Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Scopes and Optics => Topic started by: wt on August 22, 2022, 06:45:13 PM

Title: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: wt on August 22, 2022, 06:45:13 PM: I usually hunt wetside blacktails and Rosies. I've never found a great solution for optics fogging or having outright droplets of water present on my lenses. I've historically used several different lens treatments for the fogging with limited success, and a fully closed bino harness for the water droplets. The two challenges I've found are, under certain atmospheric conditions and optic surface temperature's (below dew point) the fog is persistent (I believe there's no practical solution to this scenario), however maybe I can learn a trick or two to help further mitigate it. Secondly, my bino harness (I've had Badlands and Alaska Guides w/ rain bib) gets saturated mid day and becomes a source of warm moisture that exacerbates the fogging issue. I'm thinking of giving up on attempting to "fully" protect my binos with a camo sponge and get a harness that offers physical protection for the lenses but not totally enclosed, and not absorbent. Does anyone have some experience or direction they would like to share? Thanks

wt
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: millerwheeler on August 22, 2022, 07:19:24 PM: One thing for fogging I have done in the rain is a hot hand harmer helps with the moisture and some good lenses wipes with covers
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: bkaech on August 22, 2022, 07:26:32 PM: Fog and water on my hunting glass (binos and scopes) is just part of the trials of hunting the wet side. At least I say that because I have not found a solution to what you are asking. I know that once the glass gets wet it is best to keep it open otherwise fog is terrible. water droplets on glass hinder what you can see but you can still see, fog on glass completely obscures, so one trick is that after they get wet I let them stay out and deal with it....with that being said, the trick is how long can you keep them from getting wet/ keep them covered, I am looking to get a bino cover, but haven't yet, I would think that once they get wet, just the strap open to the air is better than any cover.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: PsoasHunter on August 22, 2022, 08:25:51 PM: I don't use a pouch bino harness for this reason. I use the lens cover cap that they came with on a zip tie that holds the cover close, so I can easily pop it off and on all day in the rain, only uncovering the lenses when I'm actively looking through them. Works well for me until I eventually forget that one time, then deal with drops.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: Bullkllr on August 22, 2022, 08:36:05 PM: Quote from: PsoasHunter on August 22, 2022, 08:25:51 PM
I don't use a pouch bino harness for this reason. I use the lens cover cap that they came with on a zip tie that holds the cover close, so I can easily pop it off and on all day in the rain, only uncovering the lenses when I'm actively looking through them. Works well for me until I eventually forget that one time, then deal with drops.

This is pretty much what I do. Tucked under the raincoat helps.

Lots of absorbent lens wiping material is required eventually.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: cooltimber on August 22, 2022, 09:03:56 PM: I have a elk hide covering my Bino;s..I just cut holes for the straps. easy and cheap. just flip the hide up toward you.! MINK OIL,paste,on the outside
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: Backstrap on August 22, 2022, 09:14:42 PM: I use Uncle Mikes flip up scope covers on the objective lenses, and the stock plastic slider deal on the eyepiece end.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: Jellymon on August 23, 2022, 04:35:26 AM: Marsupial has a waterproof rain cover that opens with the lid. No more soggy harness. Best solution ive found so far.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: Sundance on August 23, 2022, 05:18:56 AM: Kuiu pro harness, best system I’ve used and no issues with soaking through
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: HntnFsh on August 23, 2022, 05:42:26 AM: Quote from: Sundance on August 23, 2022, 05:18:56 AM
Kuiu pro harness, best system I’ve used and no issues with soaking through

Ive been very happy with mine also.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: wt on September 15, 2022, 06:35:06 PM: Thank you for the feed back all. I guess I'll add one to the "gear heap" and pick up a set of Kuiu Pros. Happy Hunting!
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: deerhunter_98520 on October 21, 2022, 09:05:19 AM: Quote from: Sundance on August 23, 2022, 05:18:56 AM
Kuiu pro harness, best system I’ve used and no issues with soaking through
:yeah: I used to keep my binos inside my jacket but found myself getting wet pretty fast and by body heat would fog up my lenses. Switched up to a kuiu harness years ago and the issue went away. Any covered harness would work. I've tried all the different sprays and wipes for fog and they do ok but not 100%. I don't think anything will be 100% on this side. As far as droplets go it'll be impossible to stop them unless you stay in your truck lol just get yourself a good microfiber lense cloth and wipe em off :tup:
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: craigapphunt on October 21, 2022, 09:46:41 AM: Alaskan chest pouch and zip my rain coat over that if it gets really bad. Also doesn't hurt if your optic has long eye relief you can keep the eye piece further away from the heat created by your face.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 22, 2022, 08:43:43 AM: I've got at least 4 bino covers. The one I like the best is the Gear Lockdown S4. It keeps it covered but is open to the elements so the binos stay cool.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on October 22, 2022, 08:55:47 AM: A decent harness helps, but its not the cure. AGC has a really good rain cover.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: huntnnw on October 22, 2022, 09:25:09 AM: Owned AGC for 6 years now and had in very wet conditions and never had wet Binos. You could even treat the material itself for even more protection
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: Magnum_Willys on October 22, 2022, 11:18:47 AM: Kuiu does the job, if glassing in heavy rain a big brim hat helps. Don't use any bino covers just the kuiu holder.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: BigGoonTuna on October 24, 2022, 04:19:08 AM: Out of all the different binocular systems I've had, my favorites for westside hunting are the S4 lockdown and the RYO ultra light harness. The S4 is nice because it's quiet and keeps the rain off your binoculars with sort of a shell. The downside is that the harness is kind of cheesy and tends to ride up on your back.

The RYO harness doesn't have any case but it can be worn several different ways. When hunting in the brush I set it up to "side saddle" where I have my binoculars tucked under my left arm out of the elements, or I can conveniently put them in the front pocket of my vest and cover them with the flap.
Title: Re: Who has a great Wetside bino cover solution?
Post by: Westside88 on October 24, 2022, 06:47:10 AM: Quote from: deerhunter_98520 on October 21, 2022, 09:05:19 AM
Quote from: Sundance on August 23, 2022, 05:18:56 AM
Kuiu pro harness, best system I’ve used and no issues with soaking through
:yeah: I used to keep my binos inside my jacket but found myself getting wet pretty fast and by body heat would fog up my lenses. Switched up to a kuiu harness years ago and the issue went away. Any covered harness would work. I've tried all the different sprays and wipes for fog and they do ok but not 100%. I don't think anything will be 100% on this side. As far as droplets go it'll be impossible to stop them unless you stay in your truck lol just get yourself a good microfiber lense cloth and wipe em off :tup:

I’ve also carried mine on a harness inside my rain coat, which as you stated leads to wet chest from unzipping and taking the binos in and out. On real wet days sometimes they have to stay out. I was considering Kuiu holder as an option. Now I’m really leaning that way