Would appreciate some experienced input concerning the best way to carry binoculars while in the field hunting.
Neck straps,harness or ?
If a harness what brand do you like better than the others and why ?
Thanks,Craig

bino buddies are a life saver.... straps are a pain in the neck

I use a crooked horn harness

Short strap. I keep it tucked under my shirt or jacket when I'm not actually looking.

Never warmed up to the harness, interferes with layering clothes. I like a short neck strap, or, in warm weather, a long strap allowing the binocular to be carried off to the side like a shoulder bag.

I prefer the harness and mine is similar to the crooked horn but was made for the North American Hunting Club - same thing though.

I find it to be invaluable when stalking and belly crawling may be required. It does make shedding or adding clothing a bit more of a process but it comes off or goes on in 10 seconds so I'll take that to have my binos tucked up close to me at all times any day.

Can't stand a harness. I use a short strap.

Ditto

Another vote for the short strap..

Short strap gives me neck pains, I use a harness. I agree with the harness being a PITA with layering.

edited to add..

if I put on any more weight this winter I won't need either a strap or harness, I will just set them down on my protruding gut.

Off to the gym

bcraig,

Harness.

Warmer weather; light clothing, early season= harness.

Cold; lots of heavy clothing= short strap.

For a number of years when shooting traditional archery gear I liked a real long strap over my right shoulder with binos hanging under left shoulder. It did work very well.

Texas weather - Harness year around.
When I am stooping or bending crawling through the brush,
I love the harness.

stumpy

I have always used a long strap with the binos carried under my left arm. I got a harness for Christmas I will try out soon. miles

Works for me...

Short strap with binos inside my jacket. When wearing a pack, the binos weight is supported by the pack's front cross strap.

Harness.

http://www.nimrodpacks.com/n9.html

This is one of those personal preference things, where you really have to develop your own style. My buddy has 10x42 SLCs which are pretty heavy bins, and he uses a harness which he loves, so I was predisposed to prefer a harness with my 8x42 Ultravids. I removed the Leica strap, put on a bino-buddy harness and hunted with it.

I hated it! It felt like a cumbersome bra that wasn't loose enough to pull the bins up to my eyes. I put the nice, wide neoprene strap back on and either carry my bins bandolier style over one shoulder under the other arm, or just short strap them off the back of my neck. It's generally cool enough for a jacket so with the strap outside my collar, I really dont feel it on my neck. But as there are lots who love and swear by the harness, I can't say they are wrong, you have to try and see what's best for you.

John

Neck strap/harness hybrid.

Short neck strap for non-inclement weather or no dirty/dusty conditions.

Attach a pouch and around-the-body snap strap to the bio neck strap. Purchased the Fieldline two pocket pouch from Walmart for 8 bucks.
It holds the binos and rangefinder.

Bcraig: I use several sizes and powers of binoculars for all manner of Hunting - year round.
I always attach the binoculars to my body with the elastic harness systems.
I use binos of up to 12 power and the harness adds greatly to the steadiness and thus my ability to spot and assess distant game.
The harness also keeps my binos safe as I crawl along when stalking game (especially Antelope!).
I have never had a problem with my harness system when using layered clothing - it takes just a moment to slip out of or back into the harness.
I even wear the harnassed binoculars as I drive through game country - they are handy and not going to bounce onto the floorboards and my neck burns from days on end of carrying "strapped" binoculars are long gone now.
I highly recommend the harness style binocular retention systems for a myriad of reasons. Comfort, steadiness and safety of the optic are just some of the important reasons I use the harness systems.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I may be in the minority here but I use both/either a harness and a shorter braided short strap. And much of it depends on how I'm hunting; if sitting for extended periods (which is about 80-90% of the time) I go the harness route as I'm generally glassing quite regularly, don't need to swap layers and, I don't care for the strap around my whole neck for an entire day.

If there's some moving/running/gunning involved, I'll go with the strap - just long enough that I can get my arms through and carry the 'noklars tucked under my arm. And it's less hassle when swapping layers.

Heck, Ingwe, that's not really short like I like'em. I carry mine on a strap that's 2/3's that lenth. BTW, nice picture, thank you. E

I think you can see that you have to find out what you like by trying them under diff circumstances. I like the harness for binocs with much weight, higher magnification and long term glassing, but like the handiness of a good strap with cold weather clothes and using ONE HANDED!!! The harness is not good for twisting around in a tree stand with only one hand to use!!! I even bought two of my favorite binoc so one was ready with harness and the other has the good strap with the separate camo strap/cover that is shown in post above. That's what I have settled on!!!

Harness

Have you ever tried any of the Vero Vellini type neoprene straps ? Helped me with carrying heavier bino's (7x50's) as they make a bino feel like they weigh less than they actually are.

Crooked Horn,though it looks a little funny at a football game.

I used the short strap for years because I like to keep rain off the lenses by tucking them into my zippered/buttoned shirt (like many others have said). I switched to the harness because I was tired of having the binos bounce off rocks and sticks when belly crawling (like many others have said). When crawling around they don't stay tucked up, they always fall out. The harness does not allow me to tuck them inside to keep dry and I hate having any kind of a cover over the eyepieces because they are just one more thing to dink with when I need those binos in a hurry.

I am still searching for the perfect method...

Am using the Alaska Guide Creations Bino Chest Pack. Keeps the dust or rain off the binos. Prevents the bounce and swing of using an elastic chest harness like the Crooked Horn.
http://www.alaskaguidecreations.com/

I like a long enough neck strap to get then under my left arm when I am crawling or need to go prone in the snow.

If you sling under your right arm be careful of scratching lenses on your pistol.

If you are riding I would suggest either removing them and putting in your saddle bag or a pommel pack or using a breakaway in case you get hung on the saddle horn in a wreck. The saddle horn will also put a nice beating on your expensive optics during a long ride.

Do you really need a bino harness for opera glasses ?

Even with a harness they get to floppin' real nice bombin' around chasin' cows!

I've had come up and bonk me in the face more than once.

Ya right Mr. money bags, you have a servant carrying your Binocs. and beer..and rifle..and backpack, ect.

Don't forget the cameraman..

Ha Ha,

You let the guys know what you do to get a little extra change for your nasty rifle habit and you might just find yourself out of a low paying job working for a schitty boss.

Sam,

I darn near knocked a tooth out one time carrying 15x56 binos on a horse. I did have a serious fat lip from that little maneuver.

Oh ya, Probably brings his house Butler along for that position.

Well who do you think carries the Perrier-Jou�t and strawberries

With his $$$..probably her..

Oh you two are really on roll.

It�s all fun and game until someone loses an eye.

If she was on my hunt she wouldn't have to carry a thang. Just sayin.

The opera glass guys always want to borrow my Pentax DCF's to look at the SEC cheerleaders.

8x32 Ultravid, factory neoprene/nylon sling adjusted long enough to tuck under my arm while hiking, short enough not to bang my gut when not tucked under my arm.

Another reason I don't do 42mm bins is they really need a harness IME.

Alaska Guide Creations mostly, no more chest bouncing on long hike'ins plus other advantages.

Kent

on what?

Short neoprene strap attached to a LIGHTWEIGHT bino.....I don't do dual Hubble sized binos or bino bras..........





Casey

I'd risk one eye!

Well padded neoprene strap.

Though I do often wear a harness for my balls....................

sheesh....

That bino bra schit,is great when riding the couch...but just cain't hang once the front door opens...............(grin)

Agreed.....

She shouldn't carry bins at all....it'll wreck the view...

Neoprene strap...stuff them in the jacket.The harness is a PITA.