Thermal Scope Forums and Podcasts: All You Need to Know

Thermal scope forums and podcasts are a great way to see, in reality, how well devices work in the field, and they’re becoming a popular source to go to for information on all things thermal.

But it can be overwhelming seeing all the results that pop up on a search, so you’re left wondering which ones are reliable and worth your time.

To get you through all that clutter, here we have the top forums, podcasts, and channels listed for you to check out so you can get to your answer faster, more reliably, and without the bother.

Thermal Scope Forums and Podcasts

So, why forums and podcasts, you may ask?

Well, a chief advantage to forums is that they’re great for getting real video and customer feedback from a variety of sources, and users are quick to call out fake information too. So, what you’ll often find is real experience and a community to help each other out with problems they’ve come across. 

They’re also quick to share ways to get help with a malfunctioning scope. A great help because even the best companies can turn out a lemon every so often. 

Good podcasts, on the other hand, often talk about thermal scopes in action, with stories about real hunts from real people. The value in that when buying or comparing devices is significant and often worth the time.

So, if you’re wondering where to find thermal scope-specific topics in forums and podcasts, just search “thermal scope” in the recommended sites and channels below.

Podcasts 

Essentially, podcasts are like radio shows except hosted on the Internet. Many are available for free while some offer subscriptions to listen without advertising, and some offer premium content only for subscribers. 

Here are some of the top podcast hosting sites around:

• Spotify
• Podcast Addict
• Apple
• Listen Notes
• Podtail

A lot of podcasts will have an episode or part of a show on thermal scopes because typically, a show covers a variety of topics. This is why you’ll need to search for the word “thermal.” 

Best Podcasts For Thermal Scopes

The only dedicated podcast on thermal scopes is The Late Night Vision Show with Jason and Hans.

Beyond this, you’ll need to look for episodes that cover thermal scopes. Other top podcasts are:

• Teledyne Flir – This is a company-sponsored podcast that covers Flir products.
• NV Warehouse – Based in the UK, this podcast covers night hunting.
• American Outdoor News – A general podcast covering hunting in the US.
• Whisky Riff – A general outdoors podcast for people who enjoy being outside doing the many outdoor activities available. (1)

Forums

Forums are a place for people to talk about any amount of topics, and thermal scope forums exist to specifically discuss thermals, solve problems that arise, find help, and share the latest related news.

You can occasionally find people talking about thermal devices in outdoor forums. In this case, you should look for something called a thread (a thread is where people discuss a set topic).

Sometimes, you may have to visit a website and look for the forums there. A good example is Rokslide. This is an outdoors website devoted to hunting out west, and the forum is accessed from the main page. 

Best Thermal Scope Forums

• Whisky Riff – In addition to articles, Whisky Riff hosts forums that are excellent.
• Sniper’s Hide – One of the top online forums for all things optics.
• Predator Masters – If you hunt varmints, this is the place to find excellent advice.
• Texas Hunting Forum – Get real user feedback and advice from people around the US, not just the Lone Star state.

Videos

Inevitably, your search will also turn up a lot of videos.

You’ll often see videos from manufacturers like ATM, AGM, Flir, and others. If you need information about a specific scope you already own, these may be helpful. But if you’re looking for information from people who buy and use thermal devices, these videos are not what you’re looking for.

YouTube remains the king of videos, so there is no shortage of channels dedicated to the topic of thermal scopes.

Best YouTube Channels for Thermal Imaging

• ATN – As a top scope maker, ATN also provides solid advice that applies to other manufacturers as well.
• Ultimate Night Vision – Releases videos with real hunts, real people, and real night optics with information you’re looking for.
• Ext Thermal Hunter – This channel is all about thermal devices.
• TFB Video Show – The Firearm Blog covers thermal devices as well as guns and news.

What to Expect

If you join and post to forums, you can expect some sarcastic replies. It’s just the nature of the Internet today. You can also expect honest information and helpful advice. Wading through the chaff to get to the good can be a chore but there will be some people genuinely offering good direction.

However, Internet trolls do exist on these platforms and are just there to annoy and make you react in anger, so don’t let them bother you.

Interact

If you have something to say in a forum or about a podcast, go ahead. But if you are hateful, use profanities, attack people or go off-topic, your comments may be deleted. You can even be blocked and banned if your comments are bad enough.

Real Info

When you cruise the Internet looking for real info, bear in mind that most of the people there are not professional writers. You will see typos, misspellings, and odd grammar.

These kinds of errors lend authenticity to the comments. On the other hand, highly polished posts should be looked at with some suspicion, especially when the posts are constantly defending a particular company or scope.

An exception is when the actual company makes a post. This should be clearly identified as a company response. Most of the time, company responses will generally fall into these categories:

1. Thank you. The company says it appreciates the feedback/ review or other information.
2. Need more information. The company is responding to a problem posted by a customer. Since the company does not have direct contact with the customer, they will ask for more information and provide a method for direct contact. Pro Tip: Save that direct contact info somewhere.
3. Addressing an issue. Companies will often reply with how they will make a problem right. Sometimes, the company will do a bit of research first and see if the problem is legitimate. Why? Some people just like to post negative comments without actually owning or using the product in question.

Where Is The Best Place to Buy Thermal Scopes?

There are a number of places where you can buy thermal scopes, some more reputable than others. With the rise of Chinese rip-off products, it is more important than ever to make sure you’re using certified suppliers. Make sure to check out our full article on the topic.

What About The Thermal Scopes in Video Games?

For you gamers out there, we have a full article on the thermal scopes in popular video games. If you’re interested which are the best in each game, take a look.

References

1. Teledyne FLIR, Delta Podcasts, Retrieved From: https://www.flir.com/suas/delta/delta-podcasts/