I just gotta say wearing a plate carrier with a ruck while going up and down mountains sucks massive amounts of dick. Definitely doable but also a terrible experience, do not recommend.
I should rant about mixing materials, styles, and layers tomorrow.
This is a view I've been pushing for a long time. Basic cheap night vision is almost blind without its IR illumination turned on. The more expensive stuff is pretty good with ambient light, but most people, including the majority bro-vets, will still illuminate anyway because "W3 0wN Th3 N1gHt". No, the night is heavy contested these days, even outside of war zones. Entry level night vision is enough to see someone else's IR, and the events in Ukraine have proven that old school patrol tactics, like sectors of responsibility, tail gunners, etc remain relevant even in the high technology age.