Review: Aimpoint H1 vs. EOTech XPS (pics/vids)

[OneBadV8]

That's significant!

That's why I chose the Aimpoint. I need all the weight reduction I can get

 

[rhino]

That's why I chose the Aimpoint. I need all the weight reduction I can get

Me too! I'm delicate.

None of this crap existed the last time I bought a red dot. I think the revision F on the EOTech with the AA batteries was fairly new then.

 

[OEF5]

Me too! I'm delicate.

None of this crap existed the last time I bought a red dot. I think the revision F on the EOTech with the AA batteries was fairly new then.

That just means it's time to build a new one!!!!

Go SBR all light wieght so that it will look like an airsoft rifle in your hands!!!

 

[rhino]

That just means it's time to build a new one!!!!

Go SBR all light wieght so that it will look like an airsoft rifle in your hands!!!

Yeah, my next gun purchase is (I hope) going to be an LWRC REPR in .308. That's not going to have a tired old, spindly little red dot on it. It's going to have a Trijicon Accupoint 1-4X.

Needless to say, I will be approximately 127 years old before I've saved enough money for the rifle, and 149 for the Trijicon.

 

[karoozin]

Thanks for the fair review. I have two Eotech and have never been disappointed. The best thing "made in the USA."

 

[esrice]

UPDATE

Thanks to INGOer Indy Wing Chun I have yet another optic to throw in the mix-- a Meprolight M21. It has a similar price point but is unique in that its powered by fiber optics and tritium, making it entirely battery-free.

I'm looking forward to getting some time with it and will report back after I do!

 

[mvician]

Be sure to test in from in the dark looking out into the light. Like to hear how bad the "washout" is.

Wish we were a bit closer........I'd let you check out my SRS

 

[esrice]

Be sure to test in from in the dark looking out into the light. Like to hear how bad the "washout" is.

Yeah I've been reading up on them and will certainly test this aspect.

 

[tradertator]

Good review. I think the XPS solved many of the Eotech's short comings. The EXPS is that much better again. I've ran the Larue mounts in the past, but the EXPS's throw lever is much less bulky. I've also had great luck with the ARMs mounts on Eotechs. Plus I really like the brightness / power buttons on the side of the unit vs the rear, especially when running a magnifer.

The biggest drawback for me on the Micro is the adjustments for windage / elevation. I have large fingers, and can't seem to hold onto the caps. I lost one on my buddies in the field about 4 clicks into the first adjustment. Spent around an hour on hands and knees looking for it in high grass before we found it. I really wish Aimpoint would find a way of retaining them. The other complaint I had was the 4MOA reticle, but Aimpoint addressed that recently with a 2MOA model.

The 1 MOA on the Eotech works a little better for me when running a magnifier. I'm a little torn on if I like the single dot or addition of 65MOA circle. I've used the 2 dot / 65MOA version, and didn't care for the additional dot. If you don't care for the circle though, you should try the model without it.

In regards to the Meprolight M21, great optic. Mine held zero even with the throw lever mount, and the absence of batteries gives one peace of mind. Biggest draw back of course is washout. In a dark room looking into light, or in the dark running a weaponlight, the unit is almost invisible. I overcame that by running my BUIS in such scenarios.

 

[Indy Wing Chun]

I posted some notes about that to him. I'm looking into some options to reduce that, but they are all in the planning stage right now. When I get it back I'll move into the R&D phase.

 

[Fenway]

How did I miss this. Epic review Evan!

How is the aimpoint battery life so much better? Is it because of the small dot?

 

[shooter521]

How is the aimpoint battery life so much better? Is it because of the small dot?

Different technology used in generating the reticle, AFAIK.

 

[Fenway]

I see

Different technology used in generating the reticle, AFAIK.

 

[mvician]

Aimpoint = reflected LED

EOTech = laser image

 

[JeepCrasher]

Great review top to bottom. I'm not even going to try and argue your very valid points. But i have an EXPS 4-2 with 4 vertical 1moa ranging dots inside a 65 moa circle and i like it alot. But one difference i noted was my on/off intensity buttons are on the side not the rear of the optic. Thus making mine more magnifier friendly. Having this option would the eotech have gotten any bonus point?

Later

 

[esrice]

Having this option would the eotech have gotten any bonus point?

While I'm still not a fan of the dual push buttons (opposed to a single rotary knob), having them on the side would certainly be a better position IMO.

 

[rhino]

Different technology used in generating the reticle, AFAIK.

It's the [Quotey Fingers]Laser Beam[/Quotey Fingers].

 

[ryand111]

Thanks for all your guy's help. I think I wanna look more into aimpoint, the only bad thing i herd about them, is that it takes away your field of view

 

[esrice]

the only bad thing i herd about them, is that it takes away your field of view

Whoever said that doesn't know what "field of view" is. You can have an increased or decreased field of view, but "taking it away" would mean you can't see anything.

FOV is most often talked about with magnified scopes and refers to how much area you can see from side-to-side at a given distance. One scope may allow you to see 50 feet side-to-side when looking at 100 yards, while another may have a wider FOV and allow you to see 75 feet wide (numbers used just as examples). That is useful when talking about magnified scopes because you're viewing down the tube with just one eye and that eye has to gather all the information.

Red dot sights are used with BOTH eyes open, thereby giving you a FOV only limited by your vision itself. The only thing that really matters in regards to red dots and FOV is how much of the sight body actually blocks part of your vision. And your eyes work together to eliminate most "blind" spots.

Some will say that the larger the optic window the better FOV it has. What they mean is that there's more area for the dot to "float" around in. While this can be advantageous, going bigger also means a heavier sight with larger blind spots.

Check out the videos in this thread to see some guys describe and demonstrate how Aimpoints work: https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...r/252094-gratuitous_aimpoint_love_inside.html

And I would encourage you to shoot both an EOTech and an Aimpoint if you have no previous RDS experience. I find that those who have never used one rarely understand them on description alone.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Good point Esrice...it is hard to describe unless you've shot with them. Once I shot the aimpoint, I was hooked. I'm still rocking old school 4MOA full size aimpoints (one is a PRO, the other a COMP M2), but have found that they are perfectly acceptable for 200yd work on both my .223 and .300BLK platforms.

Sounds like we may need a few regional INGO RDS "Shoot and See" get togethers...or maybe expand it to a few more common AR optics to include ACOG's and maybe even some of the 1-4 offerings.