The goggle itself is only part of the number. Once you add a helmet mount, a spare battery, and the magnifier lens most serious users end up wanting, a night vision setup can run several hundred dollars past the sticker price on the device alone. If you are budgeting for a real night vision kit rather than just the unit in the box, this guide walks through what else you need to buy and what it costs.
This is not a rundown of tube generations and price tiers — we cover that ground in a separate guide. Here, we are pricing the complete kit: the mount that gets the goggle onto your helmet, the battery that keeps it running past one night, the lens that turns it into a longer-range tool, and the maintenance that keeps it working for years.
What actually ships in the box
The ATN PS31-3HFW (SKU NVGOPS3143HFW, list price $13,195.00) includes an instruction manual, lens tissue, a soft carrying case, a helmet mount, and one lithium CR123 battery. That covers the basics — you can mount it and run it the night it arrives. What it does not include is a spare battery for a second night out, a magnifier for longer glassing, or a mount built for a different helmet shroud than the one included. Those are where the real "total cost" conversation starts.
How the full kit cost breaks down
- Start with the goggle. The PS31-3HFW lists at $13,195.00. This is your baseline and the largest single line item by a wide margin.
- Add a helmet mount if the included one does not fit your shroud. The PS31-3HFW ships with a mount, but ATN also lists a Dovetail Helmet Mount for PS31 (SKU ACMUHMNTDVTL) for users running a dovetail-interface helmet instead of the standard shroud — priced at $399.00 in the price list.
- Budget for a spare or extended battery. The goggle runs 60 hours on one CR123, which covers a lot of nights, but an Extended Life Battery Pack (SKU ACMNODINBAT) adds runtime up to 300 hours and lists at $79.00 — cheap insurance against a dead tube mid-watch.
- Decide if you need a magnifier lens. A 3x Mil-Spec Magnifier Lens (SKU ACMPPVSXL3A, $695.00) or a 5x Mil-Spec Magnifier Lens (SKU ACMPPVSXL5A, $1,199.00) mounts to the objective lens and extends your effective range for scanning open ground. Neither is required for close-in work, but both are common additions for property perimeter or ranch-scale distances.
- Factor in servicing over the life of the unit. Tubes are the expensive, wear-sensitive part of any night vision device. Budget for periodic inspection and, eventually, tube replacement or refurbishment as part of long-term ownership — not a one-time purchase.
Where the money actually goes
Helmet mounts, batteries, and lenses are not accessories in the sense of nice-to-haves — for anyone running the goggle hands-free on a helmet for real fieldwork, the mount is not optional and the battery runtime question is not academic. A property walk that runs past midnight on a single CR123 leaves no margin if that battery is older or the temperature is dropping. This is the gap between the sticker price and what you actually spend to run the system the way it is meant to be run.
Sample kit budgets
A minimal kit — the goggle as it ships, no additions — runs $13,195.00. Add a spare Extended Life Battery Pack for a second night without a recharge or battery swap, and you are at $13,274.00. Add a 3x Mil-Spec Magnifier Lens for longer-range scanning and the kit lands at $13,969.00. A full-featured kit with a dovetail helmet mount for a non-standard shroud, the battery pack, and the 5x magnifier lens runs $13,195.00 + $399.00 + $79.00 + $1,199.00 = $14,872.00. None of these numbers are padding — each one solves a specific field problem the base unit does not.
Common mistakes when budgeting a night vision kit
The most common mistake is pricing only the goggle and being surprised by the accessory total later. Price the mount and battery situation before you buy, not after the unit arrives and you realize the included mount does not fit your helmet.
The second mistake is skipping the magnifier lens question entirely. If your use case is short-range, close-quarters work, you may never need one. If you are scanning open pasture or a long fence line, the 3x or 5x lens is the difference between detecting movement and actually identifying what it is.
Is the full kit worth the extra spend?
If you are buying a night vision goggle for one specific short-term use, the base kit as shipped may be all you need. If this is a piece of equipment you plan to run regularly — patrols, hunts, extended property work — the battery pack and correctly fitted mount are worth budgeting for from day one rather than as an afterthought purchase once you find the gap in the field.
For a breakdown of what drives the price of the goggle itself — tube generation, FOM grade, and why Gen 3 white phosphor units cost what they do — see our companion guide on night vision goggle pricing by generation, which covers the device cost this article does not repeat.
FAQ
How much do night vision goggles cost in total, accessories included?
A base night vision goggle like the ATN PS31-3HFW lists at $13,195.00 as shipped. A practical kit with a spare battery pack and a magnifier lens typically adds $850 to $1,300 more, depending on which lens and mount options you choose.
Do night vision goggles come with a helmet mount?
The ATN PS31-3HFW ships with a helmet mount included in the box. Users running a different helmet shroud, such as a dovetail interface, may need a specific mount like the Dovetail Helmet Mount for PS31 at $399.00.
How much does a spare battery for night vision goggles cost?
An Extended Life Battery Pack for ATN night vision devices lists at $79.00 and extends runtime from 60 hours to up to 300 hours on the PS31-3HFW, making it one of the lowest-cost, highest-value additions to a kit.
Do I need a magnifier lens for night vision goggles?
A magnifier lens is not required for close-range use but extends effective observation distance for open-ground scanning. ATN's 3x Mil-Spec Magnifier Lens lists at $695.00 and the 5x version at $1,199.00.
What ongoing costs come with owning night vision goggles?
Beyond the initial kit, budget for periodic tube inspection and eventual servicing, since the image intensifier tube is the component most affected by wear over years of use. Batteries are a recurring consumable cost as well.
Is it cheaper to buy accessories separately or as a bundle?
Pricing depends on what your specific helmet and use case require — not everyone needs a magnifier lens or an alternate mount. Price only the accessories that solve a real gap in your setup rather than buying a full accessory line by default.
Bottom line
The number on the box is the starting point, not the total. Price the goggle, then walk through mount compatibility, battery runtime for your typical night out, and whether a magnifier lens solves a real range problem for your use case — then add those numbers to get your real budget. Browse the full ATN night vision goggles lineup to compare models and see current accessory compatibility before you buy.
