Mountain Optics Harness Reviews

Lightweight and Verstile

Love the additional pockets. I used this for a run and gun setup for Turkey when I didn’t want to bring my vest. Put the binos in the center compartment and still had room in the other ones for a pot call and some mouth calls. Wish they had additional pockets to purchase for a water bottle. Excited to try this out this deer season.

Need different sizes for bigger binos

I bought these not even thinking they would not fit my new binos. Don’t get me wrong it’s a nice bino harness but if you have 15x56 do not buy they will not fit. But if you have 10x42 they are perfect They definitely need to make different sizes for the binos themself fit me fine.

sad and bummed out

I don’t know if it’s my fault for not reading or they didn’t publish info, my Swarovski 15x56 Binoculars are to long by about a 1/2” and the lid won’t close… very disappointing and bummed out, seems to be a GREAT product otherwise 😒

Huge step up from base

Huge step up from base bino packs. I am glad to have the extra storage on the outside of my loadout instead of constantly having a different pocket depending on my gear on the hunt.

Worked great! I am hard

Worked great! I am hard in my hunting gear as a professional guide. Fit good, durable, handy additional pockets for my range finder. No complaints. People may hesitate because of the price, but I replaced my old bino case with this one after one season. This bino case kept up with me and is ready for hard use in deer season.

Great harness overall. Love the

Great harness overall. Love the option of adding or removing the side pouches for rangefinder. Very adjustable to fit the user. One downside is the width of the straps themselves. After wearing them for multiple days with a larger bino setup, the narrow straps begin to dig in and get pretty irritating. Would love if there was something offered to put on the straps to give them some more width/padding.

Awesome product. Lightweight and well

Awesome product. Lightweight and well thought. Doesn't get in the way when walking and you barely notice that you have it on. Quiet and practical but most of all, it protects my optics!

This is a very nice,

This is a very nice, solid carrier with great extra utility. Be sure to check your binocular size. This will not fit larger binoculars. Hope we see a large option in future!

Great harness! Was a little

Great harness! Was a little bit of a challenge getting it adjusted to my body but after I did it fits perfect!! Plenty of storage, Bino pouch is perfect for archery sized binos and pocket for range finder is good. Had room for extra release and I even packed my backup pistol in the pouch in the rear. Would Definitely recommend!

Amazing product very organized and

Amazing product very organized and quiet. Perfect for my binoculars and rangefinder. If you need something it’s right on you to grab. Not much movement required or noise!

Awesome harness! Tried other bino

Awesome harness! Tried other bino harnesses and nothing compares.

Great product, just needs a

Great product, just needs a deeper storage area for binos or provide a strap extender to close the cover. This would provide the extra space needed.

Bring back the bino bivy!

Bring back the bino bivy! The whole strap design is off. The straps should at least be sewn in at the correct angle to accommodate the system.

The straps leave a little

The straps leave a little to be desired. I used it all deer season and really enjoyed the pocket diversity. Was very nice to grab it and have lots of stuff in it, saves time to get to stand. I packed it in my tool bucket and put it on in the stand. The straps, using the Fanatic jacket and Fanatic lite jacket, constantly got lost putting it on. 15 minutes after in the stand I'd find one dangling and then trying to figure out which to clip appropriately. I didn't think the straps were uncomfortable, just how you undo them and clip them was difficult in the stand. Am looking/considering a second in subalpine or brown, but will consider other brands for convenience.

Love this product. I’ve actually

Love this product. I’ve actually bought 2 of these, I just wish the bino storage was a little deeper. It’s really hard to latch with my bigger binos.

I can’t wait to break

I can’t wait to break this in completely. Easy access to my binoculars and extra storage. Plus, they are stored in the proper locations which is out of the way but handy.

I was recently using a

I was recently using a tenzig harness. I liked it until I purchased this one. The harness is comfortable and has a lot of room for other items. Even though it is larger than what i'm used to it puts a lot of items within reach that i would have in my backpack.

Love it, glad I got

Love it, glad I got the EVII now that it's not available anymore. Hopefully it comes back... Either way, it works great for holding various items that you might need. Calls, binocs, gps, range finder, they all have a location. It's light which helps because the straps are narrow as others have said but over most tops you won't notice. Bow hunting in Wisconsin with a climber on my back, so this is a must for carrying stuff in front. Only thing that would make it better is a longer bottom strap, when it's on over fanatic jackets with a lot of layers, I can't clip it around. I'm 240# so I just leave it clipped in front.

I really like the product,

I really like the product, but I do wish that the straps were a little wider. I also run a pair of vortex 10 x 42 with rangefinding capability and they are a little big for the pouch. But overall good product.

Bino holder is nice straps

Bino holder is nice straps little low quality. I also wish the front latch was magnetic as well to close it, not a latch

I love everything Sitka. This

I love everything Sitka. This specific item is three stars for the simple fact that the harness system is something would be on a kids system. It’s low quality, and there’s no padding for comfort. Everything else about this bino harness is great.

Performed as stated. I can

Performed as stated. I can see where wet weather may hamper the dryness of items inside, however it worked well for my purposes.

I mainly hunt whitetail and

I mainly hunt whitetail and this bingo case works nicely for it. But as I have been training for an elk hunt. I have noticed that the smaller straps are uncomfortable and the harness moves. Personally I think wider straps would help.

First of all, I am

First of all, I am a faithful and devoted Sitka gear consumer. I spend 30-40 days a year in the field scouting and or hunting in North America primarily. I purchased the Sitka bino harness to complete my gear list this season. I like the one hand access on front flap but found the side pockets harder to access and close. Additionally, my Gunweks G5 range finder does not fit either side pocket, (not Sitka's problem). The major fault I found having carried this harness is the shoulder straps are skinny and provide poor support under the weight of binoculars an additional accessories in the side pockets. The adjustment buckles did little to help as they loosen easily being bounced around while riding a horse. I allowed my desire to have a matching pattern override getting a bino harness that is actually comfortable and utilitarian enough to serve its purpose. The Sitka binocular harness needs to be redesigned and field tested, in my opinion.

I really liked this case

I really liked this case and was looking forward to using it on my Kodiak bear hunt this last May. It works good for my binoculars, has room for my inreach and still another pocket for minor emergency items. All went well until it started raining. Alaska rain isn't like rain in the lower 48 but is a slow steady drizzle to heavy sprinkle. It also lasts all day and goes from the drizzle to the heavy sprinkle. It appears the form is made of a cardboard or other similar material because after about 2 days of this weather it got very soft. I had to quit using it or it would get ruined. It is back to normal after drying out but it would be so much better if it was made out of a material that could withstand the weather. I would have given it 5 stars except for this.

This definitely needs some work.

This definitely needs some work. My buddy has one of Sitka's older bins harnesses and it is far superior. The straps are thin and don't provide much support.

I initially had another brands

I initially had another brands binocular case, but it was loose and never felt secure. So far, I have used the Mountain Optics Harness a few times on deer hunts, and I really like it. It fits just as snuggly as I need it, and I tend to forget it is there until I need it, unlike most gear that hangs on you. The two additional pouches work great for my SPOT device and range finder. The only issue I have with it is that I would like to see some type of secured Velcro strap retainers instead of elastic loop retainers for the strapping excess, which I may add myself. The elastic retainers seem to let go of the excess strapping too easily.

I've tried a handful of

I've tried a handful of different binocular harness systems and this one is definitely my favorite. Accessing each of the three pouches is totally quiet, and the magnetic flap on the main pouch works great when frequently pulling binoculars in/out of the harness, and provides just the right amount of cover from rain/snow when necessary, even without fully closing the compartment. The pouches also have enough structure to provide some meaningful protection to their contents, but aren't so beefy that it feels like I'm carrying unnecessary weight. The ability to remove pockets and attach other accessories is also nice, especially outside of hunting season when I don't feel the need to carry my rangefinder. And the sheer number of places to put things has been a very nice surprise -- I can easily fit my phone, my tags, some emergency allen wrenches, a replacement battery for my rangefinder, a wind checker bottle, a couple diaphragm calls, a bic pen, and a small compass all in the various compartments *surrounding* the main three pouches. The small fabric loops on the outside edges of the outer pockets are also a nice touch, giving a good place to attach my rangefinder lanyard. I'm giving five stars for this product because it is a joy to use, and because I haven't seen any other product on the market that I feel does a better job.

The adjustments for the straps

The adjustments for the straps are not ergonomically positioned. Trying to reach the adjustments in situations when hunting conditions change from no jacket to jacket is frustrating. I have another harness in a different brand and the adjustment are all in the front and very easy to access. The straps are also too narrow and they roll up.

Love it but the straps

Love it but the straps are not comfortable after a few hours of wear. Please make thicker padded straps.

Great product. 2 small reasons

Great product. 2 small reasons it looses a star #1 need a belt extension for going over heavy cold weather gear. #2 can't find any accessories pockets for different sizes

Love the harness so far,

Love the harness so far, I’ve only worn it on a few hunts so far and I only have one complaint. I’m not sure if the harness is only supposed to have one or two magnets to hold the front flap up but mine only has one and it doesn’t seem to hold up the flap very well. Wish there was two magnets.

Sitka has made quality products

Sitka has made quality products for years and my closet supports that. The hunting harness is great with the exception of the neck strap. Even with the additional supports of the torso strap the neck strap quickly becomes uncomfortable. The thin narrow strap diggs into the back of my neck and becomes irritating. I understand the desire to allow the strap to fit different body types but the neck strap needs some type of padding or buffer between the neck and strap, especially if the harness is being used in warm weather. Cold weather hunting allows the clothing to act as a buffer between the strap and neck. If you hunt in warm weather I would suggest other options. I used the harness twice during archery season and then put it on the closet shelf its just too uncomfortable. This is the first time I have been disappointed with a sitka product.

Many great features, love the

Many great features, love the storage and small pockets all over the harness. However two things knock it down. Vortex 12X50 UHD’s cannot be used as yes you can get the cover closed but it is tighter than a piano string and makes a pretty loud pop when you open it. It also is an absolute bear to close since it is so tight. The second, which is prevalent through the comments are the straps. They could be significantly better by adding a different back like other companies to keep the straps from digging into your neck.

I had another well made

I had another well made bino harness but it did not have the two pouches that come with the Mountain Optics harness. I wanted a harness that could carry a few more items other than a range finder and binocular. I was going to use a fanny pack with the old harness but the SITKA harness eliminates that option. My Vortex 10x42 Viper HD binos fit perfect in the center compartment. My Sig range finder fits great in the right pouch and my head lamp folding locker knife fits in the left pouch. Wind indicator in the elastic left pocket on side of center pouch and extra CR2 battery for range finder in the right elastic pouch. Cell phone that has the OnX app goes in pocket on back of the bino pouch and license, pen and zip ties in the rear zippered pocket. Love the simple strap system and the excess strap is easily folded and bound with the sliding binder that comes on each strap. You just put your head through the center strap foillowed with your arms through the arm straps and then attach the waist strap and your set. Very comfortable. The tether straps are easily attached to your binoculars and do not slip as some have reported. The tethered cleaning cloth in the bino pouch is a nice touch. I am a Sitka fan and I would rank the Mountain Optics Harness right up with the Jetstream as a solid no brainer product for the western big game hunter.

I’d read the reviews on

I’d read the reviews on the product. It was stated the harnesses was poor quality. I’m a big Sitka fan and purchased it anyway because I wanted to maintain the same camouflage pattern. Everyone was right about the straps. They are terrible to say the least. Rigid polyester blend and way too thin. The compartments are well-made and fit mini items well. I would expect a little more product research before Sitka utilize the straps.

I have several different bino

I have several different bino harnesses and this is my go-to. Two areas for improvement: Add a waterproof cover to the bino section. Other companies incorporate a waterproof cover you can pull out and cover it up for heavy rain times. Second, and maybe just my preference, but I would prefer if the side pouches opened front to back just like the bino section. Still, a great product.

Absolutely love it!!!! Maybe have

Absolutely love it!!!! Maybe have an option for a gun holster. Maybe it is avaliable but I'm struggling to find my way out of this page for avaliable options.

Used this harness on a

Used this harness on a hunt in Idaho for a month in October. Climbing over rocks and rained on. Worked excellent. Had my rage finder, iPhone with phoneskope case and InReach GPS in the pockets.

This is a great harness.

This is a great harness. It has all the bells and whistles that I need. But there is just one problem. The harness is too small so it can't hold my Swarovski Binos. Also, the straps aren't the greatest and there is some room for improvement. I would personally like to see the main pocket become bigger so that it can fit some of the bigger size binos. Overall it is a great harness just sucks the main pocket is too small.

Awesome bino harness, but there

Awesome bino harness, but there is room for improvement. Personally, I would like the main pocket to be a little bit bigger and have some improvements on the strap system (they change up, but with some practice you get the hang of it). But over all a great bino harnes.

As stated by many before

As stated by many before me; the shoulder straps are narrow and don’t distribute weight that well which can become a nuisance over time. I did an elk rifle hunt last weekend and had my vortex binos that fit very comfortably in the center, my range finder on my right side (shooting hand) and then I use the left pouch for my call and a thick left hand glove in case It got miserable out there. The weight over 7 miles of tracking and taking the shot was very manageable and I will be using them every time I go out in the future. The straps are 3/4” thick so maybe adding an extra 1/2” would be helpful, but anything past that would become a bigger nuisance when a ruck sack is placed on your back. Overall this performed above and beyond. Much better than vortex chest carrier and much slimmer than the eberlestock recon carrier. My only complaint is that it did not come with a water bottle case which the photos did lead me to believe it might come with lol. Overall if you’re on the fence about this product: do it. It’s worth it.

This harness is fantastic! Comfortable

This harness is fantastic! Comfortable and the pockets just make sense. The latches for the side pockets are nice that they open away from the body. You can comfortably wear this harness all day without any rubbing or issues. My very broad chested human being and I am comfortable in this harness

Big Sitka Gear fan so

Big Sitka Gear fan so I chose their harness over some recommended competitors plus I thought it was nice that their accessory pockets are included and not extra attachments. Overall pleased with the pack but the strap design is pretty bad. Works okay over thin layers but nearly impossible to put on comfortably over the fanatic system in late season. Also find the flap to the bino pocket opens easily on its own as there is only two closing positions. Love their gear and the harness is decent but could use a couple tweaks.

Best harness on the market!

Best harness on the market! I carry a Vortex 12x50 (it fits very tight as I would prefer smaller binos someday), Rangefinder (micro clothe in the bottom) and various items (battery, calls, multi tools) in the 3rd pouch. I keep my phone in the pocket behind the main compartment with my hunting tag and license in the zipper pouch. It fits to your body with the cross straps in the back. They make it very comfortable for the outside of any layer! My background is in the small unit tactics in the army, a ton of backcountry hiking/ice climbing, so I couldn't ask for a better form fitting harness that carries everything you need for the scout and stalk. It does not get in the way at all when shooting a bow. I've even used it to help prop my rifle butt up just a little higher with my day bag as the bipod for a well supported shot in the mountains. I love the solids color as it matches any camo!

Concept sounds good, however there

Concept sounds good, however there are issues. The Front pocket is too small for both of my Leupold binoculars. The the X-straps in the back are too narrow, twist easily, and dig into your shoulders with the rig loaded. The shoulder straps should be wider and padded.

This is a great piece

This is a great piece of a gear. The ability to remove side pockets gives a lot of versatility in how you choose to attach gear that you want readily available. I live in Kodiak and take this with me all the time whether I’m actively hunting, scouting or just hiking. I have tried to attach bear spray in place of one of the removable pockets which I find to be a little awkward. I think having an attachment point on the bottom of the harness to allow for horizontal carry of spray would be a great addition. It is a bit of a stretch to say you could attach a pistol holster to this harness; however, I carry my Glock 40 in a Gunfighters Inc. Kenai chest holster underneath this harness. When the holster is canted to the correct angle it works perfectly with this harness. I give this harness 5 stars with a little room for improvement in accommodating a pistol holster and bear spray.

Almost perfect, really have next

Almost perfect, really have next to no complaints.

I bought this for a

I bought this for a Wyoming mule deer hunt. My first impression was the pockets and closing system was good. I carry 12x50 binoculars and they fit good. After walking 8-10 miles my shoulders started to ache where the straps crossed my shoulders. By the time I shot my deer I was in actual pain. I think the straps need to have padding, the this straps ate terrible. I was expecting a better product for the price and Sitka name.

Works great for hunting and

Works great for hunting and scouting. I love the closure method, accessory pouches, and fit.