I first learned about the Atibal SLR-1 red dot at Triggrcon. To say the least, I was impressed with the prototype I handled. After some time, the production versions were released and they sent one for review. The SLR-1 is 1x20 red dot sight.

There are a lot of red dots on the market, but only a few are even similar to the Atibal. The Atibal SLR-1 is solar and/or battery powered. The solar works so well that I even ran the red dot without a battery, in overcast weather. Because the SLR-1 is so efficient, it has a combined battery life of over 100,000 hours, that’s over 11 years! Another innovative feature is the removable solar panel, should you break it or something, just order a new one. Much better than ordering a whole new sight. When in the “solar” mode, brightness adjustment is done automatically depending on ambient light. One can switch over to “manual” mode if they want to set the brightness level.

As with most red dots, the Atibal SLR-1 has a bunch of expected features. The SLR-1 has a 2 moa dot or a 35 moa circle dot reticle. 8 brightness settings, 1 of them is night vision compatible. It’s shockproof, water proof, parallax free, nitrogen filled, and has multi-coated lenses. The battery is easily accessed on the side of the sight, as are the multi-use buttons. Length on the SLR-1 is 3”. Weight is 5.6 ounces. It comes supplied with a very nice AR co-witness mount, but has mount compatibility with Aimpoint T-1 and H-1 mounts

Now that all the technical stuff is out of the way, let’s dig into some of the good stuff. My SLR-1 came in a nice plastic padded case with everything needed to mount it, zero it, clean it, and cover it, they even threw in an extra battery. I can’t say enough good things about the supplied mount. Most supplied mounts are usable, but not great. The Atibal mount is sturdy, good looking, and mounts very securely. A wrench is even supplied to tighten down the mount.

Actual use of the SLR-1 is where it shines. The dot and circle dot are very clear. Looking through the 20mm tube, I see little to no color differences. Because the solar panel is mounted on top, it picks up light well. When using the “solar” mode, the brightness of the dot is automatically adjusted. One drawback to the “solar” mode is that you can only use the 2 moa dot reticle, not the 35 moa circle dot. The auto brightness function adjusted brightness extremely well, never did I feel like the dot was too bright or too dim. It is also very responsive to changes in ambient light. To switch over to the “battery” mode, just tap the “+” button and you are now using the battery. Here you have manual brightness adjustments. As you can guess, “+” increases the brightness, and “-” reduces the brightness. The dot does flare when turned up, but that’s pretty normal for any red dot. Since we are on “battery” mode, if you hold down the “-” button for about 3 seconds, the reticle will change over to the 35 moa circle dot. After using the circle dot, I think I prefer a 65 moa dot over the 35 moa dot. Mainly because the bottom of a 65 moa circle is the height over bore zero of an AR at 7 yds. Now if you want to switch back to “solar” mode, just hold down the “+” button for about 3 seconds.

I’ve been using the SLR-1 for around 4 months. I really like the 2 moa dot and hardly ever use the circle dot. Like mentioned before, it is super clear and easy to find the dot. It has held zero, even with me bouncing it off a wooden bench. It’s light, so it fits in well with the carbine it is on. One design aspect I like is the protected turrets. Yes, it makes it harder to get the caps on and off for adjustment, but protects them from being broken off. Speaking of caps, the turret caps also can be turned over and used to adjust the windage and elevation, both of which are 1 moa adjustments. The actual clicks on the adjustments are pretty good also. There is no problem hearing or feeling them.

Atibal did a stand up job designing the SLR-1. It’s clear, tough, and has some of the best battery life in the game. The use of industry standard mounts is smart, as is the multiple reticle option. Plus it has a lifetime warranty. Atibal has been upping their game in the optics industry, definitely give them a look.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Solar Red dot sight

Target Market:

Those wanting a red dot with solar capability

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

Solar and battery powered with run times in excess of 100,000 hours
Removable solar panel
Parallax Free
Easy accessible battery (no tools needed)
Shockproof
Multiple Dot System (MDS)
1 Hour Auto Shut Off when in battery mode
Multi-coated lens
2 MOA dot, 35 MOA circle dot
1 MOA click adjustments
Brightness - 8 Settings (1 night vision, 7 daylight)
Detachable Co-witness mount
Lifetime Warranty
Nitrogen Filled
Water Proof
Battery - CR2032
Length 3"
Weight 5.6 oz

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Rich F. on Atibal 5/5 stars

Sweet dot!

Competitive 3-gunner, USPSA shooter, steel challenge ringer, and firearms enthusiast. I’ve owned the SLR-1 for almost a half year now. I have almost a thousand rounds with it on my competition shotgun. It's had up to 1,400pfs shells through it throwing 1 3/8 ounce of shot and don’t forget about slugs and buck shot. I can’t wait to run this thing next season in competition. Awesome dot, slim, good looking, love the solar feature and dual reticle. The circle dot setup maybe perfect on the shotgun! I'm proud to own four Atibal optics, and I’d recommend them to anyone. The price and no BS warranty seals the deal on these guys! Great job Atibal, I'm excited to see what other optics you guys come out with. I’d recommend this brand and product to anyone.