Bino Harness what am I doing wrong?

[NXTZ]

So I understand the popularity/purpose of the whole Bino Harness thing, but I have struggled to find one that works for me/my style of hunting. I’m pretty new to this, first gen hunter if you will, so I’ll preface this by stating my ignorance/inexperience. I only bowhunt, and in the near future will only be hunting Oregon and possibly north Idaho (think thicker timber/limited glassing opportunities). I’m not picky, and will try to make a shot/stalk on the first legal critter I have a tag for. Just trying to build my experience now, no thinking about score or size.

With that being said, I am struggling with the application of my binos in the field. I do like having them accessible and protected, but I just don’t find myself using them a ton while in the thick stuff calling/still hunting. Seems like a lot of unnecessary movement. If there’s a critter within sight, I’m reaching for my range finder, not thinking about binos. So I guess I don’t need “immediate, silent” access to them, just my range finder.

The main pain point I’ve experienced with every system I’ve tried is that they are all strappy cluster***ks, and layering up or down becomes a pain in the ass dealing with the harness. I have streamlined some clothing choices, so I hope that layering will be less of an issue, but every one I’ve tried is annoying to don/doff in a hurry. Again, in my ignorance, this may be a NON issue and I shouldn't be screwing around with layers in the field so much anyway.

Ive considered just using a simple strap and hanging the binos under one arm, stuffing them in my shirt/jacket if I need protection. I am open to suggestions of products I haven’t tried yet or other options I may be missing, just trying to see what other guys/gals who may not like bino harnesses are doing? FWIW, I’ve used AGC, ADAK, and Sitka gen 2 harness. Hated all of them almost equally (adak was best just due to smallest size). And every other system I’m aware of uses the same basic harness style, which I’d rather not deal with.

Am I just too picky? Am I missing the purpose or application of this piece of gear? Every backcountry bada$$ has one or three of these things, what am I missing?

 

[mtwarden]

sounds like you might be using small binos?

then you should look into this

https://rickyoungoutdoors.com/basic-ultra-light-bino-harness/

 

[11boo]

I leave my binos behind as much as I take them, but I have no issues with my harness.

 

[Drenalin]

I don’t really care for them either. The Rick Young that @mtwarden linked has been best for me. Given where you hunt, I’d recommend getting their little rain cover too.

 

[wapitibob]

I rarely use binos when bowhunting now.
I have the badlands, sitka, fhf, rick young, and marsupial harnesses and use the marsupial when I rifle hunt. The other sit on the shelf.

 

[KenLee]

I don’t really care for them either. The Rick Young that @mtwarden linked has been best for me. Given where you hunt, I’d recommend getting their little rain cover too.

Exactly what I've used for years. Ultralight harness and orange cover

 

[Randle]

The struggle is somewhat normal for what you described. I archery and rifle hunt and still found most days I dont need binos. A rangefinder with good glass and clean lenses will do most of what I need , but some days I wish I had binos.
I just dont care for all the bulk on my chest , Ive used bino bro
pro for my sleekest harness. Most days I just dont need them during bow season,

 

[NXTZ]

Y’all are awesome! Really appreciate the replies! I’m using 10x42 Nikon monarch’s (love the glass) and they’re pretty light. That Rick young harness is intriguing-might be the closest to what I’m after.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

Seems like you should just keep the binos in your pack and a range finder in your pocket.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[NXTZ]

Seems like you should just keep the binos in your pack and a range finder in your pocket.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

I’ve really been considering this option/rigging a pouch to my pack. I keep thinking that I NEED the binos on my chest, but so far (in my very limited experience) that just hasn’t been the case. Other nice thing about this approach would be the .$0.00 cost to try.

 

[orionsbrother]

I use a KUIU harness. I’ve found that scanning with binos helps me to pick out animals, even in the thick stuff.

Adding or shedding layers can occasionally be irksome.

 

[Randle]

This last rifle season I used a pouch on my belt for binos, weak side way back on the pack belt
It worked well and i could get them when needed

 

[Boarmaster]

I love my marsupial harness. I mostly hunt in the timber with various degrees of thick vegetation. While sitting I have my binos up and I am looking thru them. It took me many years to get to using them more.
I see more deer sooner than without them. Therefore I spook less deer unintentionally as I am aware they are there.
If I didnt like my harness I would use smaller binos and garments that had a chest pocket. My 8.5x42 will fit in the chest pocket of any of my jackets or vests.

 

[Bendejo]

This last rifle season I used a pouch on my belt for binos, weak side way back on the pack belt
It worked well and i could get them when needed

Last few times I've been grouse hunting, I put my binos in one of the large shell pouches on my bird vest. My 10x42 fit perfectly. It definitely got me thinking of a belt mount option for my hunting pack.
Marsupial makes one that would link up good on my exo k3 belt, could also have the rick young special at the same time in case I need to drop my pack.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Paladin]

I made my own bino harness from scratch after trying about every one out there. Most of the ones on the market were just overbuilt for me, not so much the pouch but the harness itself.
I thinned down the straps and went with smaller, very low profile buckles where I had to have them. I did away with buckles where I could and sewed straight into the pouch. I knew I was going to be the only one wearing it so I kept just enough adjustment strap with no excess. It now layers better under the pack and/or clothing.
For the pouch I finally settled on the Marsupial. They offer a pouch only choice and I grabbed one on sale. After I removed all the magnets, re-sewed the lid, and sewed in the harness I love it. I made one up for my 10's first and then my 12's.

 

[roosiebull]

So I understand the popularity/purpose of the whole Bino Harness thing, but I have struggled to find one that works for me/my style of hunting. I’m pretty new to this, first gen hunter if you will, so I’ll preface this by stating my ignorance/inexperience. I only bowhunt, and in the near future will only be hunting Oregon and possibly north Idaho (think thicker timber/limited glassing opportunities). I’m not picky, and will try to make a shot/stalk on the first legal critter I have a tag for. Just trying to build my experience now, no thinking about score or size.

With that being said, I am struggling with the application of my binos in the field. I do like having them accessible and protected, but I just don’t find myself using them a ton while in the thick stuff calling/still hunting. Seems like a lot of unnecessary movement. If there’s a critter within sight, I’m reaching for my range finder, not thinking about binos. So I guess I don’t need “immediate, silent” access to them, just my range finder.

The main pain point I’ve experienced with every system I’ve tried is that they are all strappy cluster***ks, and layering up or down becomes a pain in the ass dealing with the harness. I have streamlined some clothing choices, so I hope that layering will be less of an issue, but every one I’ve tried is annoying to don/doff in a hurry. Again, in my ignorance, this may be a NON issue and I shouldn't be screwing around with layers in the field so much anyway.

Ive considered just using a simple strap and hanging the binos under one arm, stuffing them in my shirt/jacket if I need protection. I am open to suggestions of products I haven’t tried yet or other options I may be missing, just trying to see what other guys/gals who may not like bino harnesses are doing? FWIW, I’ve used AGC, ADAK, and Sitka gen 2 harness. Hated all of them almost equally (adak was best just due to smallest size). And every other system I’m aware of uses the same basic harness style, which I’d rather not deal with.

Am I just too picky? Am I missing the purpose or application of this piece of gear? Every backcountry bada$$ has one or three of these things, what am I missing?

I live and hunt primarily in western Oregon, and use my binos a lot every day, including elk hunting in the brush. Calling a bull, or stalking, i use them a lot just looking through the brush.

I used to get busted a lot moving in on elk, either getting tunnel vision and not seeing a cow that’s had me pinned, and I think things still look good, but it’s over and I don’t know it yet… the big one is cows bedded, they are hard to see in the ferns and brush, and I can’t even guess how many times I have saved myself at close range spotting the ridge line of a cow’s back, or ear, or something.

One thing about open harnesses like the Rick young, if you hunt the coast, even with their cover, your glass will be full of fern pollen constantly, and once they get really dirty, you won’t be able to clean them well in the field without trashing your glass, it’s gritty enough it will scratch them.

Again, if you plan on hunting western Oregon, you’ll be facing a lot of rain, and those open harnesses will never keep the moisture off enough. The only way I can keep my glass dry is in an enclosed harness, under my rain jacket.

I used an open harness a couple years, starting with those crappy elastic webbing ones, then a Rick young, they just don’t offer enough protection for coast hunting.

It will ultimately be up to you to make the compromise that makes sense to you. I have went through a bunch of harnesses, and just got the outdoor vision gen 2, for what’s out there, it’s the best for my needs, but not perfect… I really like it so far, and I know their gear holds up, so I’m hoping my sentiments don’t change.

I don’t know what kind of pack you use (if any) but I saw a harness here recently called catamount I think, and it has molle webbing on the back, so if your waist belt has molle on it, you could attach the harness to that, or your pack if it has molle loops

 

[Green Bullet]

AGC. Always have my glass on me when hunting. In your application I use glass to look ahead through the branches and under. I spot game well in advance of when they see me this way. Also carry my air checker and range finder in same AGC carrier.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I hunt a lot back east where sight lines don’t always lend themselves to glassing. I sometimes go with binos and sometimes without. I tried a few different carry methods and went back to a harness. a few thoughts:

- I didn’t love my ACG harness, too bulky but more protection and enclosure
- I preferred FHF but also liked to pad the straps on my harness
- I played with running my binos on my pack belt and found a lot of instances where I grounded my pack but wanted my binos with me. if you go this right find or make some padding, my binos got banged around on my hip belt.
- I use my binos a lot less in most of my eastern hunting and will leave them behind fairly often depending on where and what I am hunting. Tight woods bow hunting deer? Don’t need them. Rifle season sitting on the edge of a field? Great for scanning tree lines and to tell if bucks are legal. Out west in the mountains, use them all the time.

These days, I use an FHF harness that is just a bino harness with a rangefinder pouch to go light and another that is rigged onto a small chest rig with a rangefinder and an admin pouch something like the Sitka harness That also houses my phone and some other gear. I like the chest rig because it gives me a layer of gear that I like to have on my person when I drop my pack - binos, rangefinder, phone, ear pro, flagging and marking stuff, flashlight, wind checker, calls, leatherman compass, gps, bear spray, a few odds and ends.

 

[fngTony]

The ryo harness is my go to. I wear it over my base layer then my mid layers are all half or full zips so my binos tuck under my mid or when zipped down it’s like I’m not wearing a mid layer.

 

[wyosteve]

X2 what fngTony said. Before the fancy harnesses, all I ever did was open my shirt/coat and zip it about halfway, then tuck the binos in. Worked fine for many years and especially going uphill on the horse. It kept the binos from banging on the saddle horn.