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Explore and record the dark with our pick of the best night vision goggles for scoping out the night.

Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast who wants to observe the nightlife, or just a curious camper who wants to see a different side of the outdoors, a pair of night vision goggles will give you a better sense of what’s around you after sunset.

There’s a varied range of goggles or binoculars to choose from depending on your intended use, with some that boast a further range which is particularly ideal for watching wildlife without causing any disturbance, while others feature built-in cameras so you can record your surroundings.

For a comprehensive list, check out our picks of the best night vision goggles and binoculars below.

Fitted with an LCD screen, these night vision goggles won’t just let you see in the dark, they’ll let you record it in high definition video too, with the additional option to take photographs.

With a range of up to 984 feet you should be able to navigate through the dark and watch the wildlife, saving anything of interest to the 32GB memory card which comes included. 

The goggles themselves have seven infrared settings to help you scope out your subject, and should run between five to six hours on a single charge.

Designed for casual “civilian” use, these night vision goggles from Nightfox provide a viewing range of up to 70 metres, with a three hour battery life which can be recharged ahead of your next night time exploration. 

They come with a head mount included so your hands are free to toggle with the magnification and digital zoom settings. You can also adjust the screen brightness as well as the widescreen settings on the monitor to get the most out of the goggles, and  make sure they’re specifically suited to your vision.

Ditch the carrot myth and introduce your kids to real night vision, with these goggles from the Science Mad! store.

Combining blue tinted lenses with a bright LED light, these should be able to help those aged six and up get a better sense of the dark. They have a scope that flips out as well as a magnifying lens that can help improve the vision. 

It also comes with a head strap that can be adjusted for a snug fit as well as a nose pad to keep things comfortable.

Claiming to be the world’s first action camera with colour night vision, this scope-shaped monocular from SiOnyx boasts a night vision that’s so good it will almost look like daytime.

Relying on the low light produced by the moon or stars it also doubles as a camera when paired with the Aurora app which lets you view and download any images you’ve captured.

This is also a water-resistant option so can be taken out on a lake or river if you’re heading out for a night time boat ride.

If you want a pair of binoculars that will let you watch from afar in total darkness, these boast a range of up to 1300 feet thanks to its digital zoom. 

Running on eight AA batteries it should last eight hours, or half that if you’re using the IR illuminator which will provide a clearer view but drain the charge more quickly. 

You can hang them around your neck thanks to the compatible strap, or even mount them on a tripod if you want to camp out and see what wanders into your path.

These binoculars from Nightfox go farther than their vision goggles, with 3x magnification as well as a 2x digital zoom to help you see up to 100 metres at night. R unning on eight AA batteries, they should produce six hours of battery life. 

The interface claims be simple to understand so you can immediately start exploring the darkness. Just bear in mind these aren’t appropriate for stargazing, and they can’t be used through glass so you’ll need to head outdoors if you want to spot anything.

Andrew Lloyd is a digital writer covering the latest gadgets, appliances and devices across Immediate Media's special interest brands. Whether you’re relaxing at home, exploring a mountainside, or staring into space, he likely has a recommendation for you.

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