Rather than transferring weight to your shoulders and chest, a good binocular harness should redistribute weight from your neck to your torso. You want your glasses to be right up against you, stable, and easily accessible while allowing room for your pack, rifle sling, or other optics.

Start with the carrying problem, not the product label

Most comfort issues with binoculars carrying are caused by suspended weight, movement of the binoculars and the strain of wearing them for long periods of time. A neck strap is designed to carry the weight of the binoculars but it is not designed to be worn for long periods of time. Habitat and using binoculars for long periods of time can create discomfort and put pressure on the neck and upper back.

On the other hand, no hunter is the same and what may fit compact binoculars for occasional use will not fit larger hunting binoculars, a chest-mounted case or a hunting glass carrying system that is also part of a larger pack. What causes discomfort? The weight of the glasses? Their movement? Lack of access? Discomfort due to clothing? The way the glasses sit when you are down on your knees?

Don't mistake a new harness for a panacea. In addition to distributing weight better than a neck strap, the harness must also be able to carry a heavy and/or unbalanced binocular with or without a protective case that is too stiff. The straps themselves can be changed, but the frame, which bears most of the load, typically cannot.

Covered Chest Harnesses

These lightweight harnesses, designed to keep your binoculars right up against your body, are simple to use and offer the wearer great freedom of movement while in the field. So long as the shoulder straps of your daypack do not sit on top of the harness webbing, these can be very simply teamed up with a daypack for longer walks.

For carrying in covered chest systems, cases should also provide protection from dust, brush and weather. A good case should create a dedicated pocket for your binoculars, to protect them from buttons, zippers, or plant material. Note that cases can be quite deep and force the binoculars to protrude from the harness, which can make for an uncomfortable load.

For a mixed use of activity (hunting, nature watching etc) look at the access to the binoculars rather than just looking at a pretty harness. Can you open the case with one hand? Does the lid clear your eyecups? Are you able to return the binoculars to the case without looking down. Remember small amounts of time lost can become very annoying when your time in the field is spent observing.

Fit the straps so the load stays centered

For comfort of wear start off with the binoculars in the case without any accessories, then try on the harness while wearing all the usual layers that you wear while hunting. Distribute the weight of the harness to rest on the upper part of the shoulders. Set up the rear connection to sit on your back between your shoulders.

Next, how will your binoculars sit on your body? Will they be close enough to you to stop them swinging around whilst walking but not so high up that when you do lift them up your shoulders will also go up? A loose lower connection can cause your binoculars to bounce about when walking. An overly tight connection can cause straps to cross over in front of your chest, restricting arm movement.

Test your new harness in various positions (standing up and down, sitting, kneeling, climbing up and down) to see if the harness shifts about. Make adjustments to the individual straps one at a time to achieve a good fit. Resist the temptation to just tighten up all the straps equally as this will often result in a very rigid fit that will feel dreadful to wear for long periods of time.

Match the harness to packs, slings, and layers

So take a close look at what other straps are going to cross over your equipment. We find often enough that a pack's shoulder straps are crossed over by the glassing harness and in such a way that they can be very uncomfortable. This can be a problem with a rifle sling, a camera strap or even with bulky outer layers such as heavy fleece jackets. Try on the complete glassing setup before heading out to test for any such problems.

Don't rely solely on added padding to relieve pressure caused by webbing crossing over. Rather, reroute the straps to sit better, or opt for a different back style for the harness in question.

Note also that clothing worn for very cold weather should be checked for fit over the top of the shirt being worn for glasses carrying. Some extra room for garments such as fleeces or down-filled insulated layers is desirable but excessive slack allows the glasses to move about on the wearer's chest and results in the wearer having to adapt their neck and shoulders to try to compensate for this.

Watch for the common comfort mistakes

Most problems with a binocular harness are caused by wearing the binoculars too low or even higher than is comfortable and then tying down the harness so tightly that there is no room for your shoulders to slump forward.

Keep small items such as rangefinders, calls, lens cleaning cloths, spare batteries and small pouches of accessories off the harness and place them in pockets and other areas of your pack where they can be accessed as needed. This will keep the front of the system centered on your chest.

Your glasses are also important. The way you use your glasses (with their eyecups etc.) to look at birds, and the grips etc. on the focus etc. controls can all cause up unnatural holding postures. Check that your glasses have been set up to your eyes before choosing a harness.

Wait a bit and test it whilst walking. Don't test comfort for just a few minutes standing still, also test it when you are bending or sitting, or when you raise up your binoculars. That way all parts of your wearing system are put to the test.

Build a quieter, faster glassing setup

Once the essential elements are correctly fitted, practice raising and lowering the binoculars as you would in the field. Test all different aspects of movement, including being able to put the binoculars up to your eyes and lower them down again without any part of the case getting caught on other items. After you have raised the binoculars, they should return to the same position every time.

A tether or retention can be used to keep the binoculars secure when out of a case. The connection to the harness should allow for sufficient freedom of use when the binoculars are in use but not so long that it can get caught up in other gear. Similarly, lens protection such as caps or covers need to be easily put on and taken off. If a protector is too difficult to remove then it will be left open.

Note signs of discomfort during use and after as well. Can you experience tingling, continued pain or restricted breathing while wearing your glassing? If so, stop immediately and recheck the fit. In general, comfort advice is for general use but in specific cases seek medical advice if discomfort continues after use.

Decide when a harness is worth carrying

You can think of a binoculars harness in terms of whether it will add value to your glassing and general travel on the days you go out for extended periods of time and travel to and through uneven terrain. If so, then a harness is something you should look into. But for short periods of time, very light glass, and protective pouches in packs, then no, you do not need a harness for your binoculars.

Then there's the matter of choosing the right harness in the first place. Test your glassing equipment with your existing clothing, backpack and accessories, making adjustments as necessary. Once you have this all working well, then you can start to look at other bits of equipment to add to your set-up. Ultimately, the best binoculars' comfort is obtained by getting a good balance of comfort and performance.