Last Updated on March 23, 2021
Binocular harnesses play a vital role when you are going to use binoculars in birdwatching, hiking, or hunting. Especially for hunters who love to use binocs while hunting binocular harnesses are a must. The best binocular harness for hunting will make the hunters carry their priced hunting binoculars comfortably and easily. But choosing a perfect binocular harness may seem challenging since harnesses come in various forms and price ranges. Through this article, we are going to introduce you to the perfect harnesses for your valuable money that will protect your binocs and ease your hunting greatly.
Top Choices
Table could not be displayed.5 Best Binocular Harness for Hunting Reviews
01. OP/TECH USA Bino/Cam Harness – Self-Adjusting Harness
OP/TECH USA Bino/Cam Harness is a perfect solution for those outdoor enthusiasts who are seeking a simple yet durable and comfortable harness system for cameras or binoculars. This elastic harness system fits most cameras and binoculars. When you are carrying your necessary gears with this harness the whole system stabilizes gears against the body by enabling gliding up and down the strap.
The OP/TECH USA harness comes with a unique design assuring complete self-adjustment to comfortably balance gear while in use of in the idle position against the body. The Uni-Loop quick disconnect systems make it easy to attach or release the optics.
Pros:
- Cheap
- Well made
- Fits all cameras and binos
- Easy to attach
- Unique Design
Cons:
- Straps are not padded
02. Bushnell BinoculAR Accessory 19125C Deluxe Bino HARness Black Clam
Bushnell BinoculAR Harness is designed to take the pressure off while carrying your binoculars. It is equipped with elastic straps to position your valuable optics like binoculars, rangefinders, or cameras comfortably upon your chest whether you are riding a horse or engaging in another bouncy movement. With this harness, you will not put the weight on your neck rather you will use the shoulders and torso to carry your devices in a better way. When perfectly positioned, the optics will rest just below your chin enabling you to sight the prey at once.
With this harness, you will get a unique feature that is not available with the most other affordable harnesses. Bushnell Deluxe harness has a wide, perforated panel to protect and support your back a great deal. And with this, you can easily carry large and heavy binoculars without any hassle.
Pros:
- Comfortable
- Great performance
- Can fit large binoculars
- Distributes weight well
- A wide, perforated back panel
- Rest below chest for quick access
Cons:
- Strap clips should be improved
03. Vortex Optics Glasspak Binocular Harness
Vortex Optics Glasspak Binocular harness is perfect for those who are looking for a high-end, durable harness within a limited budget. This Vortex harness will house your binoculars and protect them completely from harmful elements while keeping them close to your hands. It is designed to accommodate a range of full-size binoculars keeping them snug and secure. The mesh side pockets are two in number enabling you to store lens pen or other necessary small things for your hunting. And the larger zipped pocket is ready to hold your larger items like cell phones etc.
The attached tethers prevent your binocular from accidental falling and severe loss. Fully adjustable shoulder straps assure optimum comfort. One thing to keep in mind that the buckle closing of the main compartment may create noise which is not so good for hunting conditions. This harness is built with bungee and nylon tab to protect your valuable optics from light, dust, debris, and other harmful things.
Pros:
- Provides full protection
- Useful additional pockets
- Affordable price
- Comfortable and durable
Cons:
- Creates some noise
- May not fit all binoculars
04. Alaska Guide Creations Kodiak C.U.B. Max Binocular Harness Bino Pack
Alaska Guide Creations Binocular Harness is designed to integrate simplicity and utility at the same time. This harness is perfect for those who prefer optimal storage in a compact option. It can accommodate binoculars with up to 42mm objective lenses. Most 8X42 and 10X42 binoculars will perfectly fit in this compact harness. The harness offers numerous handy pockets along with the main compartment. In the front pockets, you can easily carry your rangefinders. And there are side pockets to house your other necessary gears for hunting.
The Kodiak C.U.B (compact utility bag) will fit your chest comfortably with its breathable mesh construction. It is made of an incredibly light ripstop material that is coated to ensure rain and snow will not penetrate. This protection is really necessary to keep your valuable binoculars safe. While hunting it is a must to keep all the essential gears in an easily accessible place and keep everything noise-free. With multiple additional pockets, this harness can easily serve the purpose of carrying multiple necessary gears at the same time. And the H.B.S aka hook and bungee system closure will allow you quiet, and easy one-hand operation to open and secure the main compartment.
Weight: 1.2 pounds
Pros:
- Waterproof and dustproof
- Compact and lightweight
- Hook and bungee system closure
- Additional storage options
- Made in the USA
Cons:
- Pricey than others
05. Allen Company Binocular Pouch with Strap
Allen Company Binocular Pouch is a perfect binocular carrier for hunting that you can get with little cost. With this ready pouch, you will get rid of all types of optical wiggling and jiggling. This binocular pouch has elastic straps that keep the optics in a ready position for instant access and can fit binoculars up to 10X50 Roof prism or 7X35 Porro prism.
The pouch holds your binocular close to the body and protects it from rain, snow, and scratching. With its comfortable design, you can use this pouch all day long. The straps attach the binoculars with quick ties and are fully adjustable for ultimate comfort. The neoprene finish of the pouch enhances durability and performance.
Pros:
- Good quality
- Protects from rain and snow
- Durable and comfortable
- Perfect for all-day use
Cons:
- Padding is not so outstanding
- Not fit all size of binoculars
Buying Guide for Best Binocular Harness for Hunting
Do You Really Need a Binocular Harness for Hunting?
Before buying anything you must be sure whether you really need that thing or not. Though harness is a great enhancement for carrying binoculars, everybody may not need a harness necessarily. And the necessity of using a bino harness also depends on the environment where you are going. If you are a hunter, professional photographer, or enthusiast explorer, a perfect binocular harness can be your great friend.
Some may wonder why a bino harness is necessary when most of the items i.e. quality night viewing binoculars come with a neck strap. Well, we will bring out the facts in this section. For the time being, let us mention some of the unique benefits that a harness will provide over a strap.
Weight Distribution
Normal straps or the basic straps do enable you to carry the binoculars to some extent. But they are only using your neck to carry the weight of the binocs. Therefore, you will get tired or even start feeling pain around your neck in case of extended use. A harness can play a vital role in this case. Bino Harnesses come with multiple straps to use your neck along with back to evenly distribute the weight of your binoculars. Thus you are relieved from getting pain around the neck and can carry the binoculars for a longer period of time.
Free Up Hands
While creating a weightless feeling for you, harnesses also free up your hands. And you can use your mighty hands for other necessary tasks like shooting, removing obstacles from the way, etc.
Ease Carrying and Protection of Binoculars
With harnesses, you can easily carry binoculars. Not only that, some harnesses come with a carrying bag. They are called full-sized harnesses or dual harnesses. And you can keep, store and carry your costly binoculars in that bag without any worry. Quality harnesses have a waterproof bag to save your valuable optics from getting affected in the rain or other unfavorable condition.
Binocular Harness vs Binocular Straps
Binocular straps are an easy and cheap solution to carry binoculars since most of the binoculars of decent quality come with a neck strap. But basic straps only use your neck to carry the full weight of the binoculars and therefore can cause pain. Harnesses can relieve you from that problem greatly.
While carrying binoculars with straps, binoculars keep swinging around in front of you while you are moving. The situation gets worse when you are running or moving fast in the wilderness. And you can lose your binoculars or cause irreversible damage by accidentally bumping your binoculars on something. A binocular harness can protect your binoculars from such an accident. Harnesses keep your binoculars close to you and minimize the swinging effect while making the binocs easily accessible to your hands.
Difference Between a Pouch and a Case
A bino harness with a pouch provides great usability since whenever you take in or out the binoculars the magnetic closure systems do the job. Therefore, you need to worry about closing it. On the other hand, a bino harness with a case provides an extra level of security to the binoculars. Since they have an extra layer of resistance, your binoculars will remain safe even if you drop them accidentally. This extra feature is not found with the pouches.
Types of Binocular Harness for Hunting
When you are in the market searching for the perfect harness for your money you will find varieties of options that cover different types of harnesses. In this section, we will introduce you to the four types of harnesses.
Elementary Harnesses
The name is self-explanatory and they are the basic level binocular harness consisting of several straps. The straps cross over your back to carry the binoculars using ties and lips. They come in a different finish. Some are very basic while others offer padded back panels and perforated finish to reduce sweating.
Since they are very much basic, they are not very much comfortable and provide very little protection for your binoculars.
Low Profile Harnesses
These types of harnesses have great similarities with elementary harnesses but have much comfortable and extensive strap design. Low profile harnesses come with extra padding on the back panel and shoulder straps for better support and comfort than basic harnesses. Some of these harnesses come with a pouch or carrying case to accommodate your valuable binoculars. This way you will get more protection.
Full-Size Harnesses
If low-profile harnesses are not enough for you, full-sized harnesses are there to offer you more options and features. They are designed to be multipurpose and have heavy extra padding around the straps as well as the back panel. Additionally, they come with full-sized pouches to accommodate almost any sized binoculars. Not only that, these harnesses offer extra compartments for storing your other necessary accessories. All these facilities will cost you extra money and carrying more weight.
Dual Harnesses
If you are an advanced outdoor enthusiast dual harnesses are for you. With these harnesses, you can carry your camera alongside your binoculars. Actually, these models will provide you the functionality and convenience of two harnesses at the same time all rolled up into a single package. They are designed with comfortable extra padding on the straps and back panels and have an additional set of clips to be added to a camera or second pair of binoculars.
Match Binocular Harness Type with Your Necessity
Now you know the binocular harness types and it is time to choose the best one for you. Some suggestions we will like to give you are the following,
- You should go for basic or elementary harnesses if you are planning to use them only for bird watching or hiking.
- Since low-profile harnesses are lightweight yet provide more options than the basic ones, hunters love these types very much.
- Full-sized harnesses are advanced hunters or users who are looking for more protection with an extra storage facility and are ready to carry extra weight.
- Dua harnesses are best for those who want to carry multiple binoculars or optics while moving. They cost more and are more weighty than others.
So choose wisely and according to your necessity. You should not buy a full-sized harness if a basic one can fulfill your requirements.
Bino Harness Construction
Your comfortability while using the bino harness largely depends on its construction. The same goes for the durability of the harness. We have already mentioned that basic type harnesses are comfortable to the minimum level and upgraded models offer more comfort. So you should choose one that will provide comfort to a satisfactory level. Since you are carrying the binoculars with your neck and back, it is better to have enough support and protection between the strap and your body. Decent harnesses have comfortable padding both in the straps and back panel. You should choose such a type of bino harness and if possible go for an advanced model that provides great comfort.
Attachment Type
Attachment type is a vital thing while buying binocular harnesses. You will get harnesses with quick-release attachments and snap-on attachments. The quick-release attachment uses buckle-type closure similar to a backpack. They are really easy and handy to use. The closure is thicker and more durable. The snap-on attachments are also sturdy but less convenient since they need a metal ring to be placed in the right place. The snap-on clips are thinner and less durable than the previous ones depending on your heavy use. In general, both of the attachment types are sturdy enough to accompany you for a long time. You just have to follow your preference.
Durability of Binocular Harness
A quality bino harness must be strong and durable enough to protect your binoculars for a satisfactory period. If you use a weak bino harness you will end up falling and smashing your binoculars on a rock and destroying them. The bino harness should be water-resistant, shockproof, and sturdy enough to withstand overuse. While being lightweight they also need to provide great comfort with ergonomic structure and construction. Before choosing any model check the construction and finish.
You will get harnesses made from nylon, neoprene, and even plastic. All of them are capable to survive for years. But it solely depends on your use. So choose carefully.
Binocular and Harness Bag Size
When we are talking about bino harness bag size we refer to using the harnesses with bags. If you are choosing one of the types of harnesses except for basic ones you will get a carrying pouch or bag with the harnesses. There is a difference between pouch and bag. Generally, pouches fold on the top and bottom while leaving most of the sides open so that you can easily get access to your binoculars. Pouches basically focus on protecting the lenses from dust and debris.
On the other hand, the bino harness bag will give you full protection by storing and covering your binoculars completely. And you can use and access the binoculars easily. Now the bag may not fit with your binoculars if they are too large. So you need to know your binocular size and carefully check whether your chosen harness can house them perfectly or not.
Is Your Binocular Harness Camouflaging?
Do you really need a bino harness that can remain in harmony in nature while hunting? Well, it is better to have a bino harness that comes with such a color, design, or pattern that will help you fade into the trees, shrubs, or nature. And there is no harm in choosing a camouflaging bino harness whether you will surely need them or not.
Are You Carrying Extra Gears?
Sometimes, you will like to carry extra gears like rangefinders, lenses, etc with binoculars. In that case, you should choose the bino harness that has some extra space or compartments. A bino harness with several compartments will always help you in many ways. And, if you have no intention of carrying extra gears, you can certainly go for the basic ones.
Budget and Quality of Bino Harnesses
Budget is one of the most important factors for buying anything. The basic harnesses are really cheap and with the upgraded model the price goes higher. Your requirement may be fulfilled with the basic type harnesses yet we will suggest you go for at least low profile harnesses and if possible go for further types. This way you will get more protection for your binoculars. If you are using very cheap binoculars that come under $100 you may go for the basic harnesses. But for pricey or heavy-duty binoculars like these $500 hunting binoculars or $1000 hunting binoculars, you should at least use full-sized harnesses. Premium optics need premium quality accessories to be taken care of.
Comfort is the Key
Always keep in mind that, you are using the neck and shoulders to carry the harness. Therefore, using the bino harness for a long time will cause “bino neck pain” if you are carrying it with non-padded straps. If you have a budget issue, you have to be satisfied with the basic bino harness. Otherwise, it is better to have a hunting binocular harness with a padded strap.
FAQs on Binocular Harness for Hunting
01. What is the Best Harness for Hunting Binoculars?
Ans: Choose one form OP/TECH USA Bino/Cam Harness or Vortex Optics Glasspak Binocular harness once you are sure whether you need a basic one or the full-sized one, you can choose accordingly from our suggested models.
02. What is the Purpose of a Hunting Binocular Harness?
Ans: To help you carry your favorite hunting binoculars out there and keep them safe.
03. How to Wear a Hunting Binocular Harness?
Ans: Just like wearing a shirt and putting a schooling bag on your shoulders.
04. How to Attach a Strap to the Binoculars?
Ans: You need to unthread the webbing to have a single piece. Then you can attach it to the binoculars and thread it back in place.
05. How to Adjust the Hunting Binocular Harness?
Ans: Remember, it should be neither too loose nor too tight. Keep the harness close to your chest and adjust it using the straps.
Conclusion
Though we have included the most basic types of binocular straps along with a full-size harness we will suggest you invest some more money and avail better quality harnesses that come with a bag or pouch. This way you will have a perfect one from the best binocular harnesses for hunting and secure your valuable hunting optics greatly. Happy hunting!
Kalman is a hunting expert who has a vast experience with wild game hunting. Though night time hunting is his favorite, he masters the art of daytime hunting and shooting. Being a nature lover and outdoor enthusiast, he wants to pass the knowledge acquired over time to the next generation.
