Toting binoculars around the field can be a pain in the next (literally), especially when spotting and stalking and when walking long distances to or from hunting locations. The standard-issue straps that ship with new binoculars apply stress to the neck and do nothing to prevent the expensive equipment from bouncing, swaying, and interfering with other hunting equipment, like backpack straps and rifle slings. And the after-market chest harnesses—while expensive—are still clumsy since their multiple straps, buckles, and hooks also interfere with other hunting gear.
Since I hunt deer hunt from September through January and turkey hunt in the spring, I rarely head afield without my binoculars. I’ve tried various straps and harnesses, but more often than not, I found myself storing my binoculars inside a soft case and then transporting the case within my hunting backpack. A backpack is no place for binoculars, particularly when you need quick access to them as big bucks cross your field of view.
Peak Design, a company that specializes in camera holstering systems for the outdoors, launched CaptureBino last year. CaptureBino, a lightweight, quick-release clip that secures binoculars to any existing strap or belt, makes it much more comfortable to carry binoculars while hunting.
I tested CaptureBino during the last weeks of the 2015 spring turkey season and for the first month of the 2015 deer season. Surprisingly simple to use, the CaptureBino mounting adapter screwed into my binoculars’ tripod mounting hole, and the system’s clip quickly clamped onto my turkey vest strap, my backpack strap, and my belt. Removing the binoculars from the strap- or belt-mounted clip was as simple as pressing the quick-release button, and tightly securing the binoculars to the clip was just as simple.
The CaptureBino system provides much more stability than basic binocular straps or harnesses (assuming the strap or belt to which you are mounting the system is tight and secure), and it provides a more comfortable way to carry your binoculars while hunting. I thought mounting the CaptureBino system on my turkey vest strap or backpack strap was more comfortable than mounting it on my belt. Mounting the binoculars on my belt created an unbalanced feeling when I walked, and I frequently bumped the binoculars with my gun.
CaptureBino, retailing for about $70.00, is available for purchase from www.peakdesign.com, and includes a lifetime guarantee from Peak Design.