The infusion of technology in modern optics isn’t solely focused on long-range riflescopes and military gear. Binoculars are getting their due, too.
Among the newest offerings from American Technologies Network are the Binox 6 Dual Multi-Spectral Binoculars. Pairing a thermal tube on one side of the unit with a daytime and night vision tube on the other, the Binox 6 Dual binos are built with ATN’s 6th Generation thermal core and are available in the following sensor options:
--256×192 with ≤20 mK sensitivity
--384×288 with ≤15 mK sensitivity
--640×512 with ≤15 mK sensitivity.
Matched up with a 1.8-inch 4K CMOS day sensor and a built-in IR illuminator for night vision, the Binox 6 Dual provides hunters, law enforcement, search-and-rescue and property owners with the ability to scan from bright daylight to total darkness with its daylight, nightlight, twilight and thermal image modes.
The Binox 6 Dual even boasts a built-in 1,000-yard laser rangefinder.
Altogether, it’s quite a technological package in a traditional binocular housing that is just 8.3 inches long and weighs 1.61 pounds.
When I received the Binox 6 Dual 640×512 with 3 – 24 thermal magnification for testing, I immediately took a deep dive into the owner’s manual and a couple ATN videos to figure out all the tech, features and capabilities. I have a good deal of experience with thermal units and enough time with night vision to know my way around the tech. But thermal, night vision and daytime in one unit?
Learning curve time for me.
Getting Familiar
Basics first, though.
The right tube of the binoculars is a dedicated thermal unit, while the left tube provides daytime and night vision viewing. Atop the rear of the unit are the various controls, including the power button, the control wheel/menu selector and other buttons to access the various functions.
In between the tubes and facing the front is a round IR illuminator with the unit’s laser rangefinder sitting just below. At the front end of each tube is a nicely textured focus ring, which both worked very smoothly for me. Diopters at the rear of each tube provide further sharpening of images. Rubberized eye shades are also attached.
The rear eyepieces can adjust for “interpupillary distance.” That’s a technical way of saying the user can shift the eye pieces to the right and left for the best fit given the distance between the user’s eyes.
A pair of rechargeable 18650 Lithium batteries power the Binox 6 Duals, and are included, plus a recharging station and the necessary cord. ATN rates the batteries at providing up to eight hours of power. The batteries fit into compartments at the bottom side of each tube.
The bottom of the binocular bridge holds a USB-C port for downloading media, connecting to an external power source, and updating firmware. A standard tripod mount is also found here.
The unit’s housing is made of a magnesium alloy.
At the Controls
My learning curve began with understanding and using the controls.
The power button, center front of the control pad, was obvious enough. What was less intuitive to me was the control wheel just below the power button. I pressed down on the wheel to bring up the various menus.
The menus are fairly extensive, not surprising as the unit allows you to switch between thermal, daytime and night vision modes, plus select adjustments within each mode.
Basic image adjustments across the modes are brightness, contrast, sharpness and palette selection.
There are two control buttons on each tube, which, depending on the button, allow the user to activate the laser rangefinder, record media, select/change palettes and activate picture-in-picture, and much more.
The thermal and daytime magnifications are accessed easily enough — just spin the control wheel and the unit zooms up or down.
Photos and videos are also easy to take. A short press of the button on the left rear of the unit takes a 1080P HD photo; a long press starts or ends a 4K video. And, media is quickly viewed by opening the gallery within the menu, which is home to all the photos and videos stored on the unit’s 64 GB of internal memory.
Built-in Wi-Fi allows another option for sharing media.
I took photos and videos in thermal and night modes, and they came out very clear, the objects well delineated.
The unit’s laser rangefinder can operate continuously or in single ranging mode. The precise, blue ranging reticle got me on target quickly, while the range distance appeared almost immediately on the top right hand of the display.
In the Field
I used the Binox 6 Dual binoculars in all the available modes, during daylight and nighttime, over the course of three days.
The unit’s thermal capabilities were impressive. I had no trouble registering heat signatures of deer-sized animals out past 500 yards or so. I tracked vehicles and, at 300 yards, a retreating truck’s hot tail pipe was clearly visible and distinct from the rest of the vehicle.
Thermal palettes changed easily to match environmental conditions. Paired with the quickly deployed rangefinder, the binoculars would take the guesswork out of accurately determining distances in the thermal mode.
The unit’s night vision allowed for better detail when trying to identify a heat source that appeared in the thermal mode. Having an IR Illuminator essentially co-witnessed with the night vision was a real plus, and the ability to widen or narrow the IR beam definitely helped me in the field.
ATN enhanced the IR illuminator with its Smart IR technology, which automatically adjusted brightness based on my surroundings.
In the Day Image Mode, images were clean and sharp edged. Magnification in this mode runs from 5.5 to 44x, and the images remained surprisingly clear even as I approached the higher end of the magnification limit.
The unit’s Picture-in-Picture function allows the user to bring up the smaller square picture above the main image and then zoom the magnification on the PiP image. You can even use the PiP in one mode while the main image is in another mode.
For example, I ran the unit on the Thermal mode and then brought up the PiP and set it on the Night mode. This allowed me to access the generally better detail of night vision once I’d spotted my target’s heat with the thermal.
Targeting Customers
Who are your prime customers for this very high-tech and fairly expensive unit?
“The customer is the serious outdoorsman who wants versatility without carrying multiple devices — hog and predator hunters, land managers, and property owners,” said James Munn, CEO of American Technology Network, Corp. “It also includes professionals like search-and-rescue teams and law enforcement who benefit from multispectral awareness in one compact tool.”
Add in livestock owners’ intent on protecting herds and property. Likewise, perimeter security personnel at prisons, nuclear plants, power stations, and secured facilities are also prime users of this technology.
Don’t forget bird watchers and wildlife observers, too.
“The best way to sell Binox 6 is to demonstrate its versatility,” Munn said. “Position it as the ‘one optic solution.’"
He suggested displaying the Binox 6 alongside traditional binoculars to highlight the leap in capability the unit represents. Smart sales staff will also record thermal or day footage on the display unit to show customers real-world uses.
“Customers immediately understand the value when they see it replaces multiple tools,” he added.
Dealer Support
ATN supports its dealers with:
- Printed brochures and spec sheets
- Counter cards and signage
- Digital assets for in-store displays or websites
- Product imagery and video content
ATN also offers in-store or virtual product training for staff and sales support and education resources. In select cases, co-op advertising opportunities are available; ATN offers occasional sales staff incentive programs tied to specific promotions.
While independent retailers can purchase direct from ATN, Munn noted that, “Most ATN dealers find it more efficient to work through their preferred distributor, allowing them to bundle purchases and streamline logistics.”
ATN works with the major sporting goods distributors and is aligned with industry buying groups.
To become an ATN dealer, retailers can apply directly through ATN or simply access ATN products through their existing distributor relationships.
New Opportunity
As it is a very new product, the initial exposure of the market to the Binox 6 Dual came through trade events like the SHOT Show and early previews. But ATN has since rolled out comprehensive marketing and advertising campaigns for the Binox 6 line, with significant digital, magazine, and video coverage dropping throughout 2026.
“Binox 6 represents the start of ATN's new 6th Generation platform,” said Munn. “This is not an update, but a true leap forward in multispectral optics. For dealers, this is an opportunity to get in early on a new category of product that combines multiple technologies into one unit, backed by ATN's established distribution network and dealer support structure.”
