Do You Need a Binocular Harness? Unveiling the Why and How!

Welcome back to another useful article which is going to be on the topic of whether the binocular harness is a must for the binos users or not. Many people consider the binos incomplete without the harness. Is that true? There is so much confusion which needs to be debunked.

So, do you really need a binocular harness? Yes, a binocular harness is an important accessory, but you can skip it and still use binos. But I suggest you use it as it would help you in carrying the binoculars comfortably on your long trip and usage.

Don’t be confused, as this guide is going to give you complete insight into the binocular harnesses and whether you buy them or not. So, let’s get started without any delay!

Related Article: Are Binoculars Allowed at Truist Park?

What is a Binocular Harness?

It is a pouch kind of bag which is used to carry binoculars. It consists of a strap that users wear around the neck, and keeps the pouch or bag on the chest. This helps in keeping the binos safe to avoid accidental falls.

It is usually used by those people who are professional and use the binoculars regularly for an extended duration. By using the binocular harness, they easily keep the binoculars close to them. In fact, they not only keep them close to them, but they also make the binos safe from dust and other particles.

The hobbyists usually don’t use the binos harness as they don’t spend much time using the binos. However, those people who need binoculars for most of their outdoor fun do use these accessories. In the upcoming portion of this article, we will explore how binocular harnesses are useful, and whether you should use them or not. 

How Does Binoculars Harness Help the Outdoor Enthusiast?

It won’t be wise to answer directly the question of whether you should use the binocular harness or not without giving you insight about these harnesses. By knowing the functionality, and the purpose, it would be a lot easier for you to make the decision about whether you actually need a harness or not.

1- Keep Binoculars safe

As I said earlier the binocular harness consists of a pouch that remains on your chest. You can keep the binocular in this pouch which is very easy to open and close. It is made in such a way that you can keep walking or even running, but the pouch won’t break or get any tear. 

When you keep the binos inside this pouch, then it remains safe and secure. You can do your activities like stalking if you are a hunter, and your binos will be well protected inside the small pouch. Many people, especially hunters, and professional people use this binocular harness to keep the binoculars safe.

2- Ease of usability / quick access

By using the binocular harness, your binos will be close to your chest. So when you need them, you can easily get them from the pouch or bag and start using them without any issues at all. In fact, if you don’t have the binocular harness, then you will have to keep the binoculars in a carrying case, which you can forget anywhere in your luggage.

But when you have the binocular harness, then it would be very easy for you to keep the binoculars in your quick access and use them whenever you need. Once you have used it, you can keep it back in the pouch. The binocular harness makes it very simple to keep the binocular out, use it, and then put it back in the pouch.

3- Protection against dust and other contaminants

If you don’t have a binocular harness, then chances are high that you will consider keeping the binoculars in your hands, so that when you need it, you can use it. That could be a good way as it will help you to have quick access to binoculars. But the dust and other contaminants will come onto the binoculars if they remain exposed all the time when not in use.

However, when you use the binocular harness, then you don’t have to be worried about the dust, and other external contaminants. The reason is that your binoculars would be well protected inside the pouch. So, you won’t have to clean the binoculars regularly. It will increase the lifespan of your binoculars. 

4- Saves you from extra burden and pain

Almost all outdoor enthusiast who spends more time out knows how irritating it can be to carry binoculars in their hands when they are not in use. Even if you use a neck strap, it is still hard to carry them as the neck strap causes pain in the neck which is an issue at all.

But the binocular harness distributes all the weight of the binoculars across the neck, and the upper body and you don’t feel pain or irritating burden at any specific part of the body. In fact, you will be using the binoculars, but still won’t feel its weight on your body which is a cool thing.

Also Read: Best Binoculars for Grand Canyon Visit

Do You Need a Binocular Harness?

A binocular harness is an additional accessory which is obviously not a must, but it helps you in carrying the binoculars more conveniently. If you spend more time outside, then you will need it. In case you are a casual hobbyist, you don’t need to buy a binocular harness.

Keep in mind that the binocular harness is an optional thing and not related to the functionality of the binoculars. You can easily use the binos without using the harness. This additional accessory is just a helpful thing because it makes it easy to carry the binoculars on a long day.

As I said earlier, binos will stay safe, you will have quick access to binoculars, and you will feel less pain in your shoulder when using the binocular harness instead of carrying them in your hands, or neck strap. This way, I have given details about how a binocular harness is helpful so that it could be easier for you to understand it.

If you are a hunter, or passionate about outdoor activities, then I believe that you will need a binocular harness as it would help you in keeping the binos safe without getting tired. If you are a casual hobbyist, I don’t think you need a binocular harness. You can use the binos while holding hands for most of the time.

Does the Brand Provide the Binocular Harness Free of Cost?

Yes, many well-established optics brands offer the binocular harness in the box of binoculars without charging anything. However, there are a few other brands that demand extra bucks for harnesses. It depends on the brand from where you are purchasing the binoculars.

If you buy binos from a popular brand, they will give you a harness without charging a single penny. Keep in mind that the binocular harness is not really expensive. You can easily buy them by spending a few bucks, and it will last for years to come. 

However, if you don’t want to spend a penny, make sure to buy binoculars from those binos that offer free binocular harnesses. Before buying, make sure to write the specification where you will come to know if that specific binocular comes with a free binocular harness or not.

Binoculars’ Harness vs Neck Strap – Which One is Better?

I consider the binocular harness a better option than the neck strap due to the fact that the harness does not cause any pain or irritating feelings in the neck and you feel less burdened. If you don’t have a binocular harness, you can still use the neck strap as it also protects the binos from falling.

The design of the binocular harness is very user-friendly. So, when you carry the binoculars in the pouch, all the weight of the binos gets divided in the upper part of the binoculars. You don’t feel any pain or burden in any specific part of your body. But when you use the neck strap, you feel all the weight of the binoculars around your neck which is not a good thing.

Especially when you have bigger-sized, heavier binoculars, then using the neck strap becomes a headache, as you start feeling all the weight of the bones around your neck. But if you carry the same heavier binos in the pouch of the binocular harness, you won’t feel any particular pain. The reason is that all the weight will be divided or balanced perfectly.

What Can You Carry in Your Binocular Harness?

The binocular harness consisting of a pouch is usually very small. Only the binoculars can perfectly fit in that pouch because it is specialized for holding or carrying the binoculars. Carrying anything else along with the binos in that pouch is not possible.

However, if you don’t carry the binoculars in the pouch, then you carry some small stuff like eye drops, small knives, match sticks, and other small stuff that could help you in your expenditure. However, if you have binoculars in the pouch, don’t add anything else in that pouch.

The reason is that this small stuff can put scratches on the lenses of your binoculars. If your binoculars’ lenses get scratchy, you won’t be able to see anything clearly. Therefore, I highly suggest you keep the binoculars alone in the pouch of the binocular harness.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the binocular harness is a very helpful accessory which makes the portability of the binoculars very smooth. You will be able to carry binos without having to be worried about the accidental falls. If you are a hunter or passionate outdoor enthusiast, I highly suggest you give the binocular harness a try.