ZeroTech Thrive HD

1x Prism Review

If you did not already know, ZeroTech Optics has a 1x prism. ZeroTech has recently expanded the Thrive HD 1x Micro Prism with a Flat Dark Earth version. Since I really like prism optics, I had to get one and see how it compared. Plus, the FDE version caught my eye and looks really nice.

As with most prism sights nowadays, the Thrive HD comes with all the normal features. You get soft touch buttons. A side load battery tray. An adjustable diopter so you can see the illuminated reticle clearly. It specs out a 50,000 hour battery life with an auto awake/sleep feature. Plus it comes with a nice little neoprene cover, which I have misplaced.

The Thrive HD prism comes with a pretty standard style reticle. It is a large circle dot etched reticle style with short lines that break up the circle every 90 degrees. It works well for getting on target fast, but does have a few shortcomings. The dot portion of the reticle uses a nice 3 moa dot. The dot gives a good compromise between speed and accuracy. Since the circle portion of the reticle is large, 110 moa, it limits its use on something like an AR style rifle. I say this because there are no good reticle marks for height over bore at 5-10 yards. However, with the dot sighted in at 100 yds, the lower stadia and circle are good for 500-600 yard shots. If you install the prism on a pcc or something that you are only shooting out to 100 yards, just sight the dot in at 25 or 50 and call it good. The Thrive HD is still a good all around 1x prism.

As mentioned previously, the Thrive HD has all the latest tech. Shake awake, 50k battery life, easy battery changes, and soft buttons. It also has red illumination for the etched reticle. There are 13 illumination settings, so you can get it as bright or as dim as you like. Even though it is technically not a daylight bright reticle. It is bright enough to be seen on most days, unless the sun is fairly bright. But since the reticle is etched, you will always see the black reticle, even if your battery dies or you decide to aim at the sun.

Even though the ZeroTech Thrive HD prism is stated to be 1 power, it is not. This is my biggest complaint. It is more like a 1.1-1.2 power optic. This makes you see a double image if you try to look at something close up, with both eyes open. As you get farther out in distance, it is not noticeable. With anything closer than 20 yards, I had to close my non-dominant eye so it didn’t bother me. Besides that, the Thrive HD prism is super clear. I wonder since it is so clear, if that is why, at close distances, I see a slightly magnified image? The 20mm objective lens gives decent light transmission. It also makes finding the reticle fairly easy.

The Thrive HD 1x Prism is in the new style of prism optics. This makes it possible to use back up iron sights. Yes, you can see the sights through the prism, even if they are a tiny bit fuzzy with the Thrive. The other big advantage to these new prisms is that you can put a magnifier behind them, thus giving you more magnification.

When you think about prism optics, weight might be a concern. The Thrive HD tips the scales at 7.55 ounces. This is right in line with other prism sights. A big advantage to the Thrive HD is that it comes with 4 different mounting height options in the box. If one of these heights doesn’t fit you, the Thrive HD is compatible with Aimpoint T2 footprints. Thus giving you endless mounting options.

When testing the Thrive HD prism I mounted it on the MAC IX. I figured this would be a good platform for it, and it was. This also helped show me the not true 1 power magnification. I will probably mount it on a rifle at a later date, since I only use the MAC for closer in shooting. I really liked that it came with a bunch of different height mounts, especially since the brace on the MAC sits a little lower than an AR stock. Part of the reason I like prism optics is that the etched reticle doesn’t flare out because of my astigmatism. The Thrive HD prism’s reticle is super clear for me. I also like the auto awake feature. Not just because it extends battery life, but because I don’t have to remember to turn it off or on. Lastly, the FDE color on the prism looks more burnt bronze to me. I actually like the color. Besides, it adds another shade of FDE to the already 50 shades out there.

The ZeroTech Thrive HD 1x prism, in FDE, is a nice optic. It is super clear and bright. Even if it really isn’t a true 1x power, it is still a nice prism optic. It comes with everything needed to mount it up, sight it in, and go blast some trash. So if you are looking for a new prism sight, take a look through the Thrive HD 1x Prism and see what you think.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

1 power prism optic with etched reticle and auto on/off

Target Market:

Rifle shooters, competition shooters, hunters, and just general plinking

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Magnification: 1x
Footprint: Aimpoint Micro (T1/T2) Compatible
Objective Lens Diameter: 20mm
Reticle type: Etched, Illuminated Prism Dot
Brightness Settings: 13
Controls: Soft buttons on top of optic
Auto Sleep/Auto ON
Illumination: Red
Battery: CR2032
Battery Life: Max 50000 Hours
Turret Index Value: 1 MOA
Windage/Elevation Adjustment: 100 MOA
Material: 6061 T6 Aluminum
Eye Relief: 3.5in (90mm)
Field Of View: 70ft / 23m
Lens Coating: Full Multi Coated
Operational Temperature: -20°C to 70°C (-4°F to 158°F)
Parallax Adjustment Range: Fixed – 100m (110yd)
Weight: 7.55oz (214g)
Color: FDE
Waterproof Rating: IPX7
Comes with 3 different height mounts

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Original Black

What others are saying?:

4 out of 5 stars on OpticsPlanet

Very solid optic

Really like the reticle. Very eotech like but for people with eye shortcomings. Mount options are cool but the screws are garbage. Came loose on me twice at the range. Now I have to just get an aimpoint mount. I think this is an awesome start. I’d like to see a new gen with a better mount obviously and maybe 25mm with better glass. Even if it’s around the 300-350 msrp. It would rival aimpoint and many other gold standard optics. Definitely recommend though.

Link to other reviews:

Woody Outdoors (in Australia)

Price point:

MSRP = $299.00

Retail = $239.20 with code “GGR” for 20% off

I need it now! Availability:

ZeroTech Optics use code “GGR” for 20% off

Our Rating:

Pros:

Super Clear
Multiple mount heights included
T1/T2 footprint compatibility
Bright etched reticle

Cons:

Not true 1x
More Bronze color than FDE
Larger circle doesn’t suit AR15’s for close range

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link: ZeroTech Thrive HD 1-8x24 Review

Strike Industries QD Rail

Adapter & Riser Review

Quick disconnect, red dot style, optic mounts seem to be a little harder to find these days, or at least decent ones. Do not worry, Strike Industries recently released their Strike QD Rail Adapter. This little QD mount works with Strike Industries risers so that you can have a quick disconnect for your T1/T2 footprint optic.

When I saw this QD Rail Adapter, I knew it would be perfect for me. Having the ability to quickly change an optic from rifle to rifle had me hooked. Especially since I review a bunch of stuff. This might not be your use case, but having a good picatinny QD mount can still be helpful.

Since I was using the Strike QD rail adapter on AR style rifles, it needed a riser to go with it. The Strike QD will only work with Strike Industries risers. So I had them send one of those to me also. That adds another $50 to the already $75 cost of the QD. Just shy of $125 is still a good deal for everything. The Strike Industries Riser can be used as a standard co witness or a lower ⅓. It does this with a little spacer that adds a small amount to the top of the mount. I ended up using it without the spacer.

The heart of the Strike QD Adapter is the throw lever. The throw lever is what locks and unlocks the rail to the picatinny. One can usually feel when the lever cams over. Then you know it is tight. Strike Industries QD adapter has this standard feature. But what really makes the Strike Industries QD adapter better is the extra spring loaded lock. Once the main lever is tight, this little lock springs down to keep the lever from moving. It is that little added extra so your optic won’t come off if bumped or accidentally hit. To unlock the QD mount, you must first push the safety lock upward, thus releasing the main lever to be moved. The safety lock has a little flat in it also. My guess is that if you can’t get it to move out of the way by hand, you can use a screwdriver or shell casing rim to push it up. The main lever is also spring loaded to help it pop back out when the safety lever is moved. There is a square headed screw on the main lever. This screw is used to adjust how tight the adapter fits to your picatinny rail. It is click adjustable and uses a regular bladed screwdriver. You can also use your fingers to adjust it, it’s just a little harder to do.

I have an Atibal Solar prism that has a T1 base. This prism sight is specifically why I asked for the Strike QD Rail Adapter when it came out. Mounting it up was easy with the screws provided with the Strike Riser. After the initial adjustment, I put the QD on an AR. After about a month, I received something else to migrate the QD mount and optic over to. I have also taken the sight off and on a ton of times. Everytime I just push the lock upward and move the lever, then the whole package falls into my hand. The lever system works great. The little safety is probably my favorite thing about the QD mount. Using a T1/T2 footprint for this mount was a smart choice.

If you are in the market for a QD red dot mount, the Strike Industries QD Rail Adapter has worked great for me. It is super easy to use and has the extra added security of a safety lock. Pair it with Strike Industries T1 Riser and you get a whole package that you can use on any rifle. Head over to Strike Industries and check out the QD Rail Adapter and Riser for yourself.