How cheap can a red dot get before you immediately dismiss it based solely on price? We’ve seen some solid dots around $250, some okay dots at $200, but what about a $150 red dot sight? The Cyelee CAT0 aims to offer a $150 optic that’s designed for concealed carry and defensive use.
I’m admittedly skeptical about the CAT0. It seems too cheap to be any good, but I’m willing to be wrong. Cyelee provided me with the optic to test and review, and I plan to do just that. Let’s see if $150 is enough for a defensive optic.
Cyelee CAT0: Specs and Features
Cyelee makes lots and lots of red dots in various sizes. They remind me of Holosun. The CAT0 utilizes an RMSc footprint, sitting on the micro side of red dots.
I was pleasantly surprised by the aluminum body. I expected polymer at this price point. The window size is 0.89 inches by 0.63 inches. It’s small, but compared to the competition, it’s larger than most.
The 1632 battery loads through the top, but the optic sits very low. According to Cyelee, the battery will last 50,000 hours.
In a wise move, Cyelee uses a motion-activated system. If it sits still a bit, it will shut off automatically. When moved again, the optic fires back up at its last setting.
The CAT0 has a 3 MOA reticle, which is perfectly suitable for any handgun. We get eight daylight settings and two night vision settings. Overall, the specs and features are fairly standard for an RMSc handgun-ready optic.
Specs and features are one thing, but does the optic work? Since I had a Masada Slim Elite to test and review, I figured the two would be a perfect pair. Let’s dig into it.
Mounting and Zeroing
Cyelee includes a ton of screws of varying sizes so you can mount this to a ton of different guns with little effort. This seems to be a running theme with modern optics, and it’s fantastic. There is nothing more heartbreaking than buying an optic and having to wait a week for two screws to arrive so you can shoot with it.
Mounting the CAT0 to my Masada Slim Elite was plenty easy, and I got it mounted quickly. With the optic tightened in and Loctite applied, I zeroed the optic.
The turrets provide a click that’s audible and tactile, but just barely. There is very little resistance to the turrets, so the adjustments can jump quickly if you aren’t applying careful pressure with your tool. I had no drama getting the optic zeroed at 15 yards, and I was printing nice, tight groups.
The 3 MOA reticle isn’t perfectly crisp; it wouldn’t be mistaken for an Aimpoint dot, but for $150, it’s solid. It certainly competes with dots from Holosun and Swampfox. The brightness is adequate to be eye-catching in the bright overhead of Florida, which means it’s bright.
Running and Gunning
With a zeroed optic and an open mind, I started shooting at various ranges, testing both the gun and optic. The Masada Slim Elite shoots straight, and the optic made it easy to hit small targets out to 50 yards. This includes an 8-inch gong and a reduced-size 33% IPSC target.
The reticle’s small enough for precise shots, but large enough to be easy to find. The larger window can be beneficial for new shooters who have trouble finding the dot and haven’t yet established good presentation habits while shooting.
The CAT0 has a slight blue notch filter, but it’s not a problem. It’s hardly noticeable and lighter than many other budget optics. The dot appears to have a good refresh rate.
It never lagged during the recoil impulse or flickered during rapid transitions between targets. It held up quite well and impressed me. Once I started letting loose long strings of fire, I was able to track the blur as I put rounds where I wanted them.
For fun, I let the gun hit the ground a few times at varying angles to see if the optic would lose zero. I didn’t toss it out of a helicopter or hit it with a hammer, just a few chest-high drops. The optic held zero after the drops without issue.
Downsides
I use the Cyelee CAT0 in various lighting situations, and the optic performed admirably. It did a fantastic job in most cases. That is, until you are looking at a bright light. When looking towards bright light, there is a ton of reflection in the lens.
This creates numerous dots that could appear to be your reticle and makes aiming difficult. It’s a notable problem with the CAT0 and not one I notice with higher-end optics. It’s a problem, but the only significant one I’ve found with this optic.
Is it Worth It?
For $150, the CAT0 is a good optic. It’s not revolutionary or fantastic, but it performs above its price point. It seems to align with the Holosun 407K in terms of usability, but the 407K doesn’t have the reflection issue.
I’m pleasantly surprised by how well this optic performs at this price point. It might be the new standard for budget optics. After several hundred rounds, several drops, and a lot of bouncing around in a range bag, it’s still ticking and kicking.
