First Look: FLIR Breach Thermal Monocular

The advent of the hand-held thermal monocular has revolutionized the optics industry, and the new FLIR Breach thermal monocular pushes the limits of the company's high-end thermal technology by fitting high-powered electronics in the company's smallest, lightest package yet.

Despite the optic's small size, no element is lacking in the new design. The product uses a full-featured 320x240 display and uses FLIR's trademarked 12-micron Boson thermal core. This enables the device to provide a crisp, high-definition image. The Breach also provides consumers with the ability to record 4 hours of high-definition video, as well as 1,000 images.

The thermal-imaging capabilities aren't all the FLIR Breach has to offer. Users have access to an on-board digital compass and an inclinometer, giving users additional essential information in the field. When viewing images in the monocular, owners can select seven separate color-palette options that provide enhanced details in different scenarios.

The FLIR Breach thermal monocular was initially designed with law enforcement in mind, giving them an advantage in tracking potential suspects in dark environments, whether outside in the black of night or inside a poorly lit building. This capability also serves the tactical-minded consumer, providing a new dimension of information-gathering in the interests of home and personal defense.

The Breach weighs only 7.4 ounces and measures 5.5 inches long, 2.7 inches wide and 1.9 inches tall. This allows it to fit easily into any pocket or be used with a compatible mount on a helmet. The monocular runs off a single CR123A battery, which powers it for up to 90 minutes of constant operation. The electronic systems in the Breach can withstand use in harsh environments, with an operating range from -4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

The FLIR Breach thermal monocular ships with a lens cloth and a protective hard case. Several optional accessories are available for the unit, including a goggle kit, several helmet mounts, a Mini Rail Adapter to Bayonet Mount and a Mini Rail to Dovetail Adapter.