Carrying binoculars (1 Viewer)

Looking for advice again I'm afraid!

I've got an unfortunate neck problem which means that wearing any binocular strap round my neck even with my old light weight Optolyth Alpins gives me severe headaches.

I can't manage my new Swarovskis for more than a few moments.

I've read threads on bino straps and even the thread that suggested cutting the stap and adding a wooden coathanger! That last one degenerated into quite an amusing 'discussion' but my problem is beginning to spoil my birding.

Can anyone comment on harnesses: good ones, bad ones, things to look out for, inherant problems etc.

Thanks.

Roger

There are a number of good harnesses out there and in my opinion are the way to go. My current one is Swarovskis' newest. Whatever you choose, the straps should have a little bit of "elastic" in them.

As you live in the UK, you may find a brand made in Spain, which is well made. I am going to search my flat, to see if I can find the packaging. If I recall it had two models, one was elastic. Additionally, separate mounting straps were available, so for a couple of quid extra, you could have two different binoculars ready for mounting.


Happy bird watchig,
Arthur Pinewood

I have a similar problem so I use a harness when I'm using my 8X42s, it certainly takes the weight off and is quite comfortable to wear. I have the harness made by Opticron. If I'm walking the dog and just doing some casual birding I use my 10x25s which can just be slipped into a pocket.

Try wearing them over one shoulder and under the arm - this takes the stress off your neck, and keeps the bins easily accesible.

neil g.

I bought a strap that is a harness. I bought it because I was having the same problem, bad headaches caused by my binocular strap pulling on my neck. The new strap goes over the head, across the back and under the arms. Here's a picture to illustrate better than I can tell it:

Apparently the Bino-suspenders are available in the UK. I read that someone bought them at the Birdwatchers' Fair.

Their web site is http//www.binosuspenders.com

There is a rigid version and an elastic version. However, do try to find an example and examine a set befoe buying. I never got much usage of mine, as I stopped using binoculars with 50 mm. objectives, so I cannot write about comfort and durability. They were recommeded to me by a very knowledgeable European bird watcher.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

Mine are similar to the 'bino suspenders', practically the same by the look of it. I got mine in Ecuador in May and, while I was there, I saw a lot of other birders, mostly Americans, using them.

Roger P said:

I've read threads on bino straps and even the thread that suggested cutting the stap and adding a wooden coathanger! That last one degenerated into quite an amusing 'discussion' but my problem is beginning to spoil my birding.

Can anyone comment on harnesses: good ones, bad ones, things to look out for, inherant problems etc.

Thanks.

Roger

Click to expand...

Hi Roger,

The wooden coathanger thing was my invention, I called it a bino yoke ( not knowing it would soon become more of a bino joke in the thread ).
Anyway, like you I was desperately seeking for a solution to my neck problem and I knew I had to get it fast, so I experimented with a yoke.

It definitely was an improvement, I hardly noticed my bins were there. But the stiffness of the coathanger part put too much pressure on my lower neck vertebrae so I had to stall my idea in order to think of something better.

I bought a Swarovski bino harness last week, as a temporary measure. It's quite a relief, I must say, no neckstrain whatsoever and quite comfortable to wear. But compared to my bino yoke I feel it's no match, so I will keep on trying to invent a satisfying yoke. Yes, the yoke ( how ridiculous it may look ) is better than a bino harness but for now the latter will do.

The bino harness is something you have to put on like a pull-over, once you're wearing it it's OK, but it's a bit of a fuzz to take it off. Your bins have to be waterproof because you can't simply put them under your coat when it's raining, that's a disadvantage of a harness. The Swarovski harness I got has elastic bands that you can shorten so you can adapt them to your own preferred length; mine are just enough shortened to allow the bins to be raised for viewing with only minor stretching of the elastic. You still feel the elastic bands that go under your armpits, it takes some time to get used to that, but once you have accommodated to the harness it provides troublefree birding all day long. That is a BIG advantage.

Another thing to get used to, is that the bins hang somewhat lower than your chest. I usually bring a stool when out birding on my local patch and when sitting down I have my bins hanging with the objectives on my thighs almost.

Running with your bins on an elastic harness I would not recommend, or you have to hold your bins with one hand in order to keep them from bouncing up and down.

I hope I gave you some good advice, I would certainly recommend wearing a bino harness ASAP for all with neck problems.

Happy birding!

Greetings,

Ronald

As someone who got drawn in the 'bino joke' side of the original thread on this subject, I hope no offence was given as I am sure none was intended. I would like to make a suggestion which might appear a bit 'dotty' but which could help.

I often find myself instinctively supporting the weight the binoculars with my hands as I walk along. I therefore wonder if it would be practical to wear a waist pouch at the front to slot the bottom of the binoculars into to take the weight whilst still hanging them round your neck with a conventional strap. Maybe a cheap, cut down binocular case would do as an experiment. It would need a bit of juggling with the strap length to allow free movement of the neck without the binoculars tendng to fall forwards. It might look a bit odd but certainly not more so than walking round with a coathanger benind your neck.

Just an idea.

Ron

Since you use such light binoculars, I have a suggestion which worked surprisingly well for me this spring when I had a temporary back problem. I made a short wrist loop from a narrow nylon web strap. I carried a pair of light Nikon 8x30 EIIs in my left hand, attached securely to the wrist. I thought a binocular attached to my wrist would be an incumbrance, but I quickly came to actually like carrying a small binocular this way.

I have various harness type straps and wide neoprene straps. My favorite for heavy binoculars is a combination of the very wide neoprene strap that comes with Fujinon FMT-SX binoculars and a "Heber" strap. The "Heber" strap is unfortunately no longer available. It's a wide elastic strap of adjustable length that pulls the weight of any neck strap away from the neck. At one end is a large alligator clip the attaches the strap to the rear of your trousers like a pair of suspenders. The other end loops around the neck strap and pulls it off the neck, tranferring the load to the shoulders and as an added benefit it holds up your trousers. I've endured a bit of ribbing from people who see this thing (my wife calls it the "wedgy" strap).

Henry

NoSpringChicken said:

As someone who got drawn in the 'bino joke' side of the original thread on this subject, I hope no offence was given as I am sure none was intended. I would like to make a suggestion which might appear a bit 'dotty' but which could help.

I often find myself instinctively supporting the weight the binoculars with my hands as I walk along. I therefore wonder if it would be practical to wear a waist pouch at the front to slot the bottom of the binoculars into to take the weight whilst still hanging them round your neck with a conventional strap. Maybe a cheap, cut down binocular case would do as an experiment. It would need a bit of juggling with the strap length to allow free movement of the neck without the binoculars tendng to fall forwards. It might look a bit odd but certainly not more so than walking round with a coathanger benind your neck.

Just an idea.

Ron

Click to expand...

Hi Ron,

No worries, I meant "bino joke" in a very positive way; I enjoyed the whole original thread and never felt offended in my postings.

I like your idea of some sort of waist pouch; tried that years ago but I think I never got the right pouch. Some were so deep it became troublesome to haul your bins out for viewing, others were too shallow so the bins tended to pop out all the time.
A hard case might do, a soft pouch takes too much time to grab your bins.

Greetings, Ronald

Thanks for all these comments.

How restricting are the harnesses? Not sure I want to wear one over my waterproof - not sure why, but I just get the feeling that it would feel restrictive. Not sure how practical it would be beneath the jacket. Can you unzip, get bins out and rezip?

I've also been looking into scopac type carriers for 'scope, looks like I will be covered in harnesses!

As I walk along I get the feeling that the simplest solution would be the strap connected to bin strap behind the neck and attached to belt like Henry's 'wedgy link'

Joking aside I can actually see the sense in the coathanger. I'm currently using the swaro strap at full extension and putting it outside my shoulders - but it slips all the time.

Over one shoulder and to the side is good until you are carrying a scope too.

It seems as though those of us with neck problems really see this as an issue whilst others think we're fussy wingers!

Thanks for comments

Roger

Roger, they are not restricting. I sometimes wear mine under a waterproof and it's no hassle getting them out when required.

looking at army webbing, the n.v.a. shoulder suspenders on the flecktarn.co.uk site may well work. one strap to the belt at the back, two to the front. and two attached to the binoculars. £3.50 plus post. and a tiny bit of d.i.y. to the bin straps.

Roger P said:

Thanks for all these comments.

How restricting are the harnesses? Not sure I want to wear one over my waterproof - not sure why, but I just get the feeling that it would feel restrictive. Not sure how practical it would be beneath the jacket. Can you unzip, get bins out and rezip?

I've also been looking into scopac type carriers for 'scope, looks like I will be covered in harnesses!

As I walk along I get the feeling that the simplest solution would be the strap connected to bin strap behind the neck and attached to belt like Henry's 'wedgy link'

Joking aside I can actually see the sense in the coathanger. I'm currently using the swaro strap at full extension and putting it outside my shoulders - but it slips all the time.

Over one shoulder and to the side is good until you are carrying a scope too.

It seems as though those of us with neck problems really see this as an issue whilst others think we're fussy wingers!

Thanks for comments

Roger

Click to expand...

Well, I wore my bino harness over my waterproof raincoat today on a sunny afternoon with occasional showers; it didn't feel very nice because it was a tight fit, and definitely restrictive.
So I took off my harness, then my waterproof and put the harness back on over my sweater, then put the raincoat back on. Much better.
If your bins are heavy and not waterproof, this is the way to wear them: under your coat. Mine are waterproof, so it wasn't necessary to wear them under my coat. You can still get easy access to your bins, though, but you can only zip up your waterproof half up; the harness won't allow further closing of your coat. On cold days this may be bothersome, but then again: on those days you can wear the harness over your coat, or underneath with an extra sweater/ bodywarmer.

You see I'm still adapting to wearing a harness. May be Henry's " wedgy link " ( sorry Henry ) is the most simple solution; this way you can zip up your coat to your neck.

A single advantage of the harness, however, is that your bins stay close to your body and won't bump into things when you're leaning forward.

But as I said earlier, any solution that takes the weight off your neck is OK.

Greetings, Ronald

henry link said:

Since you use such light binoculars, I have a suggestion which worked surprisingly well for me this spring when I had a temporary back problem. I made a short wrist loop from a narrow nylon web strap. I carried a pair of light Nikon 8x30 EIIs in my left hand, attached securely to the wrist. I thought a binocular attached to my wrist would be an incumbrance, but I quickly came to actually like carrying a small binocular this way.

I have various harness type straps and wide neoprene straps. My favorite for heavy binoculars is a combination of the very wide neoprene strap that comes with Fujinon FMT-SX binoculars and a "Heber" strap. The "Heber" strap is unfortunately no longer available. It's a wide elastic strap of adjustable length that pulls the weight of any neck strap away from the neck. At one end is a large alligator clip the attaches the strap to the rear of your trousers like a pair of suspenders. The other end loops around the neck strap and pulls it off the neck, tranferring the load to the shoulders and as an added benefit it holds up your trousers. I've endured a bit of ribbing from people who see this thing (my wife calls it the "wedgy" strap).

Henry

Click to expand...

Henry, I recently came up with the idea of attaching bins to the back of my trousers, but didn't follow it up because I thought it would lead to a certain amount of discomfort in a certain area. Exactly how wedgie is it in practice?

Michael.

Michael,

To test this important question I tried the Heber strap with a pair of 2.1 kg Nikon 18x70 binoculars attached to one end and the back of my trousers attached to the other end. I'm happy to report no feeling of increased upward pressure on the tender parts. Riding a bicycle is much worse.

Henry

henry link said:

Riding a bicycle is much worse.

Click to expand...

I'm guessing you wrote it to be clever, but just for the record, if sitting on a bike seat causes any more discomfort than sitting in a chair it means you need a different seat or to set up your seat differently.
--AP

Hi Alex,

Yes, I was trying to be clever, but as it happens I did just buy a Serfas HY-RXL saddle. I'm hoping that the springs and the gel and the split seat will make it as if my rear end is floating on a cumulus cloud. What I was trying to say about the Heber strap is that the slight tug at the rear of my pants causes no discomfort at all, even less than sitting in some chairs.

Henry