I keep in mind the first time I strapped on an nvg skull crusher , and honestly, the name is pretty spot-on. If you've ever spent amount of time in the night vision world, you know that while viewing in the black is a superpower, the gear a person use to obtain presently there can sometimes seem like a medieval pain device. It's among those pieces of package that everyone appears to own yet nobody really wants to use for more than twenty minutes in a time.
But despite the reputation for getting uncomfortable, these mind harnesses still have the massive footprint within the tactical and searching communities. Why? Because sometimes a complete ballistic or bump helmet is simply overkill for what you're looking to do. If you're simply getting into night time vision or searching for a low-profile way to run your tubes, you've definitely appeared at these setups. Let's tenderize what they're actually such as to live with.
What Specifically Is This Factor?
For the uninitiated, an nvg skull crusher is basically a nylon and plastic harness that sits directly on your head in order to hold night eyesight goggles. It's officially known as a head mount or even head harness, although the nickname trapped because of just how the straps are likely to dig into your temples and the back of your skull.
Most of the particular ones you'll find within the surplus market would be the old-school USGI versions. They are made up of a brow plate in which the support attaches, a series of adaptable straps that go over and about your head, plus a chin straps that keeps almost everything from flopping close to. It's a minimalist approach to hands free night vision, yet minimalist doesn't often mean comfortable.
The truth of the "Crush"
The biggest issue along with the nvg skull crusher is definitely physics. When a person hang a lb or two associated with expensive glass plus electronics off the front of your face, all that excess weight really wants to pull forwards. In the helmet, you have a wide range of surface area area and cushioning to distribute that weight. With a skull crusher, you possess thin nylon connectors.
Within regarding thirty minutes of hiking, you start to feel it. The front plate starts to press in to your forehead, and to stop the eye protection from sagging into your nose, you finish up tightening the particular straps. That's when the "crushing" begins. It can provide you a headache pretty quickly in case you don't have it dialed in completely.
Stability Challenges
One more thing to consider is stability. Unlike a head protection, which is rigid, a head harness is definitely flexible. If you're running, jumping, or even even just switching your head rapidly to see what that noise had been in the clean, the goggles are going to wobble. This is often disorienting since your brain expects the "camera" (the NVG) to advance precisely with your eyes. When there's a small delay or the bounce, it may lead to some pretty gnarly movement sickness.
Precisely why People Still Purchase them
After listening to all that, you might wonder the reason why anyone bothers with an nvg skull crusher whatsoever. Well, they have some pretty strong benefits if you know when to use them.
Portability and Pounds
If you're packing light, a helmet is the massive pain. It's bulky, it doesn't fit well within a backpack, plus it's heavy. The skull crusher, however, can be collapsed up and pushed right into a cargo wallet or perhaps a small pouch. For hikers, professional photographers, or hunters that just needs night vision occasionally, having a mount that weighs in at next to there is nothing a huge get.
Staying Low Profile
Sometimes you don't desire to look like you're heading right into a combat zone. Within a tactical helmet in the center of a national park or even while looking into your livestock might attract some unwanted attention. The head use is much even more discreet. You can even put on a beanie or even a thin hoodie over the connectors to blend in a bit better.
It's Budget-Friendly
Let's be real: night vision is expensive. Right after dropping several 1000 dollars on a PVS-14, your money might be screaming. A surplus nvg skull crusher can often be found for under fifty bucks. Review that to a high-end bump motorcycle helmet and a quality shroud, which may easily run you $300 to $600, as well as the appeal turns into pretty clear.
Making It Less Miserable
If you've decided to go the route of the head harness, there are a few things you can do to make it suck less. You don't simply have to suffer through the discomfort.
- Include a Counterweight: This is actually the one best thing that can be done. By attaching a small pouch with several lead weights or spare batteries to the back strap, you balance the weight of the particular goggles. This prevents front side plate through digging into your forehead.
- Upgrade the Padding: A few companies make aftermarket pads that velcro onto the connectors. Even some foam tape or a little bit of moleskin in the right places can make a world of difference.
- Wear a Hat Beneath: Placed on a baseball cap (with the best button removed) or a thick beanie before you put on the nvg skull crusher . It provides a layer of cushioning between the particular straps and your own skin.
- The Chin Tie is Key: Don't skip the chin band. It might sense annoying, but it's what actually retains the unit stable therefore you don't have got to over-tighten the particular headband.
Modern Alternatives to typically the Classic Design
Thankfully, gear design comes a lengthy way since the particular original "skull crusher" was issued. Generally there are now "soft" mounts that are usually much more comfortable. Brands such as Crye Precision plus Wilcox have created headgear that feels more like a heavy-duty hat than a torture device.
The Crye NightCap, for example, is definitely a popular option. It's made associated with mesh and provides a much wider surface area in order to distribute the excess weight. It still retracts up small, but it's significantly more comfortable for extensive wear. If a person find that the standard nvg skull crusher will be just too very much for you in order to handle, considering these types of modern "cap" style mounts certainly is the way to go.
When Should A person Use One?
I usually tell people that the particular nvg skull crusher has a very specific specific niche market. It's ideal for stationary observations—like if you're sitting inside a deer stand or watching a field from a fixed position. It's also perfect with regard to "just in case" gear that remains within your truck or even bag.
Nevertheless, if you plan on performing a lot of movement, like tactical training or even long-distance hiking over rough terrain, you're likely to would like a helmet. The stability and comfort of an actual shroud and suspension system just can't be beat when you're on the shift.
Final Thoughts
The nvg skull crusher is definitely a bit of a rite of passage in the particular night vision local community. It's cheap, it's simple, and it will get the job done—even if it results in you with a bit of a headache at the particular end of the particular night.
It's not the particular most "Gucci" piece of gear in the particular world, but it's a functional device. If you understand its limitations and have a few steps to mod it for comfort, it can be the valuable section of your kit. Just don't expect it to feel like the cloud on your own head. At the particular end of the particular day, it's known as a skull crusher for a cause, and it also usually resides as much as that name.
Therefore, if you're looking for a way to obtain into the evening vision game without having spending a fortune upon a helmet setup, give it a shot. Just probably keep some aspirin in your pocket for the very first few times you head out directly into the dark.