Ever wanted to cry?

Joined
Jul 1, 2015
Messages
374
Location
Northern Utah
Well it finally happened; I became one of the guys who destroyed his binos. I pulled my Swaro EL's out of my ACG harness and tripped while holding them. They came out of my hands and proceeded to roll and bounce down a rock filled hill side. It took 20 minutes to find them at the bottom of the hill and both ocular lenses had taken direct hits from rocks and were cracked. Surprisingly, the alignment of the lenses was maintained and even though the FOV is extremely compromised in the right barrel they still worked well enough to hunt with the next day. I attached a picture of the path the binos took and then a picture of the damage. Hopefully the repairs aren't too costly and I can get them back relatively quickly.

IMG_5860.jpg

IMG_5832.jpg
 

Stid2677

WKR
Joined
Sep 13, 2012
Messages
2,349
Holy crap!!! I sewed a light weight neck strap for my EL range's and as safety I unclip one of the top straps and run the bino strap through it. That acts as a dummy cord and keeps me from dropping them or leaving them lay. Sorry, and I hope you can get them repaired.
 
OP
Browninglover1
Joined
Jul 1, 2015
Messages
374
Location
Northern Utah
Holy crap!!! I sewed a light weight neck strap for my EL range's and as safety I unclip one of the top straps and run the bino strap through it. That acts as a dummy cord and keeps me from dropping them or leaving them lay. Sorry, and I hope you can get them repaired.

I've always hated using a tether but watching my binos catch 5-10 feet of air before smashing into rocks and continuing on down the hill has me reevaluating that hatred.
 
Joined
Sep 12, 2015
Messages
437
Location
New Mexico
Ouch! I've used binocs with a neck strap for nearly 30 years. I've considered getting a chest rig but the likelihood that I'd forget and do something like that is just too high for me to want to try it.
 

AlaskaEd

WKR
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
304
Location
North Pole
Ouch! I've used binocs with a neck strap for nearly 30 years. I've considered getting a chest rig but the likelihood that I'd forget and do something like that is just too high for me to want to try it.

Most chest rigs come with, or can easily be adapted for, retention straps.

With that said, I do not have them on my AGC, but I will have them next year.
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
7,407
Location
S. UTAH
Yesterday I forgot to close my AGC and bent over. My Meoptas fell out and landed perfectly barrels down on the gravel we have here for dirt in Utah. Yep, they are scratched. Not as bad or as expensive as yours but I was not happy.
 

dble07

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 19, 2014
Messages
167
Location
NW North Dakota
Oh man, that sucks. I just tied a piece of Paracord around the tether bosses and then just put it over my head. Basically ends up being just like a neck strap just much lighter. It has saved my bacon several times after I've bent over to pick something up without having the lid to my harness buckled. It even saved my binos and tripod from rolling down the hill once since it's still around my neck with the binos on the tripod.

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colonel00

WKR
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
4,776
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Lost
For my binos in my AGC pouch, I just have a length of shock cord that I also wear around my neck. It's longer than needed when the binos are in the pouch but it's there for these situations.
 

dotman

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Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
8,201
The main thing I don't really care for on something like this is the binos are then tethered to the pouch at all times. Not the biggest problem in the world but it's nice to not have them attached to something else. Just one more thing to "disconnect" should the need arise.

Only time I need to disconnect them is when putting on a tripod or this
 
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colonel00

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Jun 19, 2013
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Only time I need to disconnect them is when putting on a tripod.

True. But in that instance, if you then needed to head off after an animal, you'd have to spend time reconnecting them and running the straps or whatever. I guess if there were some sort of quick disconnect involved it would be more appealing but it's all what works for each person. In the cold and wet, I just wouldn't want to have to mess with running the straps to disconnect/reconnect the tether to the binos/harness.
 

William Hanson (live2hunt)

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
4,861
Location
Missouri
True. But in that instance, if you then needed to head off after an animal, you'd have to spend time reconnecting them and running the straps or whatever. I guess if there were some sort of quick disconnect involved it would be more appealing but it's all what works for each person. In the cold and wet, I just wouldn't want to have to mess with running the straps to disconnect/reconnect the tether to the binos/harness.
They have 2 small sr buckles to disconnect/connect quickly. This system isn't perfect but I've never been hard pressed for something different.

Live2hunt custom shelters
 

colonel00

WKR
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
4,776
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Lost
Doh! Just looked closer and see the buckles on the straps. I didn't notice them before. That does make it a little better for sure.

I'll have to check that out sometime if I ever make it home... :D
 
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
489
And that's why I only run FHF harnesses. Had a lesser brand years ago and my Leupold Gold ring HD binos did the exact same as yours. Summersaults through a rock filed. Luckily though mine didn't break the glass! My Swaros never leave the fhf now unless I'm
I'm the truck!


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Broomd

WKR
Joined
Sep 29, 2014
Messages
4,210
Location
North Idaho
Yep, always tether the glass. And if you use a standard-type bino harness always loop a small safety zip tie at attachment points. Learned that 20 years ago the hard way.
 

Ross

Super Moderator
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Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
4,674
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Liberty Lake, WA
This is the reason I have my expensive glass itemized on my home policy. No deductible and inexpensive to do. As an FYI a normal home policy would likely not cover this plus may be below deductible. Just something to consider for our expensive gear that takes a beating👍
 

Beendare

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Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,247
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Corripe cervisiam
About 20 years ago my Co buddy Kirk did that with his SLC's. We were laying on a steep hillside glassing periodically and he had reomved the strap from around his neck. He was laying there half snoozing with them just resting on his chest....and when he sat up quickly the binos cartwheeled down the hill about 400 yds.....took us awhile to find them too.

Swaro warranty fixed them good as new...can't remember if they charged him or not.....now its like $160.
 
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