With 3 days left in the Tennessee deer season, I found myself hanging from a tree overlooking a frosty creek bottom. Movement in the tangled brush on the far side of the creek caught my eye, and I flipped open the silent lid of the Kifaru Standard Bino harness. With one look through my binoculars, I quickly identified three does, slowly moseying their way down the bank, plucking up acorns.
I was down to crunch time, and decided I was done playing Big Buck Hunter. I tucked my binos back into the streamlined harness, adjusted my position in my tree saddle, and braced my rifle against the tree.
A perfect shot followed, and the deer dropped right where she stood. As I climbed out of the tree to tag my deer, the Kifaru harness stayed tight to my body and didn’t annoyingly catch on the steps of my climbing sticks as I descended, a problem I’ve experienced with many harnesses. There was a reason that by the end of a long season, this one was on my chest.
In short: Among all of the bino harnesses I’ve used, the Kifaru Standard Bino Harness ($179) rides the best on my chest. It stays high and tight all day long. The strap system that keeps it riding well, while minimal, is among the most comfortable you can find when wearing a backpack. The hood-style closure lid is unique, with no zippers or magnets, but it holds optics securely, even my large 10X50 ZEISS SFLs. For a basic harness with only a binocular pocket, it is expensive, but after decking mine out with a few add-on accessories like a rangefinder pocket, it’s become my go-to.
- Sizes: Small, medium, large
- Closure: Adjustable hood (no zippers or magnets)
- Straps: Webbing with no pads
Pros
- Rides high and close to chest
- Closure is silent and shockingly secure
- Straps fit great under backpack
- Very minimalist
Cons
- Expensive
- Have to purchase rangefinder attachment
- Strap system isn't as padded as others.
High and Tight Ride With Great Closures
So many binocular harnesses start to sag on me throughout the day. I may not be Arnold, but at 6 feet tall and 185 pounds, I’m not a small dude either. But even when completely cinched down, most harnesses sit below my sternum, and the top portion pushes away from my chest. Over the course of a day, they loosen up more. It’s not the end of the world, but it does annoy me.
When I first put on the Kifaru Bino Harness, the comfortable, high, and tight ride was immediately noticeable. Over the course of a day of hunting, the straps never loosened up on their own, and the bino harness stayed put. After a bunch of hunts and wear in, it still sits on my chest just like it did on day one. I love the fit.
The closure system on the binocular pouch is unique, and I had doubts about it. Every bino harness I’ve liked closes with magnets or quick-release elastic straps. This one has neither. You just fold it over the top and trust that it will stay closed.
It does, as sketchy as that sounds. There’s a rod on the internal portion of the fold-out lid, and it locks in solidly on the body of the bino pouch. When bending over in a treestand or working around the woods, it’s never once popped open unexpectedly. Color me surprised.
Now that I know I can trust it, I like it more than any other closure system. I’ve had magnetic closures accidentally open up, and quick-release straps are an extra step to use and wear out over time. The Kifaru system is the way to go.
What Could Be Better
The bare bones harness is very minimalist, which in itself isn’t a problem. But the thing costs $180 and doesn’t have a place to store a rangefinder. That’s an extra add-on you have to purchase and attach to the strap system of the harness separately. The rangefinder pouch is an additional $40.
I’ve strapped a rangefinder attachment and an accessory pouch to mine, and absolutely love the layout. The rangefinder pouch uses the same closure system, and the accessory pouch gives me a great place to put a wind checker and a few extra bullets.
In the last week, I’ve also added a phone pocket to it using the MOLLE straps on the front. It’s awesome, and everything about the setup is great. But dang, the price for the total package is steep.
I could also see some people disliking the minimalist strap system. It’s just that — straps. There is no padding, and it isn’t as comfortable as the padded strap systems found on other harnesses. However, I like it, because it’s minimal and stays out of the way when I’m wearing a backpack or tree stand safety harness with it.
There are also no straps to attach your binoculars to. You have to pull them out, hold onto them, and place them back into the pouch. You can’t leave them dangling on the harness’s exterior.
Again, for me personally, I like it. It makes the whole thing more streamlined and less “noisy,” but I could see it being a deal breaker for some.
Final Thoughts on the Kifaru Standard Bino Harness
For the time being, the Kifaru Standard Bino Harness is my favorite among the many sitting on my gear shelf. The modular design is great, and everything I need is on my chest, always at the ready.
It comfortably fits all of my 10X42 binoculars, and even fits my ZEISS SFL 10X50s, although it is a tight squeeze. Despite others fitting my favorite binoculars with a little more room, the high and tight fit is the reason I keep going back to it, and I know it will keep all of my gear secured with the easy-to-use closure system.
On top of that, Kifaru is a cool brand. The harness is manufactured in the U.S., and the brand even puts a small tag on it showing who made it — a personal touch that makes it so much more than a piece of equipment. Mine was made by Mary G.
Thanks, Mary. You make a sweet binocular harness.
