Bino harness

[L8NITE]

Love my badlands...so far it rain and snow i have not had any issues. Little extra room inside as well. Keep my cell phone and wind indicator tucked inside with no issues. Magnets are pretty quiet as well.

[Stein]

Just got my new Alaska Guide Cub Max in the mail today.  I loaded it up and like it a bunch, it doesn't seem as big and bulky as I thought it would. No real experience, but I am happy with the design, fit, finish and price.

[pianoman9701]

has anyone every tried keeping an activated hand warmer (or two) in with the binos during late season to keep them from fogging when you look through them?

I think that would worsen the fogging problem. The reason they fog is that your body heats them up and then you bring them out into the cold. If you used a handwarmer, same thing. Using cat pi$$ (brown bottle and bag, not sure of the real name), on the lenses works great for both my binos and my eyeglasses.

[pianoman9701]

I've used 3 bino harness - Nimrod, S-4, and the Badlands case w/magnetic closures.

The one which worked best with all my gear on was the Nimrod, the cheapest one. Simple design and because the straps go over the shoulders and not up behind your neck, there's no pulling on your neck when you're using something in addition like a bow sling. Both the Badlands and the S4 tend to pull a little.

The Badlands case helps a lot with the problem of fogging up. Being in the case, the binos are insulated a bit from your body heat. Even if they do fog up, there's a handy lens cloth sown inside. Downside is the pulling and it's bulky. I also like the reinforced fabric loops that you can hang stuff off of.

The S4 isn't bulky and the bino attachment keeps it really sturdy. I would rate this higher than the Nimrod if it weren't for the pulling while using a bow sling. Fairly simple in design and sturdy.

[Troutnut]

I've been using the Alaska Guide Creations bino chest pack for several years in Alaska. Clearly their line has improved since I bought mine, but mine certainly wasn't waterproof. On a sheep hunt last year I had trouble keeping my binos dry even after the rain stopped, because the case was soaked through. Some waterproofing treatment is a good idea. Apart from the water, it has been one of my favorite pieces of gear.

[yakimanoob]

The reason they fog is that your body heats them up and then you bring them out into the cold. If you used a handwarmer, same thing.

You've got this backward.  Cool surfaces, not warm ones, fog in damp environments.  That's why your back window has a heating element on it, and you de-fog your windshield by blowing warm air on it. 

Binoculars fog because the environment near your body (especially your face) is always damp.  When that damp, warm(er) air comes in contact with the cool glass of your bino lenses, the warm air cools below the dew point and the moisture condenses onto the lens, i.e., you get fog. 

No idea if handwarmers would prevent this or not, but it's certainly true that warm lenses wouldn't fog as much. 

[pianoman9701]

I think that going either from hot to cold or cold to hot will fog binos and glasses. In NH, we kept our rifles outside at night so the glass wouldn't fog when we came out of the cabin in the AM.

[JDHasty]

The reason they fog is that your body heats them up and then you bring them out into the cold. If you used a handwarmer, same thing.

You've got this backward.  Cool surfaces, not warm ones, fog in damp environments.  That's why your back window has a heating element on it, and you de-fog your windshield by blowing warm air on it. 

Binoculars fog because the environment near your body (especially your face) is always damp.  When that damp, warm(er) air comes in contact with the cool glass of your bino lenses, the warm air cools below the dew point and the moisture condenses onto the lens, i.e., you get fog. 

No idea if handwarmers would prevent this or not, but it's certainly true that warm lenses wouldn't fog as much.

 

[Alchase]

I think that going either from hot to cold or cold to hot will fog binos and glasses. In NH, we kept our rifles outside at night so the glass wouldn't fog when we came out of the cabin in the AM.

It actually works both ways. If you have your bino's or scope in a warm room or tent, then take it outside into cold air they will also fog.

I leave the bino's and rifle in the cold, so in the morning when you walk out in the cold they do not fog up. Until you breath on them, LOL

Seriously, there are many fog-proof wipes you can use. I use Sight Saver Wipes to clean them the night before. Almost illuminates any fogging.

[JDHasty]

Water molecules in moist air condense and form the "fog" when it comes in contact with a surface that has a high rate of thermal transfer and is colder than the air the water vapor is in.  That is kind of a poor explanation of what I remember from thermodynamics and physics classes, but the bottom line is that the surface has to be colder than the surrounding air for condensation to take place.

[pianoman9701]

It doesn't matter. When it's cold, they fog up without some kind of defogger. That work?

[yakimanoob]

It doesn't matter. When it's cold, they fog up without some kind of defogger. That work?

I'm on board with that.