Congratulations to Kevin L. on Winning Black Oak's August Giveaway!
August's winner runs a Nitron XR1 color night vision camera and a Low Pro® Light Bar on his boat — and he's using them to do something simple and excellent: stop letting sunset decide when the fishing ends.
The PrizeWhat Kevin Won
20-Inch Double Row LED Light Bar – Pro Series 3.0
The 20-inch Double Row is one of the most versatile bars we build — compact enough for a hardtop, a T-top, or a bow mount, and bright enough to turn a dark ramp into a lit one. IP69K sealed, Osram chipsets, and the same lifetime warranty that covers the rest of the lineup.
$680 ValueIn His Own WordsWhat Kevin Told Us
"I love my camera. At first I was pretty hesitant based on the price, but the build quality looked good. Since then I've become a true believer and wouldn't head out without it."
"I use this to extend my fishing days. No, I don't have to head home by sunset — now I fish at night and have the freedom to head home in the dark. Thanks for the great product."
— Kevin L., August 2026 Giveaway WinnerWe'll take the honest version every time. Kevin hesitated, and he was right to — a night vision camera is not an impulse buy, and anybody who tells you otherwise is selling something. What changed his mind wasn't a spec sheet. It was picking the thing up, seeing how it was built, and then using it enough times to stop thinking about what it cost.
Why It MattersSunset Stops Being a Deadline
Every boater knows the math. You watch the light go, you do the calculation on how long the run back is, and you leave fish in the water because the trip home in the dark isn't worth the risk. Crab pot markers, unlit pilings, floating debris, another boat running without lights — none of it shows up in a spotlight beam until it's already close.
That's the actual problem the Nitron XR1 solves. It isn't a gadget for watching fish. It's what lets you run at night with the same confidence you have at noon, which is why Kevin's takeaway wasn't "cool camera" — it was "I get more fishing days now."
The XR1 shoots in color at light levels where a standard camera goes black and grainy, so you still get the information color carries: a red marker versus a green one, the difference between a wake and a wave, where the channel actually is. That's the running-at-night half of the problem solved. The other half is what happens when you stop — and that's where his light bar comes in.
The SetupKevin's Rig
| Component | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Nitron XR1 Color Night Vision Marine Camera | The core of the system. HD color imaging in low light, so navigating after dark stops being a guessing game. Available upright or undermount, in analog (BNC 720) or HDMI 1080. |
| Low Pro® Light Bar | The lowest profile marine light bar on the market. Visible white light for the jobs the camera can't do — working the deck, rigging lines, docking, finding the trailer at the ramp. Spot or flood, white or black housing, surface or undermount. |
| Coming soon | A 20-Inch Double Row LED Light Bar, courtesy of the August giveaway. Somewhere on that boat there's a spot for it. |
The two pieces do opposite jobs, and that's the point. The camera is how you run at night — it sees what a spotlight can't reach and doesn't destroy your night vision doing it. The Low Pro® is how you work at night, for the moments when you actually want light on the water and on the deck. Run the camera to get there, flip the bar on when you're fishing.
The Low Pro® earns its name: it sits almost flush, so it doesn't catch wind, doesn't block sightlines from the helm, and doesn't look like an afterthought bolted to a hardtop. On a boat, where every inch of profile above the windshield is in somebody's way, that matters more than it does on a truck.
See It RunKevin's Video
Kevin sent over footage from the boat, and it makes the case better than any spec sheet. Look out the windshield: black. Look at the screen: shoreline, water, horizon, in color. Same moment, same water.
Shot by Kevin L. on the water, August 2026.
Why We Picked ItWhat Made This Entry Stand Out
He Said the Quiet Part
"I was pretty hesitant based on the price." Most people think it and don't say it. We'd rather publish the objection than pretend nobody has it.
A Real Outcome
Not "great picture quality" — more fishing days. That's what the gear is actually for, and it's the only measure that counts.
It Became Standard Kit
"Wouldn't head out without it." Products earn that over a season of use, not in a first impression.
You Could Be Next Month's Winner
Send us a photo or a video of your Black Oak gear doing something. Every submission is a separate entry, so more photos means better odds. We announce a new winner here on the blog every month.
How It WorksEntering Takes About Two Minutes
- Take the shot. Photo or video of your Black Oak gear on your boat, truck, Jeep, UTV — whatever you run it on.
- Fill out the form. Head to the giveaway page and tell us what you're running and where.
- Upload it. Files up to 20MB each, or paste a link if it's bigger. Each submission counts as its own entry.
- Watch the blog. We pick a winner on merit every month, announce them here, and email them directly.
FAQCommon Questions
Is a night vision camera really worth the price?
Do I need a light bar too, or is the camera enough?
Can I enter the giveaway more than once?
Who do I talk to about setting up a system like Kevin's?
Wrap-UpCongratulations Again, Kevin
Thanks for taking a chance on us when the price gave you pause, and thanks for telling us so plainly. Enjoy the 20-inch Double Row — and enjoy the fishing days you weren't getting a year ago.
To everyone else: the entry form is open right now, and next month's winner is somebody who hasn't submitted yet. Get your entry in.
