RMEF Ridge Stalker X Bino Harness

I've been on the search for a great binocular harness for a while now, and I've been pretty frustrated. Some of the major manufacturers are producing harnesses that are good, but in my opinion, nothing special. And for as simple as they are, a lot of them are just way too expensive for what they accomplish, ranging from $90-$150 plus shipping.

I finally found one that I really am thrilled with: The Ridge Stalker X Bino Harness by Alps Outdoorz. It's been produced in conjunction with RMEF. It's available at their visitor center in Missoula, MT, their website, and Amazon. And it currently rings up at $50 or less.

Here are some things I appreciate about it:

• Slim profile. It's one of the least bulky harnesses I have seen. It's much better than Vortex, AGC, and Gearak in this regard, so it stays out of your way for taking shots with bow or rifle. (It's a bit slimmer than KUIU.)
• One handed operation. You can use this harness with just one hand if you're other hand is busy holding your bow or rifle.
• No frills. It just has two small pockets that are maybe big enough for a small windchecker or diaphragm call. This is not one of those harnesses that feels like you're wearing your backpack on the front of your chest.
• Smooth material. Shockingly, a lot of the harnesses have rough edges, which can be scratchy and catch on your clothing. Not this one!
• Separate tethering straps. Unlike KUIU, which has uses the shoulder straps as the tether for the binoculars and loses all of it's upper support when the binos are in use, this harness has shoulder straps that stay attached at all times and separate, optional tethering straps for the binos.
• Durable. The material is quite tough. I'm not worried this will be destroyed with rough conditions.
• Padded, but... There is enough padding to be soft on your optics, but not enough to make it puffy and bulky.
• Quiet. Many harnesses are made with loud closures (zippers, magnets, velcro, snaps) and plastic clips that rattle or clank against your rifle or other gear. This harness doesn't have any of those issues. The clips are tight and a little more rubbery, so they don't make noise. And the smooth material doesn't make noise if other things rub against it.
• Comfortable. The first day I wore this harness, I actually forgot that I had it on. It was completely natural feeling.
• Not stuck with some outdated camo pattern. Let's face it. Even though the animals might not notice, it's annoying to have a piece of gear that features some obsolete camo pattern. This one features a solid color brown/green color that will work with just about anything.

So far, the harness doesn't appear to sag or get loose over time. Maybe longer treks will be different. But so far, so good.

It has some loops on the side so you can attach other accessories if you need to.

As a side note, there has been some confusion about how to use the closure of the harness. Google it. Most people are doing it wrong. It's quite simple once you see how it's done.

For the price, I feel this cannot be beat. Plus, a portion of every sale goes to support the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, helping to preserve elk habitat and the future of hunting.


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