XS® Sights new DXT2™ Big Dot® Night Sights provide exceptional front sight visibility in all lighting conditions. DXT2 offers the best front sight visibility in all lighting conditions by driving focus to the front sight using a high-contrast dot and a V-notch rear for an unobstructed view of the front sight. The large diameter front sight increases the amount of light that is absorbed and reflected to the eye.
XS has really done their homework on these sights. There is no other sight on the market which provides the technical adaptation of the sight to human vision. The DXT2 is not optimized for a specific set of conditions, it is designed to adjust to various conditions and provide your eyes with the type of sight picture you need for the optic receptor cells activated under a given set of conditions.
Available in two colors – Optic Yellow™ and Optic Orange™ – the DXT2 Big Dot sights drive focus to the front sight (and thus to the downrange threat) using a large, high-contrast front and a V-notch rear sight for an unobstructed view of the front sight. The yellow and orange color options optimize individual color perception which can vary greatly between individuals.
The Big Dot front sights use a patent-pending colored glow dot that absorbs light, causing the sight to glow before it is dark enough to see the tritium center. The glow dot also stores energy enabling it to glow brightly for many hours. The V-notch rear sight features a vertical white stripe with a tritium vial at the center, creating a dot-the- “i” sight picture for fast and accurate target acquisition in high-stress situations.
Color is the visual perception of light waves that are reflected off an object. The wavelength frequency of the light reflection determines what color eyes will see. Objects vary in how much light wave frequency they can absorb and reflect. Wavelength frequency is measured in nanometers and divided into seven frequency categories; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet (ROYGBIV). For example, an apple appears red because it absorbs all other light waves and only reflects light waves between 650 nm and 700 nm (Red).
The human eye contains three types of cones for color vision; long (red), medium (green), and short (blue) wavelengths. The eye contains over 7 million cones, and each cone is made of slightly different photosensitive pigment proteins. The various proteins are sensitive to different light wave frequencies. The light that enters the eye activates multiple cone types and pigment proteins, allowing humans to see different color shades, such as pink. This interaction of proteins is known as the trichromatic theory of color vision.
In low light, human eyes rely on rod cells. Rods are stimulated by light over a wide range of intensities and are responsible for perceiving the size, shape, and brightness of visual images. Rods are sensitive to light and produce Rhodopsin molecules which undergo a chemical reaction to prevent over stimulation in bright light. In dim light, rods collect lots of light for increased night vision. In severe low light eyes will only see in gray scale, because only the rods are in use. This type of gray scale vision is also common when transitioning from bright light to low light. Imagine walking into a building after being out in the bright sun light. When entering the room, everything will appear black/gray and objects appear blurry. Depending on the person, this effect can last for a short time or a few minutes.
| Features | Benefits |
| Tritium Powered Front & Rear Sight | Glows in low light to aid in sight alignment |
| Big Dot | Remains visible when focus is drawn downrange when under stress |
| Colored Front Sight | High-contrast color designed for maximum visibility in bright to low light |
| Glow Dot | Convex photoluminescent dot absorbs light and glows in low light levels |
| V-Notch Rear | Low-profile V provides unobstructed view of front sight |
| Dot-the “i” sight picture | Straight line sight picture with differentiated front and rear sight prevents shooters from confusing the front and rear sight |
| Rear Sight Ledge | Aids in one-handed slide manipulations |
| Rear Sight White Outline | Aids in rear sight identification for proper sight alignment |
| 10 Year Warranty | No Questions Asked Night Sight Warranty |
DXT2 Big Dots are designed around one question: How do you make the most visible sight in all lighting conditions? With over 20 years of night sight manufacturing experience, XS has learned that gunfights don’t often happen in perfect light or complete darkness. They happen in between these two broad spectrums.
No two humans are alike, and eyesight is no exception to this rule. Some see better in low light and some see colors differently than others. Eyesight changes with age, mostly in a diminishing manner. We train to focus on the front sight but finding the front sight in varying light conditions and under stress has many visual challenges. Night sights don’t just need to glow in the dark. They need to be visible at all times.
Front Sight
XS leads the industry in highly visible-large front sights. DXT2 Big Dots use a 0.188” dot to be seen when focus is pulled downrange to the threat. The outward curve increases the dot surface area, which increases the amount of light absorption and reflection. This increases the visibility of the dot in decreasing light levels. The dot’s optical clarity paired with the convex surface increases the activity of the photoluminescent properties. Once activated, the dot stores energy, enabling it to glow brightly for many hours.
Optic Yellow is the most visible color in low light and is the direct replacement of the first-generation white Big Dot. Primarily based on the white light spectrum, optic yellow is very reflective and will excite the photoluminescent properties of the dot faster than any other color. In bright light, Optic Yellow outperforms white, because it doesn’t washout. As an example, imagine shooting at white steel targets on a bright sunny day.
As defined by the Opponent Process Theory of color vision, Optic Yellow will appear white in dark environments. Eyes see yellow by using two different types of color vision cones, allowing it to appear whiter on the grayscale spectrum before the eyes rods completely take over for night vision.
Optic Orange is designed to offer a high-contrast sight picture when shooting in bright light conditions and maintain its visibility in decreasing light levels. Most competitive night sight manufacturers focus on the red spectrum, but red is the first color that human eyes lose the ability to see in low light. To ensure visibility in low light when uncharged, optic orange is primarily based on yellow with a hint of red. When in low light and uncharged, optic orange will appear gray, but not fade to black on the grayscale spectrum.
XS Express sights utilize a v-notch rear sight for an unobstructed view of the front sight. The low-profile V allows shooters to index the front sight and make a reliable shot quickly. In most gunfights, the victim and attacker are both moving, and the victim’s focus is drawn to the threat. The wide field of view increases visibility of the front sight and of the threat downrange. The vertical white stripe and tritium vial eliminate the need for windage adjustment as the eye will naturally center the dot over the line. The 2nd generation rear sights use a wider white stripe outline to greater differentiate the rear sight from the front sight.
The outward curvature of the dot increases the amount of surface area, exposing the dot to more light. The optical clarity amplifies light absorbtion, which increases the excitement of the photoluminescent properties. In low light, the second-generation Big Dot is four times as bright as the first-generation Big Dot. This is due to pairing the converging dot with the photoluminescent properties. If the front sight is exposed to any light, the glow intensity will be brighter than the tritium vial in decreasing light levels.
DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights are the most visible night sights on the market today for defensive shooting in all lighting conditions. They feature the largest diameter front sight in the industry. The size of the Big Dot, in combination with XS Sights’ advanced photoluminescent technology, increases the amount of light that is absorbed and reflected to the eye, making them the brightest on the market. The Optic Yellow and Optic Orange color options also address the different needs of shooters since color perception will vary between people. XS Sights are the fastest sights in any light.
DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights are backed by a 10-year, no questions asked warranty and will be available for the following pistol models by December 2018:
- All Glocks
- S&W M&P Full-size/Compact
- S&W M&P Shield
- SIG SAUER P Series (P320, P226, P229)
- Springfield XD Series
- FNH FN509
DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights solve color perception, low light visibility, and front sight visibility issues to provide the most visible night sights for defensive shooting. For more information, visit www.xssights.com. Retail Price: $132.00
About XS Sights
XS Sights is known for making the fastest sights in any light. For more than 20 years, the XS team has created some of the most innovative sights on the market today for pistols, rifles and shotguns. Whether used for personal defense or hunting, these sights are designed and built to be the absolute best for their specific purpose.