Best Thermal Clip-On for Night Vision Goggles (2026): Jerry-C Pro vs Jerry-C5 vs Jerry-CE5

A clip-on thermal imager, or COTI, clamps in front of your night vision and lays a heat picture over what the tube already shows. People, animals and warm engines stand out in outline or highlight even when they sit in brush or shadow your tube cannot read. It is the way to add thermal without buying a new goggle. This post compares the three clip-ons buyers ask about most by name, and tells you what to check on any of them.

What makes a good thermal clip-on for night vision?

Four things settle most of it:

1. Sensor resolution. 640 x 512 is the class to want; it draws clean outlines at walking distance.
2. Field of view. The heat picture should cover most of the circle your tube shows, or you get thermal in the middle and plain night vision at the edges.
3. Fit. It has to clamp onto the objective of the goggle you own, and sit where it does not block your controls.
4. Power. What battery it takes, and whether you can swap it in the dark.

New to the idea? Our post on what a COTI is covers how the overlay works from the start.

How do the Jerry-C Pro, Jerry-C5 and Jerry-CE5 compare?

Sources: Jerry-C5 and Jerry-CE5 figures come from retailer listings (B&H, Will's Optics, OpticsPlanet, Custom Night Vision) read 23 October 2026. Our specs come from our product page, and our price was read from the live listing the same day. Prices and stock change, so check the seller's own page before you buy anything.

How did we read these figures?

Every outside figure in the table comes from a seller's own listing that we could open and read on 23 October 2026, and each one names the seller. Where a listing gave no price or did not state a spec, the table says so instead of guessing. We left out anything only seen in a search result snippet, because a snippet can be weeks old. Our own price comes from our live product listing, read the same day.

Two things to keep in mind when you check them yourself. First, sellers often list demo or open box units beside new ones, and the demo price is not the new price. Second, "out of stock" on one seller's page does not mean the unit is gone everywhere, so compare the seller, the date and the stock line together, not just the number.

Which clip-on has the widest view?

Of the three, ours lists the widest heat picture: 35 x 30 degrees, against 30.5 degrees for the Jerry-C5 and Jerry-CE5 listings. A wider heat picture fills more of a 40 or 50 degree night vision view, so a target walking in from the side picks up its heat outline sooner.

What do you actually see through a thermal clip-on?

You see your normal night vision picture, with warm things traced or brightened on top. In Outline mode, warm edges are drawn as lines over the scene, so you keep your full night vision detail and still spot the heat. In Highlight mode, warm areas are filled in so they jump out. The Jerry-C Pro also shows a compass heading in the view. Our post on COTI modes shows each one.

Will a thermal clip-on fit my PVS-14 or PVS-31?

The Jerry-C Pro clamps on the objective lens of a PVS-14, and on one tube of a dual tube goggle like our PVS-31 PRO. The clamp ring set comes in the box. On a dual tube, it goes on one side. Our posts on a COTI on a PVS-14 and a COTI on a PVS-31 walk through fit, position and which side.

What battery does each clip-on use?

The Jerry-C Pro runs on one CR123A, a common 3 volt lithium cell. Use CR123A only: our product page warns against 16340 rechargeable cells, which run at a higher voltage than the unit is made for. The Jerry-C5 listings show a 17335, 18500 or 18650 cell, and the Jerry-CE5 listings show an external battery. If you already carry CR123A cells for a light or a laser, one cell type for the whole kit is simpler.

What does it cost with a goggle?

If you already own night vision, the clip-on is the whole cost: $2,949 for the Jerry-C Pro. If you are starting from zero, add the goggle: our PVS-14 starts at $1,784.95 and our PVS-31 PRO at $3,799.95. Our post on clip-on thermal imagers compared lays out more dealer listings side by side.

Is a clip-on or a fusion goggle better?

If you already own a PVS-14 or a dual tube goggle, a clip-on is the lower cost way to add thermal: you keep the goggle you know and add one part. If you are starting from zero and want thermal and night vision built into one unit, look at a fusion binocular instead, like our ELF-FB20 thermal fusion binocular, from $8,299.95. Our post on COTI vs fusion goggles compares the two paths.

Common questions about thermal clip-ons

What is the best thermal clip-on for night vision goggles?

Pick a 640 x 512 sensor with a field of view that covers most of your tube. Our Jerry-C Pro COTI (ELF-C Pro) is 640 x 512, 12 micron, 35 x 30 degrees, runs on one CR123A and is $2,949. It ships from our supplier's stock in roughly 3 weeks to the USA.

Will a clip-on thermal fit my PVS-14?

The Jerry-C Pro COTI clamps in front of a PVS-14, or one tube of a dual tube goggle like the PVS-31, and lays the heat picture over your night vision view. The clamp ring set is in the box.

What is the cheapest COTI?

Of the 640 class clip-on listings we checked on 23 October 2026, ours had the lowest price: $2,949. The Jerry-C5 was listed at $3,999 and out of stock at Will's Optics, with demo units from $3,599 at OpticsPlanet.

What is the difference between the Jerry-C5 and the Jerry-CE5?

Retail listings show the same 640 x 512 sensor and 30.5 degree view; the CE5 runs from an external battery. We sell neither; we sell the Jerry-C Pro COTI.

When does the Jerry-C Pro ship?

It ships from our supplier's stock in roughly 3 weeks to the USA. Check the product page for the current delivery window before you order.

Does the Jerry-C Pro add magnification?

No. The Jerry-C Pro works at 1x, so the heat picture lines up with what your night vision shows at its normal size.