ELECTRONICS 2023

by Brad Fitzpatrick

Like every other industry, the shooting, hunting, and outdoor trades segment has become more reliant on technology in recent years. In fact, it’s difficult to sift through all the new e-products at SHOT this year, and it would be impossible to list every new technology product here. But we’ll take a closer look at how electronics are enhancing our time outdoors.

That’s a very different stance than many people had on electronics and the outdoors just few years ago. For a time, new technology like cellphones seemed to be at odds with experiencing the world around us, but what we’re learning is that advanced technology can improve our time outdoors, not just distract us from it. A whole new generation of hunters, shooters, and outdoor enthusiasts has used technology in every facet of their lives since childhood, but in today’s world even the most ardent anti-tech shooter or hunter can find some benefit in the latest electronics.

There are real benefits to the age of new outdoor technology, as you’ll see here. Rangefinders help us shoot more accurately. Electronic hearing protection preserves our hearing while allowing us to communicate effectively in the field. Even the way we cook wild game and fish has been touched by the long finger of technology—and all of these are for the better.

Here’s a rundown of several of the new technology products you’ll see on display at SHOT 2023. They and others like them are symbolic of a large, growing trend in the hunting, shooting, and outdoor space: the increased use of technology not as a distraction but as a way to enhance and enjoy the activities we already love.

Garmin has long been the leader in GPS technology, and their expansive list of products are used by millions of Americans every day for route navigation, exercise tracking, and much more. Garmin has always had a strong relationship with the hunting, shooting, and outdoor communities, and the company has released some high-tech devices that are must-haves in the field. Chief among those is the new tactix 7 watch, an advanced tactical smartwatch that offers GPS navigation, health and wellness monitoring, public-land boundary maps, and more. tactix 7 watches with Applied Ballistics technology even offers customized aiming solutions for long-range shooting on your watch, allowing you to make holdover and windage adjustments with minimal movement. These watches come with 1.4-inch display, sapphire lens, and a dual touchscreen with a five-button touchscreen. These watches are MIL-STD-810 and water rated to 10 ATM, and with durable features like metal button guards and reinforced metal lugs paired with the black DLC coated titanium bezel and rear cover, you can be sure that your tactix 7 will withstand even the worst conditions. There’s even a Stealth mode that records distance traveled and biometric data without recording location to preserve operational security. Never before has so much tactical (and practical) technology been strapped to your wrist. Booth #41755

(garmin.com)

I grew up around hunters and shooters, and I remember that many of them were hard of hearing or effectively deaf. At some point in my youth I realized that, with proper precautions, shooters need not lose their hearing, and since then I’ve tried to wear hearing protection every time I fired a gun. Sometimes, however, hearing protection is, to put it frankly, a pain. Wearing earplugs makes it more difficult to communicate with hunting companions and muffs tend to contact the stock of a rifle or shotgun. Thankfully, companies like Axil now offer electronic hearing protection that protects hearing without interfering with the experience.

Axil offers a full line of medical-grade hearing aids with protection and all-inone earbuds to cover outdoor applications. One example of this is the GS Electronic. These are small and comfortable earphones with a rechargeable lanyard to control the volume. Designed to protect your hearing from the report of a firearm, they at the same time allow you to enjoy the conversation in a duck blind or hear the commands of the range officer at your shooting range. The Automatic Hearing Protection feature automatically shuts out sounds above 85 dB. SRP: $139.

The GS Custom (SRP: $699.99) can act as a hearing enhancement tool or as a hearing protection tool. It’s also Bluetooth-enabled for studio sound quality or hands-free communication. Booth #14845

(goaxil.com)

Night-vision technology has opened our eyes to a whole new world, and this year SIONYX is taking night-vision equipment to a new level with the introduction of their color night-vision OPSIN DNVM1 helmeted-mounted monocular. At the heart of this unit is SIONYX’s XQE-1350 Black Silicon sensor that offers unrivaled low-light clarity, allowing you to see in moonless, starlit conditions.

But the OPSIN is about more than simple observation. It offers recording and navigation technology and the digital display is easy to see and read. This allows you to make adjustments quickly and easily, all without losing track of your surroundings. Plus, the EAR99 classification makes OPSIN night-vision equipment available globally with minimal restrictions on law enforcement and military end users.

“Digital night vision is a nascent technology with exploding demand and endless opportunity to evolve,” says Gio Lepore, global product manager for SIONYX. “The rapid development of new technologies and increasing interconnectedness across defense systems demands digital night-vision integration. Operators today rely on technologies that improve their levels of situational awareness and intel with the least number of devices and maintenance. OPSIN, paired with the companion mobile app, also allows for flexible firmware updates, so as we develop our digital capabilities and improve image processing the unit can be updated in the field. There’s no need to acquire a new device.”

OPSIN’s extra-large 1920x1080 HD micro-OLED display and broad field of view make it easy to survey surroundings, and the user can adjust features like frame rate (30/60/90 per second) without being distracted. This level of performance is making it easier for military and law enforcement professionals to do their job safely and efficiently, and it’s one of the reasons SIONYX is a leader in the night-vision market segment. Booth #75111

(sionyx.com)

Twenty-two years ago while I was a biology student at the University of Cincinnati I spent a summer collecting data on wildlife movement from “camera traps.” At the time, these cameras were rudimentary and generally failed to seal out moisture. Shutter speed was biased toward low-light shooting, so any fast movement resulted in a blurred images. Worst of all, checking pictures meant pulling film from the cameras to have developed.

It's hard to believe that was just two decades ago when you consider today’s advanced trail cameras, and one of the leaders in that arena is Wildgame Innovations. The company’s Terra camera is network-certified by both Verizon and AT&T so you can pick your favorite provider. Both models are supported by Wildgame Innovations’ HuntSmart app so you can see images in real time with service plans starting at just $12 a month. So long as there is Verizon or AT&T service, the camera can also send images to T-Mobile, Sprint, or other carriers. The HuntSmart app is capable of storing and sorting pictures and even recognizing species. What’s more, the camera comes with solar panels that send 20mp pictures directly to your phone without ever having to change a battery.

Even if you aren’t interested in cellular cameras with monthly plans, Wildgame Innovations offers modern trail cameras with advanced features. Their new Mirage camera shoots 30mp images and 720p HD video and features a 12-volt jack that allows for the use of solar panels just like the Terra. However, perhaps the most amazing thing about this camera is the price, which is under $90. Booth #12669

(wildgameinnovations.com)

We’re continuing to see improvements in the design and function of red-dot reflex optics, and one example is Steiner’s MPS, or Micro Pistol Sight. Its all-metal construction and closed walls protect the emitter from dirt and debris, ensuring a clear field of view under all conditions. In addition, the body features a “hood” that further protects the recessed front lens, further ensuring that end users will be able to see clearly and get on target quickly when using this red-dot sight. The controls are easy to use and allow you to toggle quickly through the eight different brightness settings. Battery life is an outstanding 13,000 hours, so you won’t have to worry about running low on power at the most inopportune time, and of course these optics use high-quality Steiner glass.

The MPS’s rugged and durable design make it appealing, but what’s perhaps most impressive is that this unit weighs in at just 2.05 ounces. It’s designed to fit Aimpoint ACRO footprints, but there’s an included mounting plate that allows you to use Doctor-style footprints as well. Just how good is the MPS? Well, this optic has been approved by Texas’s Lubbock and Cross Roads Police Departments as well as the Arlington SWAT department. Clearly, law-enforcement agencies see the value in today’s lightweight, durable red-dot reflex sights like the innovative new MPS from Steiner. Booth #13031

(steiner-optics.com)

Outdoor cooking used to be a rudimentary process over a grill, in a smoker, or over an open flame. That’s still a great way to cook, but we all know that our busy lives don’t always allow us to spend hours hovering over our food to cook it perfectly.

That’s where Camp Chef’s Woodwind Pro smoker comes in. It’s equipped with a WiFi-enabled PID controller so you can monitor cooking through the Camp Chef Connect app. You can also choose from 10 different levels of smoke, and the patent-pending Smoke Box allows you to add hardwood chunks or charcoal for the type of complex smoke flavoring that wins competitions and keeps the best chefs behind Camp Chef grills. Another feature that top chefs demand from their smoker is even heat, and the Woodwind Pro provides that with double-wall construction, a gasketed lid, and “down and out” ventilation. Available temperatures range from 160 to 500 degrees, so you can cook meat low and slow or fast and high. A 22-pound hopper keeps plenty of pellets on tap when needed, and the Woodwind Pro is Camp Chef Sidekick compatible. The all-new Woodwind Pro 24 offers 811 square inches of total rack surface area and a chamber capacity of 4,850 cubic inches while the larger Woodwind 36 boasts 1,236 square inches of rack space and a chamber capacity of 7,000 cubic inches. Both grills allow for easy cleanout of ash. Advanced technology has found its way into Camp Chef’s new smoker, and every carnivore is better off for it. Booth #11838

(campchef.com)

Reflex sights have become so popular on handguns that they’re practically considered standard equipment, and that’s a good thing. You can, with practice, shoot a handgun more quickly with a reflex sight than you can with iron sights, and reflex sights offer an illuminated aiming point in any light conditions. Shooters and hunters with aging eyes also find that reflex sights are much easier to see, and for the substantial percentage of shooters who are cross-eye dominant a reflex sight can be very beneficial.

Over time, reflex sights have evolved to be tougher and more user-friendly. One complaint that many shooters have when first using reflex sights is that the narrow window makes it hard to see the dot and limits peripheral visibility. But Hawke Optics has an answer to that in the form of their Reflex Sight Wide View. This optic features 25-layer multi-coated lenses and comes with a 2 MOA dot. The aluminum housing is lightweight, which keeps overall weight to just 3 ounces, and that means it won’t add a lot of bulk to your firearm. The Picatinny rail attachment allows you to secure this sight to most shotguns and rifles, and it’s perfect for turkey, hog, and deer hunting to moderate range. But there are a growing number of target and hunting handguns equipped with rails from companies like Ruger, Taurus, and Smith & Wesson, and this sight is ideal for those guns. The new Hawke reflex sight has eight different brightness settings that can be adjusted with the touch of a button, allowing you to find the perfect brightness to match ambient light conditions. Booth #43126

(hawkeoptics.com)

Human beings rely more heavily on vision than any other sense, which is why good lights are so important. Streamlight offers a number of innovative lighting products including their new TLR-8 sub and TLR G sub weapons-mounted lights. Designed for today’s popular micro-compact pistols, these lights provide 500 lumens and 5,000 candela of white light that is focused directly ahead. What’s more, in addition to their intense main beam (which reaches to 141 meters) these lights also offer enough peripheral illumination that they light up a room, perfect for house-clearing exercises during home-defense situations.

In addition to their white light capabilities, the TLR-8 sub family offers the added benefit of a laser. The TLR-8 sub comes with a red laser while the TLR-8 G sub comes with a green laser, and the unit can be set to activate the light, laser, or both simultaneously as needed. Activation is simple, thanks to the included switches which ride alongside the left and right edges of the front of the pistol’s trigger guard. There are also high- and low-tail switches that can be changed out depending upon the end user’s preference. Power comes via a 3V lithium CR123A battery with a life of up to 60 hours, and the light doesn’t need to be removed from the firearm to change the battery. Adjusting point of impact is fast and easy using the included wrench.

Micro-compact pistols are designed to be lightweight, and at 2.77 ounces the TLR-8 sub doesn’t add much bulk to your firearm. These light/laser combos are easy to install, constructed from rugged 6000 series aircraft grade aluminum, and make your personal defense firearm much more versatile and functional. Booth #11468

(streamlight.com)

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