Picked up a pair of Vortex 8x42 Razor HD binoculars and was looking for some sort of harness for them. I see that HornHunter, Badlands, Sitka Gear and Eberlestock all make them.

Which are you using? Going through Amazon.com some have not very good reviews...and most are priced between $39-$150

I use Swarovski but honestly I don't see much difference among them. Probably made by the same company with a different name stamped on the yoke.

I very much like my Alaska Guide Creations chest rig, aka my snugglebuddy (wife's name for it). You can see it in a couple pictures in this hunt report:
http://forums.accuratereloadin...3411043/m/1951023032

Nice! I have been looking at the Alaska Guide Creations one as well. I need to measure the binoculars and figure out which one to order since they make a few different sizes

LJS - I had it set in my mind to purchase a pair of Swarovski binoculars but these Razor HD's were such a steal I had to get them

I have used most all the name brand bino harness that are out there. I even spent a couple of years developing one of my own design. All seemed very restrictive. Trashed them all. Now use a safari style strap, bino rides on the left side or around back. I used a smooth leather bridle rein so the bino rides about waist level on my left side. Works pretty good.

I'm quite happy with the marsupial gear one I have, nice and trim.

I like just a nice, 2.5" wide neoprene neck strap, bino's hung off my left hip.

I tried the harness and it just didn't really do anything for me.

I like the FHF Gear bino harnesses.

FHF Gear Bino Harness

Tried Niggeloh didn't like them. Now tried Solognac. Better than Niggeloh I have found.

But in truth wear them UNDER your left armpit like Robert E Lee and it beats any harness.

quote:

Originally posted by touchdown88:
I like the FHF Gear bino harnesses.

FHF Gear Bino Harness

Those look pretty nice too. I have rangefinder and GPS cases from FHF attached to my AGC chest rig.

I just ordered my AGC binocular pack. Can't wait for it to show up -- I'll try to get a review put up with photos once it comes (For anyone else looking)

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
I like just a nice, 2.5" wide neoprene neck strap, bino's hung off my left hip.

I tried the harness and it just didn't really do anything for me.

Same here. I wear shirts with vented mesh backs. The harnesses wouldn't allow the shirts to works as intended and made me too hot. Factory neoprene strap with binos hung below left arm pit work just fine.

quote:

Originally posted by impala#03:
I have used most all the name brand bino harness that are out there. I even spent a couple of years developing one of my own design. All seemed very restrictive. Trashed them all. Now use a safari style strap, bino rides on the left side or around back. I used a smooth leather bridle rein so the bino rides about waist level on my left side. Works pretty good.

I moved to that rig as well. I like the harnesses but they get in the way,

I learned form the PHs in Africa, Most use it, It is a simple 1 or 2 inch webbing sling, that rides over one shoulder and under the other shoulder, you can position the glass in any position on your body and it will remain in that position until YOU move it..

It simply cannot be beat, and mine cost about a dollar bill, no need for adjustment one size fits all, but good idea to make it your size.

I can't stand being trussed up like a Christmas goose..

I wear mine under my right armpit on a pretty long strap. If crawling - slide round the back, to use just bring to the front.

My binoculars are 18 year old Zeiss 7x42 BGATs. Took me 16 years to work out how to do the above.

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
I just ordered my AGC binocular pack. Can't wait for it to show up -- I'll try to get a review put up with photos once it comes (For anyone else looking)

Well, did you get your chest rig yet? Thoughts?

For those recommending a strap over one shoulder, a question if you will. I know this system works well with only a few other accessories, but how well does this approach work when strapped into a large backpack?

Yes sir I absolutely love it. Ordered April 14 and received on the 17th. Fit is great, My RazorHD binoculars are easy to access and remove. I ordered the Kodiak C.U.B.


Haven't taken it on a "hunt" yet so I have not finished my review. But I really like where it positions the binoculars. The extra pockets are nice for a cell phone or knife or whatever you may want to store in there.

I have the Bushnell harness, it works great. Beats the heck out of the ordinary strap.

binocular harness????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

I use the S4 Lock Down Harness on a heavy set of 10x45 Victory RFs and really like it. It distributes the weight well and allows super quick access to binos.

quote:

Originally posted by sheephunterab:
I use the S4 Lock Down Harness on a heavy set of 10x45 Victory RFs and really like it. It distributes the weight well and allows super quick access to binos.

I've tried them all, the S4 is the best I've found. Ray's method works well for small binoculars and light clothing. I carried a pair of Zeiss Victory 8x20 under left side on my elephant hunt. I wouldn't do this with my 10x42 EL's, though.

I use Rays method. Have tried several and there are positives and negatives to each. I built one like Rays with 1 1/2 inch nylon webbing with adjustable feature. Last two PH,s I hunted with asked about it and liked it. So far it's the best I have used and length can be modified for different applications but I like it under my arm just behind the left hip. It can be moved when crawling or moving in different positions and will stay where they are placed. Best for me so far and most rugged of any of the others. Price was right too.

https://www.sandsarchery.com/U...r-Harness-p/ulbh.htm

For a simple, versatile harness, I really like these. I'm going to road test the Marsupial harness for something more protective.

I use a strap and carry the binos under my left arm. Have been thinking about a backpack hunt down the Wuku and I may need to rethink that. Always had someone else to carry the pack.

Badlands great stuff

I've gone full circle on the harness/pouches. I had an FHF, but good grief did it get in the way and was noisy. And since I use layers, the off/on/off/on got tiring. The stretchy style harness of many brands is OK, but I ended up making a 1" (so it fits underneath my collar) neck strap from some filson tin cloth I got from the scrap bin there. It's short, so the binos are high on my chest, and I think I like that option best of all.

The ultralight option mentioned above looks interesting for a simple/light option.

I tried harnesses years ago, but couldn't stand the feel of them. Slow to get into or out of, plastered my clothing down against my body, just generally uncomfortable.

A simple strap, sized to hang the binocular under my left arm just above the belt is my favourite carry method. Slide it forward as needed, slide it back behind the body if crawling or busting brush. Literally no downside to this method.

JWM,
Perfect, been using that carry for many years now..Wouldn't consider any other option..In the truck they are on my chest under my chin, over my left hip when walking on my back while climbing, no matter where I position them they stay in that position..

Since there's more talk of simple straps,
I wanted to pose this question again.
Would appreciate your input.

quote:

Originally posted by DesertRam:

For those recommending a strap over one shoulder, a question if you will. I know this system works well with only a few other accessories, but how well does this approach work when strapped into a large backpack?

that would depend entirely on the size of a large back pack, I would suggest the back pack have a pocket for binocs..I don't carry a back pack while hunting so Im just guessing..

Yeah, same here. I hunt either without a backpack or at most with a day-pack. Putting the binoc strap over my shoulder and under my arm before donning the backpack lets me use the binoc just as well as with no backpack, except I can't slide it quite as far up my back. It still slips up far enough to protect it in case that becomes necessary.

As far as harnesses are concerned, I've tried the various X 4 strap harnesses and preferred the Swarovski attachment hardware (although they are all the same). The biggest problem I have with all of these types is that the straps all stretch and the binos can bounce a bit- hate that.

I recently bought but have not used the Sitka harness- an improvement as the straps that hold the binos in place are not elastic so no bounce. Gonna give away those other ones.

I've tried many of the cuddies/packs and just can't do them. Too godddamned bulky. I've packed them on the plane, just never was able to take them out of my luggage. I need to sell my AGC and Badlands I have left.

That being said I do have a pair of the Kuiu one large and one small. These are quite minimalist so I may be able to tolerate them. I have taken them to Africa, but just not used the "cover." The best thing about this design is that you can undo the cover and just use the straps as a harness.

Those other designs use 4 straps to hold the pack in place and then 2 smaller ministraps for the binos. The Kuiu use 2 straps to hold the binos and 2 straps to go around your chest, The latter attach either 1. to the cover or 2. to themselves making a harness without the cover. These sre not elastic so no bouncing. Using them as just a harness was good- better than the dedicated harnesses.

I've been using these for the last couple of years.
They work great.
http://rickyoungoutdoors.com/b...-light-bino-harness/

quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
I've been using these for the last couple of years.
They work great.
http://rickyoungoutdoors.com/b...-light-bino-harness/

x2 on this. I was just about to look for the link to post when scrolled to the end of thread and saw it here.

3 years later and I am still loving my Alaska Guide Creations bino harness! I have used it on every hunt since receiving it and I wouldn't go without it. Great product.

I have had and used every type imaginable, but have used KUIU's for the last four-five years. I just purchased their new upgraded ones a couple of weeks ago.

I see all these new rigs as gadgets looking for suckers money..

I am forced to smile when I read posts on my local Canuck forum, written by a certain breed of catalog cowboy (my old man's term) that is very common up here. They spend thousands of dollars to shave fractions of ounces of weight off their "mountain" rifles. They skeletonize bolt handles, flute pencil barrels, and hog out holes in every conceivable non-structural piece of metal. They actually discuss the weight of various types of paint to use on their carbon-fibre/graphite/kevlar riflestocks. They can rattle off, from memory, the exact weight of every over-priced plastic stock on the market.

Then they top these rifles with 25-ounce high-magnification scopes that belong on benchrest rifles...and finally, they ice the cake by carrying their binoculars tightly strapped to their chests in cute little cordura cases that weight almost as much as the binos.

X3

quote:

Originally posted by mrjulian_1970:

quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
I've been using these for the last couple of years.
They work great.
http://rickyoungoutdoors.com/b...-light-bino-harness/

x2 on this. I was just about to look for the link to post when scrolled to the end of thread and saw it here.

quote:

I see all these new rigs as gadgets looking for suckers money..

Ray: It's that way with everything in life, don't you know?