X-Vision Flex 2 Review: Reflex Style Thermal Sight

Once you go thermal, you can’t go back. Thermal optics completely change the hunting experience and change the typical aiming process. A thermal sight allows you to see hidden targets like a coyote crouched behind a clump of grass. With a traditional optic, you would see the clump of grass but not the coyote. With a thermal optic, that coyote can be seen as plain as day. Add a wide field of view of a reflex sight, and you have the basis of the X-Vision Flex 2, which combines a thermal sight with the speed of a reflex sight. 

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A thermal optic is not a typical optic. Consider a thermal optic more like a computer. Instead of looking through the lens at a target, the thermal creates a picture of heat in pixels, which appears on a screen. The X-Vision Flex 2 has one of the largest screens on any thermal optic. It features a 2.56-inch AMOLED screen, similar to what is used on a smartphone.

A 25mm objective lens in the front of the unit gathers the visual data and displays it on the screen. The lens is focused using the ring on the objective lens. The display is customized by using the joystick control. Fewer buttons make the optic simpler to use. The Flex 2 makes it easy to customize the display. I needed to run through the menu a few times before it became rote, but it is user-friendly. If you can use a smartphone, you can use the X-Vision Flex 2. 

The screen, when powered up, displays status info at the top edge for color palette, contrast highlight, magnification, zeroing distance, laser, battery life and more. You can adjust screen brightness, magnification, image colors, reticle type and reticle colors. You can also set up the sight with different calibers, so in theory, you can remove the sight and attach it to different rifles. The Fex 2 can be attached to a grip, and then you can use the optic to scan and view without the sight mounted to a rifle.

The quick-release Picatinny rail makes moving the Flex 2 from a rifle to the grip easy. I didn’t see a major shift in point of impact when I swapped the optic between the grip and rifle. The mount allows mounting the Flex 2 to any firearm with a rail, so that means shotguns and handguns are potential recipients.

The picture-in-picture feature mode allows you to view the target at twice what the main screen is showing. There are six reticles in four colors, and five color palettes. You can also take photos or record videos. I would have liked to see a slot for an SD card, since the Flex 2 is only compatible with PC devices, not Apple devices. This is also a reason to have an app for the sight to store sighting-in data, photos, and videos. The Flex 2 has all the features you expect in a thermal optic. It also features a built-in range finder with a 1,700-yard detection range.

I first attached the Flex 2 to the grip and used it to view deer and squirrels. Images are clear, making it easy to identify baby bucks and baby does.

The list of Pros for the Flexv2 is obvious: compact, yet large screen; user-friendly controls; and fast and easy mounting. In my opinion, the Cons of the X-Vision Flex 2 are that it needs better connectivity for a variety of devices. I also found it hard to view in bright daylight conditions, just like a smartphone.

I mounted the Flex 2 on a Bear Creek Arsenal upper chambered in 6.5 Grendel. I have had excellent results with BCA uppers, and I like the low cost, which allows me to use a variety of calibers on my AR-15 lower. This particular BCA upper cost me about $220 and features an 18-inch heavy stainless steel barrel and a mid-length gas system.

It is also set up with a right-side charging handle and comes with a BCG, a 15-inch MLOK rail, and an M4 flat-top billet upper receiver, so there were plenty of options to mount the Flex 2. I mounted the Flex 2 about the same distance my eye would be away from the ocular lens on a traditional rifle scope.

There is one button and a joystick. That’s it for the controls. Press the gray power button, and the unit boots up. Use the joystick to navigate the menu. I selected the white hot palette color and a fine crosshair reticle in red. Starting at 25 yards, I taped a hand warmer to a piece of cardboard. The hand warmer popped on the Flex 2 screen. You could also use a piece of black tape on light colored cardboard.  I used a rest and fired a round, then in the menu, I used the joystick to move the reticle to the point of impact. To zero, you chase the holes from your original aiming point. That was easy. I tweaked the zero so it was dead on at 100 yards.

I used the Flex 2 in high noon sunlight and low-light, dark conditions. In bright light, the Flex2 reminded me of a cell phone screen. It was hard to see, but I used the brim of my hat to shade the screen to view it better without glare. In low light and dark conditions, it was easy to view the screen.

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You don’t get that tunnel vision effect with a traditional rifle scope. The display screen is large. Keeping both eyes open is more natural since it feels like you are looking into a small video game screen. The field of view is about 55 feet at 100 yards. Once zeroed, the Flex 2 was a simple sight to use effectively. Cranking up the magnification, the display quickly becomes pixelated, so I kept the magnification on low. Two batteries and a recharger are included with the unit, and that is a good thing because the Flex2 goes through batteries quickly. Run time is about five hours.

Like most thermal optics, the price is steep at $3,499.99. The X-Vision Flex 2 is, however, a different type of thermal optic that uses a reflex-style system.

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