Thermal device accessories

A thermal imaging device in the field only works as well as its accessories. An adapter mounts the housing onto a riflescope or binoculars, a battery keeps the unit running through a whole night sit in a high seat, and a strap lets you carry the device through wet ground or dense forest without tying up your hands. This range covers Rusan Q-R adapters, Pulsar power sources and chargers, and straps for thermal monoculars, binoculars, scopes and clip-on units.

What thermal device accessories are for on a hunt

Accessories solve three practical problems: how to fix a thermal unit onto a firearm or optic, how to power it through hours of waiting in a high seat, and how to carry it safely outdoors. Without the right adapter a thermal scope sits off the bore axis, and without a spare battery a night hunt can end well before you planned.

A hunter pairing a thermal device with a rifle or binoculars often runs into mismatched mounting standards - one maker's adapter will not fit another's housing. So pick the accessory for your exact device model, not the general category. The same applies to batteries: different Pulsar units take different APS cells, so an old charged pack will not always fit a newer housing.

On a driven hunt, when game crosses fast, an accessory that works without a hitch can decide whether you spot the animal in time. On a quiet high-seat sit, weight and noise matter more than speed, so the right accessory depends on how you hunt that day.

Types of accessories available for your thermal device

The range splits into three main groups: adapters and mounting systems, power sources with batteries, and straps. Each group does a different job, and hunters usually buy them alongside the thermal device itself, or later when a worn or lost part needs replacing.

Rusan Q-R adapters and mounting systems

The Rusan Q-R system lets you clip a thermal device onto an optic and pull it off again without tools, even in the truck just before you walk to the high seat. The range includes adapters fitted for Pard FT32/FT32 LRF, Pulsar Krypton (63.5mm) and Guide TA435 (62mm), plus a Swarovski TMA56 adapter and a universal M52x0.75 thread adapter for optics. This system suits a hunter who runs the same unit both as a clip-on in front of daytime optics and as a stand-alone handheld monocular.

Pulsar power sources and batteries

Pulsar APS 2, APS 3 and APS 5T batteries with their chargers let you keep several cells topped up and swap them in the field in seconds without breaking off observation. External power packs IPS 7 and IPS 14 stretch runtime on long sits or driven hunts, when swapping a battery every hour in a high seat is not practical. A BPS 3xAA container works when you have not had a chance to charge a rechargeable cell ahead of time, and a PB8I external battery gives the device extra runtime in cold weather, when battery capacity drops faster than in summer.

Straps and carrying accessories

A Pulsar neck strap and the strap made for the Axion model let you carry a monocular on your neck or shoulder so your hands stay free for a firearm or a walking stick moving through undergrowth. Hunting wet or overgrown terrain, an adjustable strap with a secure mounting point cuts the risk of dropping the device when you cross a ditch or push through thick cover quietly, without noise that would spook game nearby.

How to choose the right adapter for your thermal device

Adapter choice comes down to your device model and mount diameter, not the general product name. Check these points before you order:

1. Identify your thermal device model and its mounting system - Pard, Pulsar Krypton and Guide TA435 all use different connector diameters.
2. Measure the optic or objective lens diameter in millimetres so the adapter matches an M52 or other thread exactly.
3. Decide whether you need a Q-R quick-release mechanism, if you plan to run the device both mounted on an optic and handheld.
4. Check the adapter's material and weight, since a heavy metal adapter on a light optic shifts the balance and the feel of aiming.
5. Compare the manufacturer's compatibility table against your exact rifle barrel or optic model before you buy.

If you are unsure which adapter code fits your housing, check first rather than guess - returning an adapter that has already been mounted and scratched after a hunt is harder than getting it right the first time.

Managing batteries in cold weather in the field

Cold is a battery's biggest enemy when you sit motionless for hours in a high seat or a ground blind. Capacity drops faster in low temperatures than in summer, so an experienced hunter keeps a spare APS cell in an inside jacket pocket, close to body heat, so it does not drain before observation even starts.

Charge every battery fully at home before you leave, and keep spares warm in the field until you swap them. An external power source like the IPS 14 suits long night sits, when changing a battery in the high seat would be awkward or noisy enough to spook game moving closer. Once home, put used batteries back on the charger so the next trip does not catch you with an empty cell.

Accessory care between hunts

An adapter and a strap last only as long as you clean off mud, sand or dew after each trip and check the thread has not started to loosen. Thermal devices travel through wet grass and boggy field edges often, and a metal adapter can rust if it sits damp in a bag until the next weekend hunt.

Store batteries at room temperature, away from damp gear, and keep them half-charged before a long break rather than fully drained or topped up. This extends the working life of APS and IPS cells.

Brands in this range

The accessory range is built from Pulsar, Rusan and Swarovski products, used alongside Pulsar, Pard, Guide and other makers' thermal devices. Pulsar accessories - batteries, chargers, straps - are made for Pulsar devices and fit those models without extra adjustment. Rusan adapters bridge different makers' optics and thermal housings, letting you pair devices that would not otherwise be compatible.

If you are after the thermal device itself rather than an accessory, take a look at thermal monoculars, thermal binoculars, thermal scopes or thermal clip-on units. If you are not sure which adapter, battery or strap fits your exact model, write to us - we will help you pick the right accessory.