Ok, I don't see this topic being discussed much so I thought I'd ask for some feedback.

I have little real experience with night vision equipment and it's not something I would place very highly on my priority list. Still, I've noticed lately there are some interesting devices in the $300-500 range on the market and it's given me some food for thought.

I understand that low cost night vision gear is all pretty much gen 1/1+ and not comparable to what serious operators use these days. However, that's fine with me. I cannot justify the $3000+ expense for a generation 2 device or better. But if I could get something in the lower price range that would actually allow me to find my way around the bush (with the potential of being handy in some less foreseeable situations) it would open up some interesting possibilities.

After some research I've been able to find two inexpensive monocular goggles that would apparently fit the bill more or less, ATN Viper and Yukon NVMT. They look similar and the reviews seem to be largely positive but then again, I don't trust online reviews too much. I'm still reluctant to make the purchase because I don't really know what kind of performance to expect. Like I said, I'd use night vision mostly for quiet nocturnal treks so there's no need for high magnification, super high resolution or long range, I could even live with having to use an IR illuminator. It's all good as long as it makes walking in the bush at night more convenient and doesn't instantly give you away like a 200 lumen flashlight.

Does anyone here have any experience with night vision equipment? I'd appreciate some advice and first-hand experience.