As I’ve written before, gear is just a necessary evil to me. I’d rather be hunting than screwing around with “stuff”. I’ve hunted with guys who bring so many gadgets to deer camp that they’re up fiddlin’ with the latest and greatest long after I’m asleep.
The first time I saw a binocular suspender was on my dad. It was cumbersome and bulky. To me, it didn’t do much more than the factory neck strap. That was 15 years ago and I’ve ignored them ever since. That was until Nimrod Pack Systems sent me their version- The Bino-Topia Suspender. The name was interesting enough, but I have to admit that I wished they hadn’t of sent them. I’d written off bino suspenders long ago.
You can see in the picture above (that’s not me, my biceps are much larger and tats more menacing) Nimrod’s concept of the suspender. I pulled mine out of the box and true-to-nature, attached them to my binos without reading the instructions. That is actually part of how I test gear- I don’t read the instructions. The way I look at it is if I can figure a piece of gear without instructions, then I won’t regret taking it 12 miles into the backcountry where there are no instructions. However, I can’t really recommend in good conscience that you follow my protocol.
The Nimrod suspenders barely passed that test. I attached them to the binos without removing the factory neck strap. They actually worked pretty well and I wouldn’t have known there was anything wrong if I hadn’t emailed the pics to Nimrod Pro-staffer James Turner. He quickly replied that the suspenders replace the factory neck strap. I followed orders and found that the suspenders did work better and my lens covers stayed in place. Next, I needed to get them in the field.
I spent two days using them during shed season. Here’s a short video on my experience with them. Nimrod may have succeeded at changing my mind.
Another bonus to the suspenders is that they can attach to Nimrod’s pistol holster and accessory bags for a rangefinder or camcorder. You can buy extra buckles for around $8 so you can easily switch between different optics and accessories. I’d suggest the extra buckles rather than trying to untie the complicated knot that fastens the original buckles. I had to undo them when I mistakenly left the factory neck strap on. Trust me, they are made to be tied once! See Nimrod for more information.
