Back in the day, having a bino harness wasn’t even a thought. I had a red shoestring tied to my binoculars that went around my neck. And then my hunting life changed when I sprang the $20 for my first elastic bino harness — a leap in light years from something like the FOB Bino Harness from FHF Gear. Oh, how things have changed for the better.
Having quick access and ultimate protection for my optics is incredibly important to me for hunting. And through the years, I’ve tested and beat up plenty of bino harnesses. In doing so, I’ve gotten picky about what I like, don’t like, and what I believe works best.
FHF Gear has always been great in my book, and its Pro-M Bino Harness is easily one of the best on the market. With this completely new design that is the FOB Bino Harness, I was honestly a little skeptical. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?
In short: If you’re willing to bite the bullet on price, the FHF Gear FOB Bino Harness is everything you’ll ever need out of a chest rig. FHF took all the best parts of the Pro-M and made an even better harness. The price might hurt a little, but your shoulders won’t.
- Ultra-quiet stretch nylon outer:
- Fleece interior:
- Bi-fold magnetic closure:
- Air mesh backing for breathability:
- MOLLE panels on sides and bottom:
- Comfortable shoulder harness system:
Pros
- Quiet
- Comfortable
- Tons of customization options
- Sleek functional storage
Cons
- Price. That's it.
FHF Gear FOB Bino Harness Review
Overview
The FOB in the title stands for “Forward Operating Base.” In the military, this translates to “a secure location used to support tactical operations and missions.” It’s the perfect name for what this bino harness was built to do. It’s a forward-opening bino harness that serves as a secure location to support all of your critical gear when outside.
This fully enclosed bino harness is dressed in an ultraquiet stretch nylon exterior with a fleece liner on the interior for silent operation. FHF offers two different sizes, which are standard (up to 7-inch binos) and large (up to 8.75-inch binos).
Both have an exterior stretchy zippered pouch and air mesh back that also serves as a small pouch. The bino pack is worn via the Airframe Shoulder Harness, which aids in ventilation. You’ll also find bino hangers attached to this.
All FOB Bino Harnesses open and close via a bi-fold lid and magnetic closure system. This was purpose-built to decrease movement in the field when opening and closing the bino pack.
FHF includes precut foam blocks that can sit in the bottom of the pack to help elevate binos higher for easier access. There is also a shapeable front bar that will accommodate hunters who need to run their eyepieces closer together, resulting in a higher bridged binocular.
All FHF FOB Bino Harnesses come with laser-cut MOLLE panels on both sides and bottom, as well as a MOLLE-backed pouch for holding a windicator and call. These MOLLE panels will work with any other accessories FHF sells to create a truly custom bino harness setup.
My Experience
From the Sandhills of Nebraska, the deserts of Mexico, and fortress-like walls deep in the backcountry of Idaho, the FOB has been riding on my chest, and it’s been a pleasure.
My initial hangup at first was the magnetic system. It was so different than what I was used to on the Pro-M. Sitting here now, though, I honestly prefer the FOB between the two.
The front opening design feels natural using the positive grip loop on the top, as does where you can secure the lid open via an additional magnet on the front of the pack. This can all be easily done without looking, which is something incredibly important to me. And the new stretchy pocket on the front is super easy to access due to the natural give of the material.
I’ve gotta also touch on the Airframe Shoulder Harness. A pet peeve of mine with bino harnesses is a shoulder strap that is too narrow. It digs into your shoulders and neck. FHF has always been good about this. That said, this new Airframe Shoulder Harness is probably my favorite made to date. It breathes very well and has been comfortable in every situation I’ve brought it into. Not to mention, it looks killer.
The new rangefinder pouch, and wing attachment system, need to be mentioned as well. The M1 rangefinder pouch is a mirror image and the perfect companion to the FOB Bino Harness.
It has the same magnetic system and has, in all honesty, operated flawlessly for me. The wing attaches to the shoulder harness, and it makes the pouch vertically sound. You don’t get a hanging feeling from it.
What’s Wrong
While this is probably my favorite bino harness made to date, it doesn’t come without any downsides. And as far as I’m concerned, there is really only one con I can think of — the price. In order to bask in the glory that is the FOB Bino Harness, it’s gonna cost you 185 bones. That stings.
For the average hunter, that might be a bit much to pay in the name of a chest rig. For those of us who wear our harnesses pretty much year-round, it’s well worth it.
FHF Gear FOB Bino Harness: Conclusion
FHF Gear has always been known in the hunting industry for producing products that are both durable and practical. Along with bino harnesses for hunters, like their new FOB Bino Harness and ever-so-popular Pro-M Bino Harness, they also produce a long list of other things. Accessories for firearms, tactical pursuits, and even chest rigs for fishing or waterfowl are a few things to mention. This FOB Bino Harness is a welcome addition to an already impressive lineup of products.
