Kuiu harness?

[Mike7]

Shrek, I think you are funny, although probably a little misleading if you haven't actually used the harness.

It seems a group of people following Kuiu from the beginning got upset, at least in part, because they felt like they were a part of the company, when in fact they were just customers!

I have a Kuiu harness. It works really well when not wearing a pack. It has my favorite material and favorite back/shoulder portion of the harness of any I have used. With a pack on though, I find that the straps get caught half under and half over the backpack's straps while using your binoculars, which is just a little annoying for me.

Also, I like having my range finder attached to my bino harness, so for the Kuiu harness this means attaching it on the open front area where I sewed a little webbing strap. With the range finder in place the harness sags a lot while the binoculars are pulled out. So I took the extra portion of the long Kuiu shoulder straps and some additional webbing, and sewed on additional straps to use the harness like a typical harness system. It works pretty well, but does sag forward a little with the range finder on because of how low I had to sew on the additional straps. It is certainly useable in this fashion, but I need to use it more to see if I can dial things in a little better.

 

[Mike7]

Squeekieslayer, so are you saying have two sets of straps take off from the front of the shoulder strap?...one to the binoculars with a quick release buckle and one directly to the binoculars case?

 

[squeekieslayer]

Squeekieslayer, so are you saying have two sets of straps take off from the front of the shoulder strap?...one to the binoculars with a quick release buckle and one directly to the binoculars case?

Absolutely. It'd be about perfect then.

Joe

 

[Mike7]

Thanks Joe. I hadn't thought of that, but will try it. That should be a pretty easy modification once I find some small quick release buckles like the Kuiu ones to match the small/narrow webbing. -Mike

 

[Jeff Martin]

Can you show pics of what you are talking about? I have hunted countless days with the harness and I have never thought of modifications - i think you are referencing. I am really curious because I might want to do it myself

Can you are articulate on what you mean?

OK, I will probably get bashed for this... but I shouldn't it is JUST MY OPINION. I have had BOTH sizes of KUIU harness and pre ordered them. Apparently I may have to post pictures and receipts for this post to have any cred. I have OWNED (not picked up and looked at in a store, or read about) harnesses by KUIU, S4, Badlands, Sitka, FHF, and crooked horn. I am obviously looking for the best one out there because there is something about each that I hate. I have settled on the FHF after wearing all of them extensively.

For what its worth... KUIU is the closest to "perfect" design out there, the problem is, the part that they leave out, makes it so far from perfect in my eyes it is completely ridiculous.

Answer this question... for those of you that have the KUIU and love it or hate it.... would putting light weight straps from the harness to the bottom of the pouch make it better? The answer is a resounding YES!!! Period. There is ZERO advantage to not having the straps work that way other than shaving maybe an ounce. What would the advantages be? You would not have to cinch the thing down like you are getting ready to ride a bull in a rodeo to make it functional. You wouldnt have to adjust it with every layer change. You would be able to take your binos off and put on a tripod and not have to be a contortionist to reach the buckle if you move.

Yes you CAN get it super tight and adjust it and fiddle with it, and make it OK to work with one hand.... but then you take a jacket off and you have to start over. Try wearing a slick shirt (like an under armour heat gear) shirt alone with it, you cannot get it tight enough to function with one hand. I know some of you are going to say "i dont hunt in that" but some of us use our binos for more than hunting and i dont always wear camo when shed hunting and scouting.

I am not saying it is the worst ever... but i cannot believe it went though an R and D phase with any sort of prototyping before that thing came out. There is NO advantage to not having straps, so why not put them on there? I will omit my answer because it will sound like KUIU pack bashing about crap/no r and d.

My opinion, if they fixed that, it would be hands down the best.... until they do, it will not be on my chest and I will not advise anyone who asks me get it. That said my wife still has hers because she likes the ram emblem on it.... go figure.

The fact is that everyone is different and likes different things... Just because you like it does NOT mean that you are right for everyone. Get over yourself. I hate it, you love it... who cares? Thats why there's 10 options out there for you.

I've tried them all... basically... And I am with FHF for now. I have not tried the alaskan guide one because it is more than I want... but i hear great things about it. I really want to try the new eberlestock one. Opens the right way, full coverage, quiet material, full harness, no zippers, looks like it will hold extra stuff... but not too much, and comes in lots of cool patterns haha. I will be getting one asap and will let you guys know.

Joe

 

[jquarnberg]

This is spot on. I have went through the same process and have the same opinion. Except what I hate about the FHF outweighs what I hate about the KUIU one. And this doesn't sound like KUIU bashing it sounds like useful information.

OK, I will probably get bashed for this... but I shouldn't it is JUST MY OPINION. I have had BOTH sizes of KUIU harness and pre ordered them. Apparently I may have to post pictures and receipts for this post to have any cred. I have OWNED (not picked up and looked at in a store, or read about) harnesses by KUIU, S4, Badlands, Sitka, FHF, and crooked horn. I am obviously looking for the best one out there because there is something about each that I hate. I have settled on the FHF after wearing all of them extensively.

For what its worth... KUIU is the closest to "perfect" design out there, the problem is, the part that they leave out, makes it so far from perfect in my eyes it is completely ridiculous.

Answer this question... for those of you that have the KUIU and love it or hate it.... would putting light weight straps from the harness to the bottom of the pouch make it better? The answer is a resounding YES!!! Period. There is ZERO advantage to not having the straps work that way other than shaving maybe an ounce. What would the advantages be? You would not have to cinch the thing down like you are getting ready to ride a bull in a rodeo to make it functional. You wouldnt have to adjust it with every layer change. You would be able to take your binos off and put on a tripod and not have to be a contortionist to reach the buckle if you move.

Yes you CAN get it super tight and adjust it and fiddle with it, and make it OK to work with one hand.... but then you take a jacket off and you have to start over. Try wearing a slick shirt (like an under armour heat gear) shirt alone with it, you cannot get it tight enough to function with one hand. I know some of you are going to say "i dont hunt in that" but some of us use our binos for more than hunting and i dont always wear camo when shed hunting and scouting.

I am not saying it is the worst ever... but i cannot believe it went though an R and D phase with any sort of prototyping before that thing came out. There is NO advantage to not having straps, so why not put them on there? I will omit my answer because it will sound like KUIU pack bashing about crap/no r and d.

My opinion, if they fixed that, it would be hands down the best.... until they do, it will not be on my chest and I will not advise anyone who asks me get it. That said my wife still has hers because she likes the ram emblem on it.... go figure.

The fact is that everyone is different and likes different things... Just because you like it does NOT mean that you are right for everyone. Get over yourself. I hate it, you love it... who cares? Thats why there's 10 options out there for you.

I've tried them all... basically... And I am with FHF for now. I have not tried the alaskan guide one because it is more than I want... but i hear great things about it. I really want to try the new eberlestock one. Opens the right way, full coverage, quiet material, full harness, no zippers, looks like it will hold extra stuff... but not too much, and comes in lots of cool patterns haha. I will be getting one asap and will let you guys know.

Joe

 

[Jeff Martin]

Never mind - I think i got it. You are suggesting the only support to the actual Binoc pouch is the straps around the body. If the "over the shoulder" strap also connected to the pouch & Binos, the body strap would not have to be so tight. If that is correct, what a great idea! hmmmmm...i wonder what the draw back would be. good stuff Joe

Jeff

 

[jquarnberg]

I think if a guy has used the FHF and the KUIU then they know what modification squeek is referring too. It makes perfect sense and seems so obvious. For me it would be a perfect harness if that had been done.

 

[wapitibob]

I see no benefit to adding another strap from the shoulders down to the bag. Nor do I adjust it after removing my jacket. It works for me as is. If adding another strap makes it work for you, add the strap.
No different than packs, broadheads, or women....

What would benefit it, and every other pouch made, is to split the horizontal straps into a Y so the top and btm of the pouch is held evenly from the sides.

 

[RosinBag]

Wapiti, that Y idea is a good one, that alone may address the other issue being discussed.

I can see the need for the other strap if the bucket portion slides down in a person when they are using it.

 

[squeekieslayer]

Wapiti, that Y idea is a good one, that alone may address the other issue being discussed.

I can see the need for the other strap if the bucket portion slides down in a person when they are using it.

The one problem it would NOT address is the fact that if you take the binos off using the little clips that are on the straps and move at all, they fall behind you and you have to stand on your head or take it off to get them back connected. I really liked that the sitka, badlands, fhf etc allow me to not even tether the dang things to me. more freedom to lay around and glass that way... or since my wife has a kuiu harness, hand her my binos so she wont have to take hers out hahaha

maybe its the way I am built, wide shoulders or whatever... but it slides down on me every time...

Joe

 

[squeekieslayer]

hell, put a buckle on both ends of the strap so the people that like it the way it is can take it off and use it that way.... but i doubt anyone would.

ANyone got their hands on the nosegunner from eberle?? I like the looks a lot. Seems like some room for weight loss too hahah

Joe

 

[RosinBag]

I think if you could possible run double straps and buckles. One to the harness and one to the binos. If that is the issue for some.

I don't sew, but it seems like a fairly easy mod. I would use the existing buckles for the harness and try and sew another buckle off that strap or run another buckle they that strap and into your binos.

If that makes sense...

 

[squeekieslayer]

Also, I like having my range finder attached to my bino harness, so for the Kuiu harness this means attaching it on the open front area where I sewed a little webbing strap. With the range finder in place the harness sags a lot while the binoculars are pulled out. So I took the extra portion of the long Kuiu shoulder straps and some additional webbing, and sewed on additional straps to use the harness like a typical harness system. It works pretty well, but does sag forward a little with the range finder on because of how low I had to sew on the additional straps. It is certainly useable in this fashion, but I need to use it more to see if I can dial things in a little better.

Here's what I did, i can try and get pics when I get home this sunday.... get a clip (this one --> http://www.theclip.com/store/product.php?productid=16218&cat=0&featured=Y ) and stick it to the side of the rangefinder. Then the clip slides right into the little mesh pocket on the side. This works with sitka, fhf, kuiu, any with a little pocket on the side. Then I take the lanyard from my RF and put the buckle that holds the pouch to your chest through it. THat way if it falls out, or you just drop it to shoot, its still there and not lost.

works AWESOME.

Come to think of it... this may be the reason the KUIU slides down on me.

Joe

 

[jlsteel]

I have used both the FHF and the Kuiu. Both have its pros and cons.

If i never unclipped the binos off the harness to place on tripod then the Kuiu is probably the better product. Like others, I was initially worried about the Kuiu not having the straps connected to the top of the harness pouch like the FHF but after trying it, its doesn't move much when the binos are out. The problem is when you unclip the binos from the harness because the strap fall behind your back so its a pain to get the binos back on.

Using the FHF using the double shoulder straps is awkward to me because the pouch cover opens and closes the wrong way. The Kuiu pouch cover is ideal.

I removed the straps on the FHF that attach to the binos and put my binos in the pouch unattached to anything. With it set up this way, the FHF is my preferred harness. As long as the pouch stays closes and I don't lose my binos one day.

 

[MattB]

Here's what I did, i can try and get pics when I get home this sunday.... get a clip (this one --> http://www.theclip.com/store/product.php?productid=16218&cat=0&featured=Y ) and stick it to the side of the rangefinder. Then the clip slides right into the little mesh pocket on the side. This works with sitka, fhf, kuiu, any with a little pocket on the side. Then I take the lanyard from my RF and put the buckle that holds the pouch to your chest through it. THat way if it falls out, or you just drop it to shoot, its still there and not lost.

works AWESOME.

Come to think of it... this may be the reason the KUIU slides down on me.

Joe

So, after ALL that we learn that the product doesn't work as designed when it is not used as designed. Shocker.

 

[tipsntails7]

I don't have a problem with the harness, other then having to adjust it with layer changes. I would like a set of straps that attach to the pouch from the shoulder straps for nothing more then when I take my bino's off to put on a tripod. They have speed release buckles on the straps to the bino's and for the life of me I dont understand why. If you release them the straps fall behind you and it's a pain in the ass to get them back up. It's a great bino pouch, so is the FHF that my dad has now claimed as his own. Both are a far cry better then those elastic bungiee harnesses.

As far as all the rest of this BS it's typical Kuiu thread. What I will say is I don't buy the R&D process of Kuiu products. Either they don't run the equipment through the paces or are not using a wide enough base of hunters to test products. It took me one weekend Hunt to get really tired of the top straps falling off my shoulders. Does no one at Kuiu use bino's on a tripod? It took me one weekend trip to know that my Kuiu pack was a squeaky bastard. What blows me away is how well thought out their clothes are. The attacks are the single greatest pair of pangs I've ever owned.

 

[SDHNTR]

I think if a guy has used the FHF and the KUIU then they know what modification squeek is referring too. It makes perfect sense and seems so obvious. For me it would be a perfect harness if that had been done.

Agree 100%! I had the FHF first and ditched it because its too noisy for bowhunting. Then got the Kuiu and these fellas are right. It is a total design oversight, IMO, to not have two top straps as discussed here. That addition would make Kuiu the perfect harness. Conversely, if FHF made a pouch out of so e quieter fabric and made the lid open the right way it would be perfect too. Someone figure this out and I will gladly send mine over with some green paper for the retrofit.

 

[vegas hunter]

I run my KUIU harness with 8x32 Zeiss and have been pretty happy with it. Focus knob gets hung up when putting them back in but thats pretty minor. I can see how you guys taking them off to mount them on a tripod would definitely have a problem.

 

[RustyHazen]

I use my binos on a tripod exclusively. I have never removed the straps from the binos themselves. Your tripod is close to you when glassing, and, at least for me, the length of the shoulder straps reaches perfectly to my mounted binoculars. Then, I can just release the quick-release dovetail, set them in the pouch, and attach my spotter for a closer look. I agree that the straps will fall off your shoulders if you unclip them, but I just haven't had to. I even have a little room to relax my head away from the glass to look around without upsetting everything. It has worked brilliantly for me, anyway.