb
Amazon (white) https://amzn.to/3LnUTdH

SPECS

G5

Max Brightness: 400 lumens 

Max Throw: 82m

Modes: Low, Medium, High, Moonlight, 

               RGB, Beacon, & SOS

Battery: 3.7V LiPo (450mAh)

Charging: USB-C 

Runtime: Up to 65 hours (low)

Waterproof: IP68

Material: Aluminum

Dimensions: 3.7cm x 1.5cm x 6.2cm

Weight: 52g (1.84 oz)