What a night out with it looks like
Vortex lists a 400×300 detector with 12 µm pixels at 50 Hz, a 25 mm objective with 2.3x base magnification and 1x/2x/4x digital zoom, an 11° field and a 1024×768 OLED. Three viewing modes (Balanced, Contrast and Brush, the last one for dense cover and humid nights) and four palettes are there to separate animals from background heat.
By our calculator, the 25 mm lens detects a person at about 1,875 m and recognizes a coyote at about 260 m (285 yd). Vortex states 1,100 yd of detection. At 13.3 oz and 4.9 × 3.2 × 1.9 inches, it is one of the more compact 25 mm models.
The warranty is the headline. Vortex's thermal page says the Veil 400 is backed for life by the VIP Warranty, "unlimited, unconditional, lifetime service and support, including electronics". No other brand in our list comes close.
The catch
Battery and missing numbers. Vortex quotes 4.5 hours per 18650 battery, tied for the shortest runtime here. And there is no NETD figure on the product page, so sensitivity is left out of its score rather than guessed.
Price. Vortex lists a $2,299.99 MSRP and sends buyers to dealers. For less, the AGM ReachIR LRF 25-384 has the same lens length, a stated sub-20 mK sensor and a laser rangefinder. The Veil's argument is the warranty and the Vortex name, not the spec sheet.
