Holosun DRS-TH Thermal Reflex Sight
Color: Black Reticle: Multi Refresh Rate: 50 Hz Resolution: 256×192 pixels = 49,152
AGM Rattler TS25 384 50 hz refresh 384 x 288 pixels = 110,592
BUYER BEWARE! Don’t Buy a Holosun DRS-TH Until You Watch This
Any man in America who watched Predator! or has played Call of Duty understands why low light technology is cool (cutaway to COD). (meme of portland man) Of course, some men don’t like guns… but those men wear scarfs, get their nails done and wear masks with pronouns, so maybe this video isn’t for everyone. Unfortunately, seeing in the dark is expensive, which is probably why everyone got so excited about Holosun getting into the low light game with some “affordable” options. After much waiting, the Holosun DRS-TH thermal reflex sight is finally available to purchase…. sort of. Currently on OpticsPlanet.com you can pay $1,599.99 for the privilege of waiting 5-7 weeks to hopefully get one shipped to you. Oof. But based on the online excitement, there’s a lot of dudes (big mike meme) who will still think this optic is worth the wait.
Even though this optic broke the internet when it was announced a year ago at ShotShow, there’s a good chance you’ll be disappointed if you actually go and buy one in real life. Be sure to watch until the end and think twice, (excuse cannon meme) because if you IRL buy the Holosun Thermal you’ll probably need a liquid-cooled belt-fed excuse-gun with an infinity-ammo cheat code just to cope (copium meme). Let me guess, the real thermal scopes are unfairly discriminating against Holosun’s lack of pixels.
Disclaimer: I have used plenty of Holosun products over the years and I currently own their LS321 night vision Laser Aiming Module and a pistol red dot. These devices are fairly priced and offer good value and reliability for the money. Holosun is a good option for guys who need to balance cost versus quality. I understand that not everyone can afford Aimpoint, Eotech or Trijicon. For the money and for certain use cases, I do recommend Holosun products.
Anyway, let’s get into my top reasons to hard-pass on Holosun’s new thermal optic.
- Look At Who’s Excited:
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If you read through the comments on my last Holosun Thermal video, you’ll notice a pattern. The more excited someone is about the DRS, the less night vision and thermal experience they have (graph of experience vs excitement). What could this mean?
Holosun White Knights say Option A: The dudes who already have real thermal/nvg are simping for their Gucci kit. The gatekeepers have to mock Holosun to inflate their egos by making fun of the poors. If this is true, then dudes who buy the Holosun thermal are geniuses and the guys with experience are butthurt morons that are mad that an affordable option means they can’t flex their Gucci kit anymore. Holosun is “revolutionizing the game” as a disruptive innovator and I’m just a hater.
Option B: The dudes who already own real NVG/thermal know something that the noobs don’t. They’re hard-passing on the Holosun because they can tell at a glance that the specs are garbage and in that price range they can buy a much better thermal optic.
The sad truth is Option B, Holosun has never been a disruptive innovator, they just copy Aimpoint’s homework and make it cheaper (schoolwork cheating meme). Trust me, I own NVG, I own thermals… and I’m totally down to buy more of them. If there was a solid budget thermal reflex sight that had worthwhile specs I’d happily get one and use it on a backup rifle. All my friends who own night vision or thermal scopes would also buy another thermal scope, especially a budget option to use as a loaner or on a backup rifle.
Seriously ask yourself, why aren’t the big players in night vision or thermal coyote and hog hunting talking about the DRS-TH? Hint, because the specs are garbage.
- The Price:
- The next reason to think twice before buying the DRS-TH is because it has a list price of $1,882.34 and is already on sale for $1,599.99. Holosun was supposed to be a budget option to get new people into the thermal game. But what about other budget optics brands like SightMark? If you got a SightMark Wraith mini thermal for $1,799.00 on Outdoor Legacy Gear, you’d get a 384 x 288 thermal sensor with 110,592 pixels.
- The sensor is Potato:
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The DRS-TH only has a 256 x 192 thermal sensor with 49,152 pixels. No, I’m not talking about display resolution, I’m talking about sensor resolution. Other thermal scopes with that sensor are much cheaper. The 256 x 192 thermal sensor AGM Rattler (TS-19 256) is $999.00 right now on Optics Planet.
But wait!!! You argue that the DRS-TH is also a red dot too, so that makes it worth a lot more! Okay, I guess. But in the real world I get great results using a canted red dot on my thermal equipped rifles. Right now, I’m setup with an iRay RICO Mk1 640 core with an Aimpoint Micro on a T-Rex canted mount. Sure, the iRay costs $5,000+, but you could also get great results running an AGM Rattler with a canted mini red dot so you’d have options and flexibility.
The ATN ThOR LT 320 3-6x30mm is 1,289.99 on Optics Planet, which is a much better sensor for a cheaper price. If you combined a canted budget red dot and have a much more capable platform for the money.
Before you buy the DRS-TH, seriously think about the terrible sensor specifications. The main argument for the DRS was that it made getting into the low light game more affordable… but the sad truth is there’s better budget options out there. Stop White Knighting, she’s not your girl and she never will be.
The hard truth is this: The sensor sucks and it’s not a good deal. The only people excited about the DRS-TH are inexperienced.