Considering a Pulsar Thermion? A limited number of Pulsar Thermion XM models have hit the dealers and the questions have been flooding in. Is the Thermion a good optic to get into thermal hunting for the first time? Should I upgrade and get rid of my Trail to get a Thermion? How does the Trail compare to the Thermion?... First of all, each person will have their own opinion and perspective. Each hunter should consider their hunting conditions, hunting style, and budget when deciding to move forward with an optic. I’ve spent a lot of time with the Thermion XM38 and there are things that I love, and things that have I’ve had to get used to. We all knew that the XM’s were coming to market with higher magnifications than the Trail units. For me, hog hunting in ETX and shooting the majority of my shots at 50-75 yards, the increased magnification isn’t a positive but for someone coyote hunting in the Midwest it is probably seen as a great enhancement. Also, the Pulsar Thermion XM resolution is now at 320 x 240 and 12 Microns, versus the 384 and 17 Mircons with the Trails. The most obvious change is the look and design of the scope, with the Thermion looking more like a traditional rifle scope. Comparing the Thermion picture image to the Trail models is difficult, both have vastly different magnifications which could skew ones perception of which one has a better image. I wouldn’t say that the picture image of the Thermion is better… or worse, just different. However, I do love the new design of the scope. It looks great on a rifle and feels even better. I personally think that the Thermion is a good buy, especially since the pricing is comparable to the Trail models. You are also getting a couple extras with more color palettes and an increase of memory storage for videoing. Here is my full review of the Pulsar Thermion XM38. Let me know if you have any questions, I've spent many nights behind the eyepiece of this scope...

Thanks Hans. Informative to me

Hans: Thanks for the review and I have a question about the battery(s) on your Thermion. You mentioned the battery located in the "turret" but not the second battery. Is it rechargeable and or replaceable? While it is aesthetically more appealing it is difficult to justify spending $3,300 for the Thermion if you already have a Trail (I have the XP38 and do 100% of my shooting < 125 yds). I assume a firmware upgrade in the future will address the lack of audio.

Thanks again!

Actually, the battery in the turret is the 2nd battery. The first battery is onboard and is non-user serviceable. It recharges via the USB port. Actually, you can recharge both by the USB port on the scope, but it takes a long time.

Yeah, there is probably no reason to buy a Thermion if you already have a Trail in the magnification that you like.

Firmware will be upgrading. The failure to record glitch and audio will be addressed with some future update.

Does have a certain recoil rating/limit?

The good news is the internal battery is an APS3, which is the same battery the Pulsar Axion monoculars use and its the same "extended" battery that you can use in the Thermion as the 2nd battery under the top turret cover. Pulsar already has a plan in place for replacing the internal battery should it ever have a problem, even after the 3 year warranty period it will be something they can do for a fee. This will be serviceable in the US.

Flintknapper, the Thermions are recoil rated for up to .375 H&H, 12ga. and 9.3x64.

I agree with DNS on upgrading from a Trail. Unless you just really like the new scope design and/or want the latest scope or you need more magnification than your Trail has, there is nothing wrong with sticking to what you have. I've had several customers decide to upgrade to the Thermion from the Trail because their Trail still has a high re-sale value and it's an easy time to sell or trade up into a new model. But if you're happy with the Trail as it is, I don't see a big reason to run out and buy anything new tomorrow.

- Jason

Thank you for watching!

Thanks for watching.. I think DNS answered your questions but the audio will be "turned on" at some point with a firmware update. I agree with you on the discussion to move to a Thermion if you already have a Trail. Some will upgrade just because they want the newest model on the market, but a 2018 truck runs just as good as a 2019, it just might have a few more scars on it haha.. I will say though, I love the feel on the unit on the rifle. To me personally, it feels more comfortable and natural, but having a Thermion over a Trail will not give you the ability to kill more hogs and coyotes. I'm a big fan of the Trail and have used them for long time, but it you currently own a Trail just have comfort knowing that when you are ready to get a new thermal, the Thermion is a good unit.

Thank you for being Johnny on the spot with those answers!

Thank you DNS