What bino harness are you using?
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: Rut Nut
12-Apr-22
I just ordered a Kuiu Pro ................just wondered what everyone else was using.
From: Lost Arra
12-Apr-22
Rick Young usually or Alaskan Guide Creations if I want bino covered up. In my opinion all bino harnesses are a perfect example of there is more than one way to skin a cat and individual preferences can differ.
From: HDE
12-Apr-22
Stone Glacier and Sig Sauer
From: greg simon
12-Apr-22
In a stand I use a Rick Young. For a covered bino harness I'm using a KUIU first generation. I'm going to get the Pro soon.
From: PushCoArcher
12-Apr-22
Alaska guide creations classic for me. My buddy runs a badlands that is pretty sweet.
From: Shawn
12-Apr-22
Rick Young from a tree, stalking and glassing Hornhunter, very nice and one of the best for the price. Shawn
From: wyobullshooter
12-Apr-22
ADAK with the attached rangefinder pouch.
From: JTreeman
12-Apr-22
As someone stated above, it really depends. For treestand/blind I don’t use one. For everything else I’m currently using a Marsupial gear. It is very good, but defiantly not perfect. I have used several over the years. My favorite is either the marsupial gear or the original kuiu. I did not like the kuiu pro one bit and gave it away before I even took it on a hunt. But some guys love it. It can depend on what Binos/range finder system you are using too. Different strokes for different folks.
—jim
From: Rut Nut
12-Apr-22
To be honest, I liked the Badlands XR with the built in rangefinder pocket below the main compartment. But I could not find any in stock and apparently they discontinued that model.
So the Kuiu Pro was next on the list. And when I started investigating further, I liked the detachable rangefinder “holster”! Got to thinking about how I will use it and will probably only use it on the ground since my Muddy Safety Harmess has clips/bungee for use with binoculars. So I will probably detach the rangefinder holster and attach it to my safety harness when hunting from my treestand.
Also like the bungee rangefinder tether. And I think I might even be able to attach my sidearm holster to the bottom of the harness.
Can’t wait for it to be delivered to play around with it! ;-)
From: EZBreazy
12-Apr-22
Switched to KUIU Pro last year. Now own 3. They are great. Seem to stay put better than my Alaska Guide.
From: Jethro
12-Apr-22
Stone Glacier harness. Its satisfactory, nothing special over my previous Kuiu original. I do like the SG rangefinder pouch though.
From: Rut Nut
12-Apr-22
JTreeman- just curious what you don;t like about the Kuiu Pro vs the original?
From: huntabsarokee
12-Apr-22
SG bino holder for me too although I pulled off the FHF harness and using that with the SG set up. For some reason I don't like the harness where the straps meet on your back in a panel. I like the FHF style where the straps just are sewn together, no panel.
The SG holder is nice and light, easy access, and they make a great range finder holder.
From: Altitude Sickness
12-Apr-22
Rick Young, all of my binos are water resistant. My Kuiu pouch cost me a bedded deer. (At least I’m blaming the pouch) :^)))
I like how the bottom cords of the Rick Young can be looped over the objective lenses to hold them rock solid against the chest while crawling or stooped over.
The pouches seem noisy to me when taking them in and out. Even the R.Y. Plastic keepers Need silenced a bit for sliding bino up and down.
From: WI Shedhead
12-Apr-22
Had a badlands and kuiu pro. Both my kids got them now. 2nd year with the new Sitka. Really like it took an bit to get used to the reverse direction of the covers but otherwise it’s been excellent. Very comfortable under a backpack
From: midwest
12-Apr-22
Marsupial and Rick Young. Still having a hard time getting used to another backpack mounted on my chest with the Marsupial.
From: Cheesehead Mike
12-Apr-22
I've been using the cheap (around $30) Alps bino harness with the rangefinder pouch that I bought off camofire. I realize it's probably not as sexy as a lot of the more expensive options but for the money I have zero complaints.
From: TreeWalker
12-Apr-22
Alaska Guide with the add-on for InReach and add-on for range finder. Hold maps, that day's wet wipes, chapstick, etc. Is awesome.
From: Dale06
12-Apr-22
Rick young only.
From: WV Mountaineer
12-Apr-22
Outdoor vision and Rick young.
From: t-roy
12-Apr-22
Rut Nut….Jim actually sent me his Kuiu Pro model, as I was looking to upgrade from my original Kuiu. The selling point for me on the pro model was that they had resolved the issue on the original, of it always seeming to want to collect debris/leaves/twigs, if I was bushwhacking through alders or other heavy brush. They put a stiff backing piece in the back, that the cover flipped up over, and that did stop the debris from getting into the unit, but, for me, it made it very difficult to fish the binos out one handed. I had a harder time getting my thumb in behind my binos to be able to get them out, if that makes sense. It worked fine using two hands, but the vast majority of the time I’m holding my bow in one hand, while trying to quickly get the binos out to glass something.
From: APauls
12-Apr-22
Kuiu Pro. Much preferred over my AGC KISS. Although no harness ever in a tree. Old school neck strap for tree hunting.
From: Predeter
12-Apr-22
Have used a few in the past but now settled on Rick Young or the Kuiu Pro when I want full protection.
I wish other companies would add a bow hook like my old Badlands harness had. That thing was very handy!
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
12-Apr-22
I second Adam. Neck strap in tree for white tails. However out of state we do hunt some larger tracts of land and several farms where the fields are much bigger than anything we hunt here. And those are from tripods (rifle) to box blinds or ladder stands. For some reason always have my chest harness on for those hunts. Maybe because it holds some bags wet wipes and my knife when I don’t bring my back pack like I do whitetail hunting around home?
From: orionsbrother
12-Apr-22
Original KUIU
From: mdjunior
12-Apr-22
I do like my Sitka harness. Elk hunted with it 2 years ago and have also used it deer hunting with it.
From: Rut Nut
12-Apr-22
That makes sense t-roy. Thanks.
From: JTreeman
12-Apr-22
So for the kuiu pro, I didn’t like what T-Roy described. But in addition I found it bulky and didn’t really like how the lid opened. Also my Binos (swaro EL 10x42 At the time) fit very loose in the pouch. Plus, I know some guys didn’t like it, but I personally did, was the original kuiu chest strap system. The new one didn’t fit like I wanted basically. Basically I felt they messed it all up from a great original design, but plenty of guys like the pro, so maybe I’m wrong about all of that…
I’m still going back and forth on going back to the original kuiu from the marsupial.
—jim
From: t-roy
12-Apr-22
I went back to the old style Kuiu harness, too. I like everything about it, except the debris issue, but the plus’s far outweigh that one negative.
From: JohnMC
13-Apr-22
So how much to be the third owner of a kuiu pro harness? Would it be worth more less being previously owned by both treeman and t-Roy?
From: Matt
13-Apr-22
I like and use the original Kuiu design. Had the pro and sent it right back for the reason above - felt I had to dig with two fingers to get my binocs out. The original is not perfect, but better than any other design I have found and I have tried quite a few.
From: BULELK1
13-Apr-22
BULELK1's Link
I've used this Kings/Hornhunter type for years and am very happy with them.
For my hunts out here in the Rockies.
I've never used a T-stand , so no help there----->
See my link
Good luck, Robb
From: hdaman
13-Apr-22
Original kuiu for me. Not sure what it would take to buy something else.
From: Rut Nut
13-Apr-22
Ok- thanks for the info guys. Guess I should have checked here FIRST! Well, I guess I will have to check it out and see if it will work for me.
John- I'm thinking it would be worth more considering it was previously owned by 2 Bowsite legends....................................................especially if it was autographed! ;-)
From: Grey Ghost
13-Apr-22
Rick Young for me. Can’t stand using any type of pouch.
Matt
From: Nick Muche
13-Apr-22
An original FHF that’s been sweated through and broken in to near silence when using. And a Rick Young.
From: SBH
13-Apr-22
Kuiu Original design
From: IKE220
13-Apr-22
Marsupial bino pouch, rangefinder and cellphone add on pouches. The protection and having everything in it's place outweigh the times when the harness feels cumbersome.
From: Ermine
13-Apr-22
I really like the Sitka mountain harness
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
13-Apr-22
Kuiu Pro for me. And T-roy if you want to rehome the Pro you know where I'm at!
From: JohnMC
13-Apr-22
Rut nut legends??? You act like one of them shoots a 200'' deer or close to it every year and the other does more hunting than most of us can dream and has mullet or something. ;)
From: Rut Nut
13-Apr-22
Exactly! : )
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
13-Apr-22
One of em shoulda let that 198 and 196 walk so they could hit 200. Some people are just so touchy on that release. Deer never had a chance to reach potential lol
From: JTreeman
13-Apr-22
So for the kuiu pro, I didn’t like what T-Roy described. But in addition I found it bulky and didn’t really like how the lid opened. Also my Binos (swaro EL 10x42 At the time) fit very loose in the pouch. Plus, I know some guys didn’t like it, but I personally did, was the original kuiu chest strap system. The new one didn’t fit like I wanted basically. Basically I felt they messed it all up from a great original design, but plenty of guys like the pro, so maybe I’m wrong about all of that…
I’m still going back and forth on going back to the original kuiu from the marsupial.
—jim
From: sticksender
13-Apr-22
Rick Young harness and Rick Young neoprene cover. It's a slick and fast system for all scenarios.
From: Rut Nut
13-Apr-22
Wow! Didn’t realize how many of you are “minimalists!”
From: Pop-r
13-Apr-22
Sitka. Been usinh them for 3 yrs now. It's the only one I've found that's large enough to hold my binos. It's as comfortable as one could ask i believe. I ran an S4 gear for years and had no complaints but went to a bigger set of binos on most western hunts.
From: wv_bowhunter
13-Apr-22
I may have to give the RY a try. I had looked at it before but wasn’t sure if the small diameter cord would dig into your shoulders from the weight of the binos. I guess with that many people using the system it has to be somewhat comfortable….
Has anyone used the accessory attachment for a rangefinder with this harness?
From: stykzz
14-Apr-22
How do you quiet the Rick Young harness cords? The loops are quite noisy when raising my binos. Otherwise I love it.
From: tradi-doerr
14-Apr-22
I just use the one that came with my Vortex Razor, simple and inexpensive.
From: molsonarcher
14-Apr-22
Alaska guide creations and Sitka here. Mostly treestand hunting for me, and Sitka gets ge nod. The AGC sticks out a but further so i dont use it much for hunting, but scouting and shed hunting normally AGC.
From: SaddleReaper
14-Apr-22
Kuiu Pro and Rick Young (with the cover), depending on what I'm doing. Will say that initially I was not a big fan of the neoprene cover, but after running it for a few seasons, it's/I'm "faster" at deploying and replacing..
There is no reason to ever buy one of those God awful flat elastic strap harnesses ever again since the RY came along. Seriously... if you're still trying to figure out how to untangle your strap harness just trash it and order a RY, you'll be glad you did.
From: yooper89
14-Apr-22
Adak with range finder pouch for me.
From: boly
14-Apr-22
Kuiu Pro harness for me. I had the original and switched to the pro and happy I did.
From: Aubs8
15-Apr-22
Adak with rangefinder pouch.
From: brettpsu
15-Apr-22
Rick Young, Kuiu OG and Pro. Like others have said the original Kuiu design was close to being perfect and they tried to perfect it with the Pro but it is a pain to remove bino's one handed. Anyone try and remove some of the rigid backer on the Pro?
From: yeager
15-Apr-22
Have been using the Kuiu Pro myself.
From: LINK
15-Apr-22
Outdoor vision but wish I had the badlands with the range finder pocket below. A friend has one and it’s the best setup I’ve seen.
From: grossklw
15-Apr-22
I really like the adak with rangefinder pouch. I see no reason to change, I tried Badlands and Horn hunter and didn't like either.
From: HDE
16-Apr-22
Just looked at Rick Young because I've never heard of them.
I'll pass...
From: Bowbender
16-Apr-22
Another Adak user here. Love the bino pouch, still a bit undecided on the rangefinder pouch. Doesn't seem to close as well as I would like.
From: WV Mountaineer
16-Apr-22
WV bow hunter, I use the range finder attachment on the Rick young. It works very well.
From: wv_bowhunter
16-Apr-22
Thanks Mountaineer. That is good to know. I think I will pick that system up soon.
From: midwest
16-Apr-22
The RY looks like it would dig into your shoulders but it's actually very comfortable. Like you don't even know it's there.
From: WV Mountaineer
16-Apr-22
True ‘dat Nick. It’s a great harness.
From: Coondog
17-Apr-22
Marsupial Gear. Fully enclosed and have the rangefinder pouch as well. Couldn’t recommend it enough.
From: HDE
17-Apr-22
The RY looking like it will dig into your shoulders is not the reason why I'll take a pass on it. I don't like binos swinging out and away if you're crouched over or crawling.
From: midwest
17-Apr-22
They won't. Watch the video. It's a pretty slick system for being so simple and lightweight.
From: HDE
17-Apr-22
Still pass.
From: kota-man
18-Apr-22
I agree with many above. I tried just about everything out there and am back to the original KUIU. (Hated the pro) In the treestand I use a simple Rick Young. Currently also own the SG, which is ok, but nothing great. I also like the previous version of the Sitka harness, not the current. Marsupial Gear would probably be my second choice to the KUIU. Outdoor Vision also makes a great harness and would put it near the top. Lots of great choices depending on your needs.
From: BGbasbhat
18-Apr-22
Been using an Alpz for the last 10 years (Camofire for $30) to house my Leica BRFs, and it has done great. Since local/giftcard, I upgraded to a Marsupial and been pretty comfy on test runs so far.
From: Rut Nut
20-Apr-22
My package arrived yesterday. Haven’t had a chance to test it out, but unboxed it and tried it on. I like the features so far. I see you can adjust the tension on the hood with the 2 bungees.............but what are the clips for on the end?
I like the rangefinder pouch and the way it clips to the harness. Also like the way it (harness) rides.................think I’m gonna really like this!
From: Rut Nut
10-May-22
After trying it out, I decided I liked the rangefinder under the harness, instead of next to the main compartment- so I got the zippered accessory pouch that attaches underneath. The rangefinder fits nicely in there.
From: Old Bow
10-May-22
The original Kuiu for me
From: Shiloh
10-May-22
I love the Rick Young’s. I didn’t even open the package after having them a year because they didn’t look like much. I have really enjoyed them though!!
From: YZF-88
10-May-22
Still using my S5 harness. Simple, supports and protects just enough and provides quick and quiet one handed access.
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
10-May-22
Mystery Ranch…
From: APauls
11-May-22
midwest I understand you like that paracord but you also find thongs comfortable...
From: No Mercy
12-May-22
I am currently using ADAK, but looking very hard at the T and K system. It is made in SD.
FYI-ADAK will no longer be making their bino harnesses so if you want one you better buy it soon.
