Eotech: The Good The Bad and The Ugly

Eotech is one of the most tried and true combat optics to emerge in the 21st century. Boasting clear glass, durable frame, NV compatibility, it is an easy choice for many, but is it a good choice for you?

A Brief Overview of Models

Eotech has a slew of different options when it comes to picking a sight, this will serve as a brief introduction to some of their models.

512: One of their first offerings, runs off of two double-A batteries, long run time, clear glass, no QD option and no Night-Vision(NV) compatibility.

552: Same as the it’s predecessor the 512, this now offers NV compatibility.

XPS Series: Offered in either the XPS2 or XPS3, the key difference between these is that the XPS2 is not NV compatible, and the XPS3 is. The other numbers in this naming scheme relates to visible dots in the reticle. These also run off of one CR123 battery with a much smaller housing than their 512 or 552.

EXPS Series: This series of optics follows the same scheme as the XPS, however the EXPS series now has a QD mount for adding/removing your optic on the fly.

The Good

There are a number of things that Eotech optics excel at and should be weighed heavily when considering an optic, this is a brief list.

1. They are extremely durable. Whether mounting to a rifle or shotgun you can rest easy knowing that your optic has been built to withstand a lot more than basic recoil.
2. Crystal Clear glass. One of the main determining factors when trying to justify the price of an optic is the clarity of the glass. The glass on Eotech HWS optics is highly regarded as some of the clearest on the market.
3. Tried and true. Eotech HWS are some of the most battle tested optics, so they are able to take real world feedback from combat scenarios and improve upon their designs, and you get to benefit from all of that.
4. Night Vision Performance. If you are one of the lucky few that get to run around with night vision on, then you know that Eotech is one of, if not the best option for a night vision optic.

The Bad

No matter your choice, there are always downsides to the optic you pick.

1. Weight. There are a lot of optics out there that are rugged and hold up but weigh much less. If you were running this on a smaller AR pistol or SBR, you might notice that additional weight.
2. Battery Life. One of the main complaints that Eotech has against their optics is their battery life. Many users find that the battery drains quickly on their optics, that being said, the XPS2 series boasts 1000hrs of run time at lower settings, and the 512 offers 2,500hrs with lithium batteries on the low settings.
3. Lack of some modern comforts. The defense industry is always innovating(we as a country spend an absurd amount on our military, so you hope they would). This innovation has led to some modern comforts such as shake awake technology, so that your optic turns on when it detects movement, auto shut off, so your optic shuts down after no movement is detected, dedicated override switches for NV, and even solar power, to name a few. Eotech currently misses out on these QOL improvements.

The Ugly

Here are a few things we really wish were different(our humble opinion)

1. Lawsuits. Back when Eotech was owned by L3 Harris(my fav defense contractor), they came under fire for faulty optics and had to recall the sights and agree to a settlement with the government. While this was a long time ago, a blow to your reputation of that magnitude can take a long time to wash away.
2. Thermal Drift. Some users have experienced thermal drift in either extreme hot or extreme cold, the keyword is extreme. Most users will not find themselves in a scenario like this, however, the weather being able to un-zero your optic is not ideal.
3. No brightness memory function. Remember when we talked about QOL a few sentences ago? This is another one that they really missed out on. There are so many optics that already offer these QOL changes, we can’t think of many reasons why Eotech wouldn’t follow suit.

Conclusion

Choosing an optic for your setup can be difficult and there are lot of factors at play. Weight, battery life, NV compatibility, and glass clarity just to name a few. There is no one “do it all” optic, every single one has it’s positives and it’s negatives and it’s use cases. Eotech provides a large array of optics in a wide price range, meaning you can spend anywhere from $350 all the way to over $1000 depending on your setup. Everything aside, when choosing an optic, make sure you are picking a reputable brand, it might be enticing to buy the Temu $50 special, but it will fail, there will be no customer service, and you will just waste your $50. Eotech is fantastic company with a long history of combat testing, their CS is fantastic, their warranty is fantastic, and they are run by very competent people.