Armasight Sidekick 640 Mini Thermal Monocular: Power In the Palm Of Your Hand

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One of the smallest and most powerful for size thermal optics you can find, the Armasight Sidekick combines advanced technology with minimal form factor to put the power to own the night in the palm of your hand. 

Facts, features, and why you should consider adding a Sidekick to your arsenal…

SIDEKICK 640 SPECS:

• Detector Type: ArmaCORE™ 640×480 12um Thermal Core
• Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
• Thermal Sensitivity: NETD < 40mK
• Detection Range: 709m on a Human Sized Target
• Recognition Range: 177m on a Human Sized Target
• Identification Range: 111m on a Human Sized Target
• Eye Relief: 15mm
• Field of View: 24.16° x 17.37°
• Optical Magnification: 1x
• Digital Zoom: 1x – 4x
• Display: XGA (1024 x 768) OLED
• Graphics: Active On-Screen Graphics and Iconology
• Lens System: F/1.00; 19mm manual focus
• Diopter Adjustment: -5 to +5 dpt
• Power Supply: 1 x CR123A or 2 x CR123A / 1 x 16650
• Battery Life: 1x / 2x CR123A – 1.5h / 5.5h at 20°C (68°F)
• Low Battery Indicator: Yes
• Memory: 4 Hours of Video
• Image Processing: Digital Enhancement
• Environmental Rating: IP67
• Operating Temperature: -40° C to +50° C (-40° F to + 122° F)
• Dimensions: 104.90 x 65.28 x 59.69 mm / 4.13 x 2.57 x 2.35 in
• Weight: 254g / 0.56lbs. w/ rubber eyecup; no battery
• Warranty: 3 years w/ registration
• MSRP: $3,000

SUPERPOWER WITH A SIDEKICK

The Armasight Sidekick is one of the lightest, smallest, and most handy thermal units you can find on the market. Able to detect human-sized thermals at over 700 meters, this tiny thermal monocular has a ton of power hidden inside.

Hardware alone isn’t all that the Sidekick has going for it. The software used in the Sidekick makes accessing all of the features and settings easy through its three-button interface. Thermal overlay options include white hot, black hot, predator and a lot more, making it easy to find the right color palette for the environment and conditions you’re in. Once dialed in, the Sidekick unlocks superpower vision technology that helps keep humans at the top of the food chain.

IMAGE, RANGE, DISPLAY

With a host of different color modes the Sidekick has an impressive array of options available to make whatever it is you’re trying to see a lot more visible. From predator vision to white hot to black hot, trying out the different options will open up what works best in different conditions. 

Even though the Sidekick is a compact, lightweight thermal it still has a lot of range for a device this size. With a max human-size range of 700 meters, finding even small animals like rabbits is easy within 50-75 meters. The shorter range and smaller size are great for hunts that don’t require extreme distance. 

Combined with the 1024 x 768 OLED, making it easy to detect detail in the field and the Sidekick delivers a huge amount of performance. 

SIDEKICK VS. WARDEN

In almost every way, the Armasight Sidekick 640 is a smaller, lighter, closer range version of the new Warden 640 monocular. But one major benefit of the Sidekick is the ability to mount it on headsets or helmets for hands-free use. 

In terms of performance, the Warden has more detection range and a 2x optical zoom. But both the Sidekick and the Warden have 4x digital zoom, making the difference not as critical. The Warden also has a longer battery life, but the Sidekick comes with a battery extender allowing for the use of two CR123A batteries, which more than double the battery life of the monocular and puts it ahead of the Warden.

The Sidekick also comes in a little less expensive with a $3,000 MSRP vs. the Warden’s $3,500 MSRP. 

Under the hood, both the Warden and Sidekick run on basically the same hardware, each sporting the ArmaCORE 640×480 12um Thermal Core and an XGA 1024 x 768 OLED display.

What thermal will be best for you comes down to your personal needs, since both the Warden and the Sidekick are excellent options. If weight and size are your main concern, the Sidekick delivers a lot of power in an incredibly small unit. It also has the ability to be mounted on helmets for hands-free use.

But if you’re looking for the most range possible, the Warden is a clear winner, being able to detect human-sized thermal signatures at almost twice the distance of the Sidekick. 

LOOSE ROUNDS

Having the right tool for the job is often the difference between getting the job done and failure. Armasight’s Sidekick is the right tool for a lot of jobs. And because it is small, handy, and always ready, the Sidekick is there when you need it most. It might not have all of the range that the larger thermal units like the Armasight Warden have, but the Sidekick makes up for it in convenience and flexibility.