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How do you carry your binoculars? (3 Viewers)

How do you carry your binoculars

  • Total voters
    219
Loud Green Man said:
I suspect it’s more to do with the type of bird watching one engages with. The needs of someone who, for want of a better term, stalks their target species through forest and over mountain is certain to benefit from a rig that prevents their bins swinging like a church 🔔 whenever they stoop. Whereas the more sedentary twitcher birder who potters around a Reserve with a Costa coffee in one hand or sits in a hide timber observatory all day will be perfectly happy with the factory supplied noose.

LGM
Click to expand...
.
Thanks loud green man, each to his/her own way of enjoying our hobby and optics

This was super cold January birding in rural Norfolk - a long way from any coffee franchise outlets.
Walking a couple of miles along the coastal footpaths stalking Snow Buntings and Shorelarks, on reserves and in woods for the likes of Hawfinch.
Occasional forays into bird hides were appropriate in order to view birds without causing disturbance.
 
Yet another vote for the Rick Young harness. In T-shirt weather, my upper limit is, e.g., 8x32 EL SV. In heavier clothing for cold weather it works with larger bins comfortably. IMO it is one the the most versatile, convenient and the most compact harnesses available. Great with 25 to 30mm as well. It can be quickly loosened with one hand and tightened just as quickly with both hands. No webbing to tangle so it's easy to put on - no more fiddly than a standard neck strap for me. See videos on the tube showing the many possible carry configurations, including cross body and function like a chest pack. One helpful tip from another thread, keep your attachment method as short as possible to maximize the benefits. No connection with RYO, just a big fan.

Mike
 
OEM neck strap, though other bins with rotten leather straps I’ve replaced with cheap wide camera straps, can make storing them in a binocular case a little fiddly. I was wearing a light spotter on a monopod bandolier style yesterday, so I had bino or scope very rapid to deploy. No heavy tripod to carry, only port a little steadiness of the view at high powers. My back was happy.

Peter
 
Loud Green Man said:
The needs of someone who, for want of a better term, stalks their target species through forest and over mountain is certain to benefit from a rig that prevents their bins swinging like a church 🔔 whenever they stoop.
Click to expand...
I use the original neck strap, and when hiking I put them under one arm (bandolier), which keeps them from swinging all over the forest quite easily, without me having to hold them. That said, it does make them slightly harder to access.
 
qwerty5 said:
I use the original neck strap, and when hiking I put them under one arm (bandolier), which keeps them from swinging all over the forest quite easily, without me having to hold them. That said, it does make them slightly harder to access.
Click to expand...
Unless you use a slippery nylon strap which allows you to grab the binoculars and swing them in front of you with no friction to slow you down. All three pairs of my binoculars are on smooth Canon straps that are just simple perfection at its best.
 
Loud Green Man said:
I suspect it’s more to do with the type of bird watching one engages with. The needs of someone who, for want of a better term, stalks their target species through forest and over mountain is certain to benefit from a rig that prevents their bins swinging like a church 🔔 whenever they stoop. Whereas the more sedentary twitcher birder who potters around a Reserve with a Costa coffee in one hand or sits in a hide timber observatory all day will be perfectly happy with the factory supplied noose.

LGM
Click to expand...

I agree with this. For most of us birders, at least in the UK, birding isn't a strenous physical activity, nor are we normally carrying much gear, I imagine some of the commentators in this thread from the US and elsewhere are probably carrying a backpack, maybe a scope and/or a firearm as well, having to hike considerable distances over uneven ground, and may be out in the field overnight or for multiple days. In that circumstance I could see the traditional neck strap might not be favoured. If I had to crawl through the undergrowth somewhere like Sichuan while trying to find a blood pheasant I might probably rethink how I'd carry my binoculars too.
 
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Compact binoculars go in a pocket, with or w/o a quick release strap. Otherwise, strap around the neck or off the shoulder. I've replaced a couple of original straps with more comfortable ones.
 
Pocket binoculars in a belt case with wrist strap is the ideal always with you option. They stay safe, out of the way and easy to access. Holster style is fun.
 
Chuck made me do it!
I received, from a very generous friend yesterday, the RYO bino harness. It is all that Chuck says it is.

I switched from my decades long preference for cross chest/bandolier style to a Kuiu chest pack in maybe January. Nicely made, cleverly designed with its sewn on pull strap that bends forward and down clearing access for the bino, without snaps and magnets. Like Marsupial it has enclosed sides, which FHF does not. As well FHF opens up towards your face, requires two hands. Each of these though I guess suffer in a way I did not foresee. The harness that promises a nice spreading of the load over shoulders, secures the up/down position of the bino by straps that wrap around the chest, Lats. As I move, my chest expands, compresses, stretches out, the straps slip, the bino slides down and droops forward. It bugged. As well having to lift that clever flap turned out to be a drag. i found myself reluctant to grab the bino out all over again, after just putting it away.

Enter the RYO. I feared those thin elastic straps would be too thin and dig in uncomfortably. With EL 1042s. Nope. Somebody got this thing just right. Theres just enough elastic to absorb what might feel like digging in, if there was no give. The binos stay flat on my chest where I adjusted them. They do not lean out. They do not swing from side to side as you move about. They are quick to mount to face with one or both hands. And the straps set up a kind of tension against the binos that sort of helps stabilize them. its obviously light. My back is free to sweat and dry off from a breeze, rather than trap moisture under the pack's harness, (admittedly a small point). It was easy to install. Easy to figure out how to get into it and adjust. Easy to get out of wrap the straps, put bino in shoulder pouch and move on.

Very nice. At 25 bucks, who needs more?

Thanks to that friend.

G'Tom
 
Hey Tom!
That's just great! Nothing better than a good success story! I'm pretty sure I initially tried the RYUL harness on a whim several years ago. And I'll tell you I've tired just about any and every harness available. I never even take a factory harness out of the originally packaging now and haven't in years. It's nice to hear a someone is pleased with a recommendation of mine.
 
"Other"; I use a mix of different original straps on different bins. A Nikon on my Conquest (to get sweaty in summer, comfy on both sides), Zeisses on my heavier Meostars (broader and curved) and I do have a bunch of Meopta's most to long or wide or old. And still an old Vanguard that's nicely sweated in to go on any bin that needs one :D

Oh, my Papilio goes in its case on my belt to grab when I need super closeup when watching insects
 
GrampaTom said:
Chuck made me do it!
I received, from a very generous friend yesterday, the RYO bino harness. It is all that Chuck says it is.

I switched from my decades long preference for cross chest/bandolier style to a Kuiu chest pack in maybe January. Nicely made, cleverly designed with its sewn on pull strap that bends forward and down clearing access for the bino, without snaps and magnets. Like Marsupial it has enclosed sides, which FHF does not. As well FHF opens up towards your face, requires two hands. Each of these though I guess suffer in a way I did not foresee. The harness that promises a nice spreading of the load over shoulders, secures the up/down position of the bino by straps that wrap around the chest, Lats. As I move, my chest expands, compresses, stretches out, the straps slip, the bino slides down and droops forward. It bugged. As well having to lift that clever flap turned out to be a drag. i found myself reluctant to grab the bino out all over again, after just putting it away.

Enter the RYO. I feared those thin elastic straps would be too thin and dig in uncomfortably. With EL 1042s. Nope. Somebody got this thing just right. Theres just enough elastic to absorb what might feel like digging in, if there was no give. The binos stay flat on my chest where I adjusted them. They do not lean out. They do not swing from side to side as you move about. They are quick to mount to face with one or both hands. And the straps set up a kind of tension against the binos that sort of helps stabilize them. its obviously light. My back is free to sweat and dry off from a breeze, rather than trap moisture under the pack's harness, (admittedly a small point). It was easy to install. Easy to figure out how to get into it and adjust. Easy to get out of wrap the straps, put bino in shoulder pouch and move on.

Very nice. At 25 bucks, who needs more?

Thanks to that friend.

G'Tom
Click to expand...

I read this post and literally got in the car and drove straight to my local Cabela’s and found the RYO harness for $20.

Got home and and I was pumped when I tried it on!. This thing feels AWESOME!!! First impressions are really good! Got it set perfectly, doesn’t flop around, comes up to the eyes easily and quickly, I can still wear a backpack, it’s the opposite of bulky. I mean…I think this is the end game for me lol.
 
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Reporting back to say that I've joined @jafritten and @Herman66 in the "backpack+bino" club, and I must say I'm over the Moon.


BackPackBino01.jpeg

I've also used the Peak Design clips and they work like a breeze. As it usually happens, I took the plunge and decided to implement it while out in the field, so I had to make do with what I had, a pair of back-up straps from my backpack.


BackPackBino02.jpeg
BackPackBino03.jpeg

Although it was a "temporary" solution, now I actually like the system very much, because it allows me to tighten/loosen and customize the way the binoculars hang according to the situation. For example, last week I climbed a +10000 ft mountain while wearing this (in the middle of the scorching Spanish August) and I simply forgot I was carrying binoculars. The fact of not wearing a strap plus the fact of not wearing a harness (because I was already wearing a backpack; kudos to Deuter for their backpacs) made it simply perfect.

Since I was climbing and on a "minimalist setup" I've been trying this rig with the very light and compact Opticron Traveller ED 8x32, but I'm willing to try it with other binoculars.

Come to think about it, most of the times I'm out birding I'm wearing a backpack, so, so far this is THE perfect solution for me. YMMV.

Thanks to @jafritten and @Herman66 for the idea!
 
yarrellii said:
Reporting back to say that I've joined @jafritten and @Herman66 in the "backpack+bino" club, and I must say I'm over the Moon.


View attachment 1464095

I've also used the Peak Design clips and they work like a breeze. As it usually happens, I took the plunge and decided to implement it while out in the field, so I had to make do with what I had, a pair of back-up straps from my backpack.


View attachment 1464096
View attachment 1464097

Although it was a "temporary" solution, now I actually like the system very much, because it allows me to tighten/loosen and customize the way the binoculars hang according to the situation. For example, last week I climbed a +10000 ft mountain while wearing this (in the middle of the scorching Spanish August) and I simply forgot I was carrying binoculars. The fact of not wearing a strap plus the fact of not wearing a harness (because I was already wearing a backpack; kudos to Deuter for their backpacs) made it simply perfect.

Since I was climbing and on a "minimalist setup" I've been trying this rig with the very light and compact Opticron Traveller ED 8x32, but I'm willing to try it with other binoculars.

Come to think about it, most of the times I'm out birding I'm wearing a backpack, so, so far this is THE perfect solution for me. YMMV.

Thanks to @jafritten and @Herman66 for the idea!
Click to expand...
It makes using larger bins in the field so much more enjoyable! Glad you like it, too.
 
I use the original strap around my kneck. I can't see it ever breaking and it's comfortable enough.
when I have a long carry (not that that ever happens these days) I shove them in my trusty old Billingham Hadleigh.
 

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