How to choose the right Pulsar Thermion 2 Thermal Riflescope Series

For most hunters, the best thermal riflescope is not the most expensive one. A good 384 or entry-640 scope with the right lens size will handle most hog and predator hunting; open-country coyote hunters should move to cleaner 640 performance sooner. For the best pictures and longest distance target acquisition go with a 1280.

Need help deciding? Visit our FAQ, browse related collections, or use our contact page for one-to-one guidance.

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The Thermion 2 is Pulsar's thermal rifle scope built in the shape of a traditional daytime scope. It mounts in standard 30 mm rings, sits on the rifle the way glass you have hunted with for years sits on the rifle, and carries its thermal core inside a classic tube body rather than a boxy housing.

The series covers more ground than any other Pulsar riflescope line — from an affordable 384 model up to a 1024-sensor flagship, with and without a built-in rangefinder. Two things narrow it quickly: the letters in the model name tell you the sensor, and LRF in the name tells you the ranging is built in.

The Thermion 2 mounts like the scope you already know

Most thermal scopes are shaped like cameras and clamp straight to a rail. The Thermion 2 is shaped like a rifle scope. It drops into standard 30 mm rings, balances on the rifle the way a conventional optic does, and keeps the familiar layout — eyepiece, tube, objective — that daytime hunters already shoulder without thinking.

That is the series' identity, and it is why hunters coming from quality daytime glass tend to land here first: nothing about the handling has to be relearned, only the image is new.

The letters tell you the sensor, and the number tells you the lens

Every Thermion 2 model name works the same way. The letters are the sensor tier: XQ models carry a 384 sensor, XP and XG both carry 640 sensors — with XG built on a finer 12 µm sensor and positioned as the longer-range of the two — and XL sits at the top with a 1024 sensor. The number is the objective lens in millimeters: a 35 shows more ground at once, a 50 or 60 reaches further.

Read that way, the catalog stops being alphabet soup. An XQ35 Pro is the affordable, wide-view end of the series. An XL60 is the top sensor behind the biggest lens. Everything else falls in between, and the sensor tier is the main thing you are paying for as the models step up.

What sensor resolution changes in the field.

The lineup runs from the XQ35 Pro to the XL60

Stacked in order of capability, the series climbs like this. The XQ35 Pro and XQ50 Pro open the line — both 384 models, split only by lens, with the 35 mm showing more ground at once and the 50 mm reaching further. The LRF XQ50 Pro is that same 384/50 with the rangefinder built in. The LRF XP60 is the first 640 step, on a 60 mm lens with ranging included. The LRF XG60 keeps the 640 class but moves to the finer 12 µm sensor, positioned for longer range. And the LRF XL60 tops the series with the 1024 sensor behind the same 60 mm glass. Each step up buys sensor first and lens second — the platform underneath stays the same.

Pulsar Thermion 2 XQ35 Pro.
Pulsar Thermion 2 XQ50 Po.
Pulsar Thermion 2 XP60 LRF.
Pulsar Thermion 2 XG60 LRF.
Pulsar Thermion 2 XL60 LRF.

LRF in the name means the rangefinder is built in

Unlike series where ranging comes standard, the Thermion 2 lets you choose. Models with LRF in the name carry a built-in laser rangefinder — every 60 mm model includes it — so you can measure the distance to an animal through the optic without carrying a separate device. Models without it cost less and leave ranging to you.

The honest way to choose: if your shots come at varied or unknown distances across open ground, built-in ranging earns its cost. If you hunt known distances or already carry a rangefinder you trust, the non-LRF Pro models put that money toward the optic instead.

The platform underneath is the same across the series

Whichever sensor tier you land on, the foundation does not change. The series runs f1.0 germanium optics, a dual battery setup — a battery inside the scope plus a quick-swap external pack, so a spare in your pocket extends the night — and Pulsar's Stream Vision 2 app for moving footage to your phone.

It is also built for hard use: waterproof to IPX7, and rated for recoil up to 6,000 joules — a rating Pulsar states with 12-gauge shotguns and 9.3x64 rifles named. Buying up the tiers buys you image, not durability; the toughness comes standard.

Where the Thermion 2 sits in the Pulsar lineup

Pulsar's riflescope series split by shape and job. The Thermion 2 is the traditional-scope form: standard rings, classic tube, the widest spread of sensor tiers in the lineup. The Trail 3 is the opposite philosophy — a compact unit that clamps straight to the rail with ranging included on every model. The choice between the two series is mostly a choice about form factor and whether you want ranging as standard or as an option.

Pulsar Trail 3 series.

FAQ

What do XQ, XP, XG and XL mean on a Thermion 2?

They are the sensor tiers. XQ models carry a 384 sensor, XP and XG carry 640 sensors — XG on a finer 12 µm sensor, positioned as the longer-range of the two — and XL is the flagship tier with a 1024 sensor. The number after the letters is the objective lens size in millimeters.

What is the order of the Thermion 2 models?

By capability: XQ35 Pro, XQ50 Pro, LRF XQ50 Pro, LRF XP60, LRF XG60, LRF XL60. Sensor tier climbs first — 384, then 640, then 1024 — and within a tier the bigger lens and the built-in rangefinder mark the step up.

Does the Thermion 2 have a built-in rangefinder?

The LRF models do — every 60 mm Thermion 2 includes a built-in laser rangefinder, and an LRF version of the XQ50 Pro exists as well. Models without LRF in the name have no built-in ranging and cost less.

Does the Thermion 2 fit standard scope rings?

Yes. The tube mounts in standard 30 mm rings, the same hardware a conventional daytime scope uses, which is a large part of why the series appeals to hunters coming from daytime glass.

Can the Thermion 2 handle heavy recoil?

Yes. Pulsar rates the platform for recoil up to 6,000 joules and names 12-gauge shotguns and 9.3x64 rifles, so hard-kicking guns are within its rating.

Is the Thermion 2 waterproof?

The series carries an IPX7 waterproof rating, which means rain, snow and a brief dunk are not a problem — it is protection against water, not a dive rating.

What batteries does the Thermion 2 use?

A dual setup: a battery inside the scope plus a swappable external APS pack. The external pack changes in the field, so carrying a charged spare extends a long night without cables.