If you're looking to purchase a gen 3 night vision device (NVD) such as a PVS-7, PVS-14, etc. you need to plan to spend more to get the right accessories and equipment to properly use & enjoy it.
Wearing your NVD
You can start with using the standard head mount (aka skull crusher) which is normally included with -7's & -14's but trust me you'll hate it. The best way to head mount these devices is to wear a plastic "bump" helmet and attach your NVD to it with a mount. Bump helmets are much lighter than ballistic. The popular Ops Core Basejump, Team Wendy Exfil LTP, and SAR Tactical really are the best. There's a reason they're popular and it's because they are well made, conform to the head well, and include a night vision shroud to attach a NVD mount. You can find cheaper air soft replicas but their shrouds are cheap plastic which will break causing your NVD to fall off and hit the ground. Not good. You'd have to buy a proper shroud and at that point you'd be close to the price of a real Ops Core or Team Wendy. There is nylon head gear like the Crye Precision Night Cap that works okay with a single PVS-14. You'll need to buy a shroud as they don't include one. I recommend a helmet because you'll want more stuff like infrared lights, strobes, patches, etc. PVS-14's normally come with a j-arm which has a thumbnail camera screw that goes into the -14 and it has what's called a bayonet horn that plugs into mounts such as the Rhino II. PVS-7's come with the bayonet horn attached to it's housing so it doesn't need a j-arm. The mount has a plate that inserts into the shroud. A lot of new users get confused over arms, mounts, and shrouds. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Accessories for your NVD
The #1 accessory you'll want is an infrared illuminator. This is basically a flashlight with an infrared LED. I recommend getting a dual spectrum light such as the InForce WML IR or a Surefire V series (Vampire). Dual spectrum means it puts out both visible and infrared light. This is useful because you'll need white light to see stuff with your NVD flipped up and the IR light helps your NVD see better when it's really dark or looking into dark spaces where moon or starlight can't go. The #2 accessory is a lanyard that attaches your NVD to your helmet. This can be as simple as DIY paracord. Wilcox offers retractable lanyards that can attach to certain shrouds or webbing ran through a bump helmet. PVS-7's and -14's also come with sacrificial lenses that cover the NVD's lens to protect it from getting scratched. I personally don't use them unless for some reason I'd be wearing my NVD's in a dust storm in which case I'd put them on.
Safety gear
The #3 accessory I strongly recommend is a signaling device that attaches to your helmet or body. If you'll be out with other people using NVD's get a dual spectrum strobe. You want dual spectrum for your friends with NVD's will see it in IR mode and if you're alone to activate the visible mode for people without NVD's to see it. A visible mode is crucial if something happens to you and you call for help. A bright flashing visible light will do the trick. You can use a handheld visible flashlight but if you become unconscious or incapacitated you could drop it or release the activation button. The strobe will stay on and is attached to you. A good alternative is a headlamp that has a flashing SOS or beacon setting. Also, the battery run time is much, much lower with a flashlight turned on versus intermittent flashing. I also recommend a strobe or steady marker to stick on your dog if you'll take him along. I prefer visible mode on my dog if I'll be anywhere near other people because I don't want someone mistaking him for a coyote and taking a shot at him potentially hitting him or me.
There's a ton of night vision related gear but for beginners I recommend starting with these 3.
Want to add to the Accessories part about sacrificial lenses.
As i am mostly in the Airsoft scene there is a lot about lens protection and amber filters. To remember is that the sacrificial is as stated above ONLY for dust storms, attack puppy licks etc. they do not withstand any other forces.
TL;DR
There are 3 ways of protecting FRONT LENS and that involves poly carbonate protectors.
1. Pop out the glas in the sacrificial and add a Poly carbonate (will now be PC for the rest of the text) piece (3-4mm). This is a way that only involves having to fit 1 piece inside and you're done. Downside is that the holder is made for a PC lens that is about 1mm thick and any more than that comes to the cost of the holder not being on all the way and if not properly fitted will pop of inside the holder.
2. Butler Creek flip scope cover and a PC lens inside of it. Easy to do just as above and you get the possibility to do the infinite focus mod with a 5,5mm drill to make a hole in the center of the cap. Downside here is just aesthetics if you don't like the look, and that if you're unlucky the cap can get caught and ripped of.
Sizes of Butler Creek I recommend for a standard PVS14: Eye05 (36.4mm, SKU: MO20050) or Obj07 (36.3mm, SKU: 30070). Some will say get the Eye 09 or 09A, but that will need either some tape or orings to fit with friction.
3. 30mm camera filter holders. A very good way of protecting front lens to make sure that it stays in place. Just to screw into the front threading and it's there. Downside is that this takes up the threading and if you want to use a LIF you need to choose either one or the other, or also have one of the options above. Either source your own 30mm UV camera filter holder or find one online (for US i think opr8.com is a good source for a fast fix, but they are laser cut; see notes below about PC). In Europe i had them myself and at nighttec.net but high demand and a quality i didn't fell comfortable with sending army forces I am looking for a new option (see bottom of my post).
BACK LENSES - Protection and Amber (for those green people)
1. The traditional Wilcox Amber filter is an very easy way of just poping on and getting all that amber goodness. But here it's a glas variant and is only for dimming the green light. Do not use if you have a rhino arm and go on force on force of any kind. Downside is that it is very bulky and has on occasion poped off for some people bumping into things because of its design. Also some people think that the amber is way to dark that the dark places will be almost black again.
2. 30mm camera filter. Same as above you can use a clear lens and an amber variant. Oper8 has this too, in europe there is ACT in Black. To know getting the Amber variants is that Oper8 uses a acrylic (like Plexi) and ACT uses glass. To know is that Acrylic isn't as strong as PC and also scratches easy (but is easy to polish again) and glass is...glass, it doesn't withstand any force. If you use White Phosphorous (WP) just get a clear PC lens and you're set.
Downside here is that it takes up the threading in the back, if you want to use your eyepiece rubber holder ring (don't know the name) just unscrew the small retention ring inside the 30mm and screw in your original eyepiece holder into those threads. Keeps it low profile and functions still with the rubber thing. Remember that this way (not using the rubber eyepiece or eyepiece holder ring), whilst downgrading the intensity of the splashback gives a different angle and widens the splashback area on your face. Here i also want to add that i do not recommend a camera adapter on the eyepiece part if installed in combination of the 30mm holder, see notes below.
3. Random placements where it fits.
This method is everything about taping a piece of Acrylic to the back of your eyepiece and inside of the rubber eyepiece. Doesn't really matter if you only want the Amber effect, but for protection this can go either way. But remember: if it looks stupid but it works, it isn't stupid.
Last notes on my text above:
When choosing a PC:
Lexan is a very inexpensive brand of PC that you will see alot, but isn't very scratch resistant. usually has about a ~95-96% light throughput and works for a recreational user just fine. But there are a lot better brands with extreme scratch resistance and 98% throughput.
NEVER EVER CHOOSE A PC THAT IS LASER CUT. Some PC are heat resistant, but those are made for bending application at a certain heat level below laser cut tempratures. Laser cutting a PC degrades its lifetime, UV treatment can be degraded, can get a yellow-ish tint and burns on the sides. Especially 30mm filters cover the sides up, but the treatment of the whole piece can be comprimissed. Only choose machined PC.
Acrylic is totally fine to laser cut.
Note about 30mm UV Camera filter holder:
These are made for cameras. They aren't meant to withstand any forces or over tightening. When installing one you will see scratches on the threads on the first time. The metal and coating is only for weather withstanding, it isn't hardened or treated for multiple installations. This was what I didn't like about it when sending it to a couple of soldiers (yes, i notified them of my concerns). Scratches will show very easy.
Future solutions:
Without saying to much I am in the prototype stage of a front holder that is low profile, that will give you the option to have both a LIF and up to a 4mm PC piece but being even lower profile than a 30mm camera filter holder. LIF will be going on my specs negating strong Green Laser and also clearing up things below 750nm. Also this filter is replaceable.
For the back i will make a replacement for the eyepiece to be able to use all your existing adapters etc and be able to use any filter you want. Also fixes the angle for splashback.
Will also be in the works of making a PC in the same color as the Lite Amber so you don't need to choose amber or strong protection any more.
If there are any specifics about what i wrote i am happy to answer them.
Great info Senchoo. I have some of those UV filters and LIF's but unless it's a good moon out I never liked how they lower the performance. Never liked the GI issue sac lens and I don't use the rings for the eyepieces unless needing it for the DSLR adapter. In your situation I can see how protection is critical.
I do use mine where we get some pretty intense blowing dust sometimes so I'd love to see what you come up!
@Ho Lee Schiet,
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you're not trolling my site by linking a re-seller. This forum isn't for dealers. Just info. That page is all thermal and you posted in the night vision gear sub forum.
I've deleted your comment because of the link. If you legitimately are asking for advice on devices, post a new topic in the open discussion sub forum or the gen 3 or thermal depending on what you want information on. Thanks.