How the LAB-NVS Mk2 Came to Be: Three Years of Field Beta-Testing, Between Bushcraft and Airsoft

A night vision binocular is not designed on a test bench. It is built outdoors, in the cold, under the rain, in the total darkness of a moonless forest — and it is judged over months, not during a demonstration. The LAB-NVS Mk2 we sell today is the culmination of three years of that kind of field use, supported by a close-knit group of civilian beta-testers, reservists, former military personnel, and active-duty service members. Here is how we got there — and why every Mk2 decision comes directly from real-world use.

Who is Origines Bushcraft

Origines (@Origines_bushcraft) is in his thirties. A survival instructor, hiker, airsofter — and much more, as he likes to remind people. He is a rare profile in our beta-testing program: someone who does not test a night vision binocular in just one environment, but across the full range of situations where it genuinely makes sense — bushcraft, survival, long-distance hiking, and airsoft.

His testing grounds are not limited to France: bushcraft weekends in Northern Europe, trips across Eastern Europe, and expeditions into the vast wilderness of North America. Summer or winter, dry or wet, in driving rain, in the middle of a storm, and in the sub-zero temperatures of Scandinavian nights or North American forests in the depths of winter — few consumer night vision systems can withstand such a broad range of conditions without faltering.

A beta program built in the field, not in the lab

Origines was part of our very first circle of beta-testers, alongside other civilians, reservists, mostly former military personnel, and service members still on active duty. This diversity of backgrounds — from civilian survival instructors to operational professionals — shaped our roadmap for the LAB-NVS range from the outset: low weight, mechanical simplicity, standard power, and ruggedness in extreme conditions.

From the Mk0 to the Mk1: the first commercial version

It all started with a raw prototype, the LAB-NVS Mk0: no interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment, and no independent auto-shutoff per tube. Night vision stripped down to its bare essentials, to isolate what is truly fundamental in a binocular NVG.

The feedback gathered from this prototype led directly to the LAB-NVS Mk1, our very first commercial version — the one Origines has been using for a year and a half. The Mk1 introduced the first-generation IPD adjustment and independent auto-shutoff per tube: two improvements that came directly from the field and were absent from the original prototype.

The most demanding field conditions: bushcraft, survival, and extreme cold

This is where Origines’s profile becomes especially valuable. A bushcraft or survival session does not last just a few hours: self-sufficient bivouacs, off-trail navigation at night, managing a fire and campsite in complete darkness, and extended watchkeeping in storms or below-freezing temperatures. Unlike a supervised recreational session, the equipment cannot afford to fail — there is no quick return to the vehicle if something goes wrong.

In this environment, every potential shortcoming quickly becomes apparent: a housing that is too heavy strains the neck during a several-hour hike with a pack, unreliable power in damp or freezing conditions becomes a genuine risk, and fragile mechanics do not survive weeks of cumulative expeditions across Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, or North America.

What a year and a half in the field confirms — and what the Mk2 carries forward today

Low weight, with no compromises. At under 400 grams, Origines’s Mk1 allows him to go without any rear counterweight. The saving is not just the weight of the housing: it also eliminates the counterweight itself, on top of the binocular’s own weight. On a long hike, a self-sufficient bivouac, or an overnight survival watch, that cumulative difference changes everything: less neck fatigue, greater mobility, and concentration that holds up better over time — decisive when leading a course or moving independently, far from any support. The LAB-NVS Mk2 directly inherits this philosophy: a 90 g bare housing, 385 g in a lightweight configuration, and 470 g in a complete MIL-STD-810H configuration — making it one of the lightest articulated binoculars in its class.

Simple ergonomics, designed for stress and cold. A single central button on the Mk1, with immediate operation even while wearing gloves, in a storm, in the middle of the night. This principle remains the foundation of the Mk2, now complemented by refined IPD adjustment for enhanced optical comfort during the longest sessions.

Power designed for the field, not the lab. For Origines, choosing an AA/LR6 platform rather than a CR123 format is decisive on long-duration expeditions: intuitive battery changes even with hands numbed by the cold, simple activation, and above all, a format available everywhere — including as an emergency replacement deep in an Eastern European forest, far from any resupply point. The Mk2 retains this same AA/LR6 platform, with a stated battery life of 25h and more, validated in conditions ranging from searing dryness to sub-zero nights.

Proven ruggedness in every kind of condition. Summer or winter, dry or wet, in driving rain or storms, down to sub-zero temperatures — the Mk1 has taken it all in stride through a year and a half of intensive use. This mechanical foundation is the one on which the Mk2 was built and reinforced, with an IP-68 waterproof housing that prevents internal condensation — a critical consideration in wet environments or during sudden temperature changes.