Anyone carrying Swaro 15x56's in a bino harness?

[mcseal2]

I was thinking about skipping the 10x42's for scouting and only packing the big binos, spotter, and tripod. If I do this I want quick access to the 15x's. I know they won't be great for handheld use, but I can use them well enough for quick looks to get an idea of what a buck is if I jump one without time to get the tripod out. I can loop the lanyards of my trekking poles over each other and make a rest for them pretty fast also, kinda like I do for shooting from. Anyway just curious if anyone packed them this way or if they are to bulky to make it work well.

If anyone does this what harness do you use? I saw Alaskan Guide Creations makes one, who else?

Thanks!

 

[sneakypete]

KUIU has a harness youllhave to check there site for sizing. I use one for my 10x42's

 

[packer58]

I run the Meopta 15X56's, I would imagine the weight is very similar to the Sworo's and would become an issue very quickly in a bino harness. Mine stay in the my pack.........

 

[Horniac]

I was thinking about skipping the 10x42's for scouting and only packing the big binos, spotter, and tripod. If I do this I want quick access to the 15x's. I know they won't be great for handheld use, but I can use them well enough for quick looks to get an idea of what a buck is if I jump one without time to get the tripod out. I can loop the lanyards of my trekking poles over each other and make a rest for them pretty fast also, kinda like I do for shooting from. Anyway just curious if anyone packed them this way or if they are to bulky to make it work well.

If anyone does this what harness do you use? I saw Alaskan Guide Creations makes one, who else?

Thanks!

I've been running my Leica geovids 15's in an AGC harness for years. Works great for me doing exactly what you are describing...

Horniac

 

[buckbull]

I thought one of the advantages of large binos was the ability to leave the spotter at home?

 

[mcseal2]

It sure can be. The big binos are great for finding game but the greater magnification of a good spotter is still best for judging a rack once you find the game. If they are close the binos are great but I start preferring the spotter to judge once the distance is over a half mile. The binos are good for finding game much further than that.

I won't pack both hunting, but scouting I might. No rifle, no ammo, etc means less weight I have to carry scouting so maybe the 80mm spotter will make it into my pack. I'll also probably be spending more time seeing and judging animals since the muleys will likely still be in velvet, higher up and more visible. Hopefully I'll spot several bucks I can go back and look for nearby during the hunt. I try to be realistic as a non resident hunter with limited scouting and hunting days, if I see an older looking buck with a good frame during season I'm going after him. I'm less concerned with how low he forks, brow tines, etc and more concerned with just taking a mature animal no matter if he is a 3x3 or 5x5. That is a big challenge in itself, they don't get mature by being dumb and a pretty high bar I try to achieve. That said I still dream of taking a big buck so I want to be hunting where the best ones I found scouting live.

It the tag has a point restriction it changes things and I'm more likely to pack a bigger spotter to better judge racks at long distance.

 

[kidoggy]

I have the swarov 10x 50 SLC.
JUST MY OPINION BUT IF YOU PLAN on packing a spotter also,anyhow any thing bigger is overkill.

just my opinion ,no more ,no less.

 

[mcseal2]

That's similar to the set-up I use hunting a lot of the time. Spotter and Leica 10x42's. Works darn good, I'm not arguing with you. Sometimes though if I'm going to be spending a lot of time looking a long way the 15x binos off the tripod give me way less eyestrain than a spotter. The 10x off the tripod are very good too, just not quite what the 15's are. The spotter is great for evaluating game I already spotted but I like to avoid using it to spot game if I can.

Scouting when the deer are in velvet and more visible I'll be where I can see further than I usually am during a high pressure October rifle season. During gun season I spend more time looking at pockets in timber, smaller secluded cuts or canyons, not just big open areas where the 15x really work. Hopefully by season I have an idea where a big buck lives and I'm trying to just watch his area hoping to see him make a mistake. Watching less country than scouting.

The plan for the scouting trip, and maybe for some more hunts in the future is for the guy I'm going with to pack his 8x42's and his Swaro STS80 spotter. He is color blind and good at spotting movement but not at picking game out if it's hidden. When we are sitting together I can hopefully find more game with the 15x binos off the tripod and then we can use his spotter to zoom it in. I'll probably pack a spotter too for when we split up morning and night to look over more area. During the rest of the day we will be learning country as much as looking for deer, probably driving a lot the first day at least just learning the access and overall terrain. Once we get a better idea of the big picture we'll head in to the spots that show the most promise to get a better look.

 

[Mark]

FHF gear has a great bio harness set up. Definitely worth a look.

 

[mcseal2]

FHF gear has a great bio harness set up. Definitely worth a look.

I actually ordered that one a little while ago. Thanks!

 

[Tim McCoy]

Two eyes are better than one... I too see more game with my 15x bino's than my spotting scope. Can glass longer & easier too. I'm not an inch counter, so other than the weight, I usually prefer my big eyes over the higher powered cyclops out to moderate range. If it's waaaaaay out there, the higher powered spotting scope wins. I always ask myself, if one eye was better, wouldn't predators have just one huge eye?

I say bring a Sherpa and all your glass. My Sherpas are 32 and 21 year old sons...

 

[mcseal2]

I need some Sherpa's! My nephews aren't old enough yet and my daughter is younger. I have a feeling though that once they get a little older and I start getting them points I'll be the Sherpa for them as they draw better tags than I will once they get old enough. I like to hunt I'm not good at building points for myself.

 

[mcseal2]

I packed the 15x in the new harness yesterday on a conditioning hike. They felt fine there, didn't bother me at all. I normally pack Leica Geovid HD-B binos that are on the big side anyway, so it's not like I was used to packing 8x32 binos in a harness.

 

[mcseal2]

I used the 15x Swaros in the harness much of the time on a 4 day scouting trip I just returned from. It packed fine and I still like the set-up. I sometimes carried my 10x Leicas in the same harness since the Geovid HD binos are on the large size too. It worked well either way.