HIKMICRO Habrok Pro 4K HX60L, the new gold standard? Combined day, night and thermal imaging device put to the test

Our colleagues Keno and Franco had already reported on the HIKMICRO Habrok 4K HE25LN and the Habrok 4K HX60L. Now it was time for me to take a closer look at the HIKMICRO Habrok 4K HX60L. My focus was not on a quick test, but rather I spent quite some time with the device to get a feel for it in actual practical use on the hunt.

At almost 6,000 euros, the device is without doubt the top model in the Habrok series. Naturally, the user expects a lot from such a price and we wanted to know whether HIKMICRO has succeeded in achieving such a great result. After all, in the fast-moving night vision and thermal imaging market, a manufacturer has to set the bar pretty high to be considered the gold standard.

Firmware update: image stabiliser for a steadier image

When I started my long-term test, the old firmware was still installed on the device. This ran reliably and left little to be desired. Nevertheless, I naturally wanted to start a practical test with the latest version of the software. I therefore carried out a firmware update, which was simple and uncomplicated. With the latest Habrok V5.5.81 firmware, a digital image stabiliser is now integrated, which ensures a smooth viewing experience even at high zoom levels of over 20x magnification. Speaking of "viewing experience" and "field of view": The HIKMICRO Habrok 4K HX60L offers a generous field of view of 12.6 m × 7.2 m at 100 meters. In contrast to other devices, the eye does not get tired even during long periods of use at night, as both eyes are used and the image is sharp and detailed. This is much easier for the brain to process than with a device where you only look with one eye.

HIKMICRO Habrok Pro HX60L technical specifications and price

HIKMICRO Habrok 4K HX60L: 5 devices combined in one multifunctional device

When you look at the Habrok 4K HX60L, you realise that it essentially combines five devices in one. Firstly, there is the thermal imaging handheld device, which starts with a zoom level of 2.6x and magnifies up to 20x. Point two would be the daylight mode, which works more or less like binoculars and starts with a basic magnification of 5.5x and magnifies up to 22x. Incidentally, the same values also apply to the night vision mode, which brings us to product number three. The Habrok 4K HX60L also has a laser rangefinder that measures distances of up to 1,000 metres, which brings us to product number four. Last but not least, the multifunction binoculars also have a video recording function, regardless of which mode you are in – so we have briefly touched on product number five. The advantages of these five operating options are obvious: you can use the Habrok 4K HX60L during the day and at night. Documenting hunting situations and observing game is effortless with the latest HIKMICRO flagship. In combination with the HIKMICRO Sight app, documentation is child's play and data can be shared with friends relatively quickly. We have tested the functions in practice.

The daylight mode: can the HIKMICRO Habrok Pro 4K keep up with binoculars?

Most high-quality binoculars offer a brilliant viewing experience. The daylight channel of the Habrok cannot really keep up with the brilliance of premium binoculars. It is simply a matter of the presentation on a display. But in practical use, this is certainly a point that hunters are happy to accept if they have the additional features of the Habrok 4K HX60L in mind. The Habrok also offers the option of capturing what you see in binocular mode on video and watching it later at home on a laptop on a large screen. A clear advantage over classic binoculars.

Controls and handling of the Habrok 4K HX60L

Anyone who is out and about at night knows that you often have to work intuitively in the dark and that nothing should go wrong when reaching for the device. It often happens that you press the wrong button in the dark and suddenly something else happens than planned. I also had this thought when I unpacked the Habrok 4K HX60L for the first time and thought to myself: "Please, not so many buttons again." Surprisingly, handling the device turned out to be easier than expected. Thanks to the two-handed grip and the ergonomics of the HX60L, you always end up with your index, middle and ring fingers exactly where you want to be, namely on the corresponding button on the device. The ergonomics are really very well thought out. The weight is also moderate at just under 1,000 grams.

At what distance can the thermal imaging and night vision channel of the HIKMICRO Habrok Pro HX60L be used in practice?

The detection range in thermal imaging mode is specified by the manufacturer as 3,100 meters. In use, we were able to recognise relatively quickly whether it was roe deer or wild boar beyond the 1,000 meter mark. Of course, a sound knowledge of game tracking is necessary to get an idea. Heat sources can also be recognised much further. For hunting purposes, however, only the precise sex-specific approach is relevant, which ends much earlier when it comes to the reliable identification of game. In thermal imaging mode, a lot is possible up to 300 metres. The detection range in night vision mode is around 300 to 400 meters. Gender-specific detection is limited to 100 to 150 metres. The combination of thermal imaging optics and night vision technology is important here. What the thermal imaging technology shows at long distances can be better assessed in night vision mode.

Perhaps a very small drop of bitterness at the beginning of the test?

There is always something that doesn't work quite smoothly. When carrying out a test, application errors are often the cause of frustration, and this may also be the case with our negative point. This is no longer completely understandable. Therefore, there is really no reason to complain, apart from the fact that we lost one of the eyecups in our rucksack on our first trip to the hunting ground. However, after contacting HIKMICRO, this problem was resolved relatively quickly. Should something similar happen to you, it is relatively easy to reattach the eyecup to the eyepiece using the lock ring.

Conclusion on the Habrok 4K HX60L from HIKMICRO

As a tester for all4hunters/all4shooters.com, I have to think hard about whether there has ever been a product that has given me as much pleasure with its innovative technology as the Habrok 4K HX60L. It's fair to say that HIKMICRO has brought a benchmark-setting multifunctional device onto the market with the Habrok series, even if there was a small downer with the eyecup in the practical test. There have certainly been some guns or optical products that were considered milestones. If you look at the current market, HIKMICRO is currently playing in a league of its own with the Habrok, because you simply won't find anything comparable with the scope offered by the Habrok 4K HX60L. To answer the initial question: we can talk about the current gold standard in hunting optronics. But with an RRP of 5,999 euros, it also has its price.

Further information on HIKMICRO devices can be found on the manufacturer's website.