ZeroTech Thrive HD
Digital Red dot Review
Red dots are definitely not a new item in the firearms world. What is fairly new is the quality of red dots that you can get for an inexpensive price. ZeroTech has brought one of these good quality, inexpensive red dots to market with their Thrive HD digital 1x22 red dot. The Thrive HD red dot would be great for any PCC, carbine, or 22 rifle.
When ZeroTech first sent me the Thrive HD red dot, it reminded me of other similar red dots. Being similar to those other red dots is not a problem. In fact, it is a good thing in the Thrive HD's case. The Thrive HD's top selling point is the price. It can be had for under $150. But for that price, you get a decent, no frills red dot.
The ZeroTech red dot comes with every option it should. It also has some features of higher priced red dots. The Thrive HD comes with a high and low picatinny mount. It also uses the industry standard mounting footprint of the Aimpoint T1/T2. This makes finding other mounting options easy, if you don't want to use the supplied mounts.
Features of the Thrive HD are numerous. First you get a 2 moa dot inside a 22mm window. The dot is powered by a CR2032 side-mount battery. The battery gives a run time of 50,000 hours. It has 10 brightness settings controlled by the soft touch “+” & “-” buttons on top. It does not have an auto on/off, but I don't think it is needed with that battery life. Plus it's a value red dot that performs great.
I ended up mounting the Thrive HD red dot on a Hi-Point carbine in 9mm. The red dot was perfect for what I was doing with the Hi-Point PCC and it needed an optic of some sort. Plus, the direct blowback operating system puts more stress on the red dot, so it was perfect for a review. The glass is just as clear as my Holosun and Primary Arms red dots. The red dot on the Thrive HD is also clear and bright. Does it have night vision settings? No, but for an inexpensive red dot, why would it?
Sighting in the Thrive HD red dot was super easy. Once I decided where I wanted to mount the red dot, I torqued it down and headed to the range. Adjustments were easy, ZeroTech even supplies a little adjustment tool. The windage and elevation clicks are 0.5 moa at 100yds. I set up a target at 25 yards and started shooting, with a few clicks I was hitting where I was aiming. The Thrive HD red dot has not lost zero and still shoots great. It would make a great red dot for just about anything.
If you are looking for a good red dot, for a great price, the ZeroTech Thrive HD red dot might be worth looking into. It has a bunch of features that just work and nothing extra to go wrong. You can get a great deal on one over at the ZeroTech website and if you aren't into red dots, they have a bunch of other high quality optics.
Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points
Claim to Fame:
Quality inexpensive red dot with auto on/off and an industry standard mounting footprint
Target Market:
Anyone wanting a simple red dot
Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:
Magnification - 1x
Footprint - Aimpoint Micro compatible
Objective Lens Diameter - 22mm
Brightness Settings - 10 Adjustable levels
Controls - Digital with auto on/off
Illumination Function - Digital
Battery - CR2032
Battery Life - Max 50000 Hours
Turret Index Value - 0.5 mos
Construction - 6061-T6 Aluminium
Eye Relief - unlimited
Operational Temperature: -20°C to 70°C (-4°F to 158°F)
Reticle - 2 MOA Red dot
Waterproof Rating - IPX7
What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?
None
What others are saying?:
Nothing found as of publishing
Link to other reviews:
Nothing found as of publishing
Price point:
MSRP = $199.00
Retail = $149.00 plus 20% off with code “GGR”
I need it now! Availability:
ZeroTech Optics or your local gun store
Our Rating:
Pros:
Price
Simple to use
Industry standard mounting
Battery life
Cons:
No auto on/off
Score: 8.00 Great
Favorite Link: ZeroTech Thrive HD 1-8x24 Review
