Deer Stalkers Take Note: A Sharp Product Review of Affordable HIKMICRO’s Multispectrum Binoculars

I was in the process of putting the finishing touches to my recent HABROK HQ35L review when was very surprised to spot yet another variant of the HABROK entering the fray. The '4K' bit sounded intriguing, but I was puzzled as to why HIKMICRO were following up their latest release so closely with another multispectral gadget? Admittedly HIKMICRO don't exactly hang around when it comes to product launches, but this seemed a bit premature even for them.

After a bit of digging, the penny dropped. Although virtually identical to its bigger brother at first glance, the HABROK 4K is a very different animal and targeted almost exclusively at the deer-stalking market.

So what's the difference, other than the latest incarnation being less than half the price of its bigger brother? The only real physical difference is a 256x192 25mm thermal lens rather than the 640x512 35mm of the HQ35L. It’s under the bonnet where the real differences lie.

The big change is the thermal sensor, which without doubt accounts for the extra cost of the HABROK. The new variant HABROK 4K has a higher NETD of <35mK, as opposed to the <20mK of the original. However, the HABROK 4K only offers a 256x192 sensor, which is very small compared with the 640x512 of the high-end offering. It's even smaller than the average 384x288, which many would consider to be an entry-level thermal.

What does that mean in the field? The thermal on the HABROK 4K is more about detection, not identification. The workflow with the unit is all about spotting 'something' with the thermal and then switching to an optical channel to confirm exactly what you're looking at.

With something like a deer, identification may not be an issue, but for analysing the condition and sex of an animal you'll definitely need the optical channels. For a deer stalker especially, this isn't a bad compromise. You get the basics in terms of thermal detection combined with an excellent 4K daytime image, IR functionality with a built-in illuminator for way beyond first-light/last-light identification, plus LRF to confirm the distance to your quarry.

For anyone who spends time in the yard ratting or perhaps rabbiting in the fields with an air rifle or rimfire, it has real potential. Spot it with the thermal and then flip to IR mode once you've found a potential target.

A few years back a combination of low-res thermal, IR (courtesy of the built-in illuminator), daytime optical plus LRF would have been a game changer. And at the very reasonable price of this kit could remain so for anyone who's not too concerned about thermal image quality.

Would it work for a foxer looking to save money on the price of the HABROK?

For essentially static targets like rabbits and deer it's fine, and for closer range ratting, IDing with the thermal alone would still work.

However, for foxers it's a completely different story.

As any fox shooter will tell you, opportunities are often fleeting, and more often than not there simply isn't time to be switching modes and faffing about. You need to confidently ID the target with the thermal and then get on the gun as quickly as possible before the opportunity passes you by.

The strength of HABROK 4K's big brother HABROK is that it offers you that ability.

Often, it's the outline of the animal in motion that gives the game away, and that' where a higher-res thermal comes into its own.

However, very little of that applies to deer. They're much larger for a start, often static and almost impossible to misidentify unless they're in deep cover, in which case IDing with a thermal alone is often impossible. It's here that the optical channels are needed. In terms of image quality, the daytime channel is excellent for a pair of what are digital binos. The same is true for the IR with its built-in illuminator. The illuminator is actually aligned better on this new model than on its predecessor and once again the on-board NV combo is truly excellent.

For a technologically savvy and financially astute deer stalker these binoculars are a very useful and affordable tool. Nevertheless I'm sure that the HE25Ls will be found in the kit bags of many ratting enthusiasts and bunny bashers in addition to its primary audience in the deer-stalking market.

In terms of ergonomics and features, it's basically identical to its predecessor and I have no complaints in that regard whatsoever. Video recording (with audio), screen sharing via HIKMICRO's Sight App, separate focus for optical and thermal channels, great design, easy navigation, and tons of features to play with alongside excellent optical image quality and last-light performance. And let's not forget the LRF.

*Before purchasing any thermal or digital day & night vision device, please make sure you adhere to the local ledislation and only use it when it is allowed. Our ambassadors come from various countries and travel a lot, which allows them to test different devices. We do not encourage or support the illegal use of our devices in any events.