Alaska Guide Creations new bino pack Ravus

[ChrisAU]

How did these end up comparing? Im looking at them both currently

Both are well made, but the SG didn't have enough "structure" to it for me, I constantly take my binos in and out and the Marsupial is just easier for that. Replacing the buckles on the Marsupial with their buckle delete kits and a G-hook got it down to 11.8 oz too.

 

[Timberdonkey_059]

Both are well made, but the SG didn't have enough "structure" to it for me, I constantly take my binos in and out and the Marsupial is just easier for that. Replacing the buckles on the Marsupial with their buckle delete kits and a G-hook got it down to 11.8 oz too.

Awesome, im really thinking the marsupial no-mag is going to be my best bet

 

[Formidilosus]

Hi Form,

Do you know anyone who's tried the one from Red Kettle (same folks who make the Ventile jacket you've recommended):

Or thoughts on that as a design? (I'm a bit dubious about the sides being open ...)

The design doesn’t work for what I and those I’m around require. The open design and structure is a complete no go.

For that matter, the subject of this thread; a buddy has been using the Ravus for the last few weeks. Besides the issues I’ve mentioned, when belly crawling on a stalk, the Ravus has an annoying habit of opening itself. This time it was snow that filled the pouch and made both the binos and the RF useless trying to setup up in elk.

 

[Crow]

So I literally joined this forum just to chime in here, haha. I did a lot of research on the Ravus before buying, and this thread kept popping up, so I thought I'd add my .02. Yeah, the lid is annoying with the magnet closure over the thick bino tethers. I'm worried about it opening on me when crawling around or if I pick up the harness upside down. And the pouch flops a bit when attached to the molle webbing, especially when worn on the front of the harness.

BUT, I found a solution to all of these issues using one single fix. I'll upload photos...

I just got a length of 1/8" shock cord and put a knot in one end. Then I slid it through the slot in one of the buckles that attaches the harness to the top rear of the bino bucket. I pulled it over the top of the lid and slid it between the zipper pouch and the molle, just under the strap that holds the pouch to the molle. Then I returned it over the lid again and secured it to the other buckle in the same manner (using a knot behind the slot in the buckle). I messed with the tension until I got it so that the lid holds securely even when turned upside down, but the shock cord can quickly be pulled off the sides of the lid to allow it to open normally. The shock cord then lays flat on the sides of the bino bucket until it's time to secure the lid again, at which point it can be lifted up and over the lid. Since I don't have an issue with the lid when hiking or sitting around glassing, the extra security is really only for when the harness is getting tossed in the truck or when I'm crawling / climbing around in heavy brush or boulders. The shock cord method basically allows you to secure the lid when you really need to, but otherwise it's out of the way.

Yeah, it's easiest to replace the shock cord with two hands, which is hard when you have a bow in one of them. But I find that when I'm like "ok, time to stage gear for the morning" or "ok, time to climb that boulder and then crawl under that chaparral" I also have time to set down whatever is in my hands and secure my binos. Otherwise, I'm letting the magnet do the work.

The other benefit to this fix is that the shock cord adds support to the Ravus pouch, since it adds a bit of lift behind the molle strap. This keeps the pouch from flopping quite nicely, and was a bonus that I didn't see coming until after I rigged it all up. If you don't run the pouch, you can still secure the shock cord to the molle with an ITW Web Dominator or similar.

I hope this solution helps anyone who is worried about extra security with the Ravus, and I hope AGC addresses this issue at some point... I love everything else about the harness though... more dust/debris- proof than my FHF and a significant upgrade from the Vortex Glasspak that my binos came with.

 

[Heath423]

So I literally joined this forum just to chime in here, haha. I did a lot of research on the Ravus before buying, and this thread kept popping up, so I thought I'd add my .02. Yeah, the lid is annoying with the magnet closure over the thick bino tethers. I'm worried about it opening on me when crawling around or if I pick up the harness upside down. And the pouch flops a bit when attached to the molle webbing, especially when worn on the front of the harness.

I'll keep your suggestion in mind as I await my Ravus to be delivered. This thread I did not come across before ordering the Ravus. I may send them back and try something else as the thought of modifying it immediately means I will always be looking for something better.
Thanks for all the reviews

 

[sndmn11]

Mine is doing just fine. I have maven b1.2 on top of a battery power bank and have not had any inadvertent openings. I also don't have an issue closing it over the tethers.

When I ordered mine I did so without the harness. I use another mfgs harness that I think fora very well. As @TheViking and @Ucsdryder can attest to, I have a whole backpack's worth of stuff in my bino harness.

 

[Heath423]

Mine is doing just fine. I have maven b1.2 on top of a battery power bank and have not had any inadvertent openings. I also don't have an issue closing it over the tethers.

When I ordered mine I did so without the harness. I use another mfgs harness that I think fora very well. As @TheViking and @Ucsdryder can attest to, I have a whole backpack's worth of stuff in my bino harness.

Which harness are you using with it?

 

[sndmn11]

Which harness are you using with it?

"Padded" marsupial. I have no idea if AGC's Ravis harness would have worked.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Mine is doing just fine. I have maven b1.2 on top of a battery power bank and have not had any inadvertent openings. I also don't have an issue closing it over the tethers.

When I ordered mine I did so without the harness. I use another mfgs harness that I think fora very well. As @TheViking and @Ucsdryder can attest to, I have a whole backpack's worth of stuff in my bino harness.

@sndmn11 manages to carry an impressive amount of stuff…

 

[Crow]

Well, I put a lot of miles on the Ravus over the past couple weeks and it's doing great... I get why guys might not want to mod it right away but I gotta say that I don't even think about the shock cord fix being non-standard any more... muscle memory at this point. Lots of brush crawling and intense heat conditions this week and it's holding up and staying comfortable.

 

[aaron600rr]

So I literally joined this forum just to chime in here, haha. I did a lot of research on the Ravus before buying, and this thread kept popping up, so I thought I'd add my .02. Yeah, the lid is annoying with the magnet closure over the thick bino tethers. I'm worried about it opening on me when crawling around or if I pick up the harness upside down. And the pouch flops a bit when attached to the molle webbing, especially when worn on the front of the harness.

BUT, I found a solution to all of these issues using one single fix. I'll upload photos...

I just got a length of 1/8" shock cord and put a knot in one end. Then I slid it through the slot in one of the buckles that attaches the harness to the top rear of the bino bucket. I pulled it over the top of the lid and slid it between the zipper pouch and the molle, just under the strap that holds the pouch to the molle. Then I returned it over the lid again and secured it to the other buckle in the same manner (using a knot behind the slot in the buckle). I messed with the tension until I got it so that the lid holds securely even when turned upside down, but the shock cord can quickly be pulled off the sides of the lid to allow it to open normally. The shock cord then lays flat on the sides of the bino bucket until it's time to secure the lid again, at which point it can be lifted up and over the lid. Since I don't have an issue with the lid when hiking or sitting around glassing, the extra security is really only for when the harness is getting tossed in the truck or when I'm crawling / climbing around in heavy brush or boulders. The shock cord method basically allows you to secure the lid when you really need to, but otherwise it's out of the way.

Yeah, it's easiest to replace the shock cord with two hands, which is hard when you have a bow in one of them. But I find that when I'm like "ok, time to stage gear for the morning" or "ok, time to climb that boulder and then crawl under that chaparral" I also have time to set down whatever is in my hands and secure my binos. Otherwise, I'm letting the magnet do the work.

The other benefit to this fix is that the shock cord adds support to the Ravus pouch, since it adds a bit of lift behind the molle strap. This keeps the pouch from flopping quite nicely, and was a bonus that I didn't see coming until after I rigged it all up. If you don't run the pouch, you can still secure the shock cord to the molle with an ITW Web Dominator or similar.

I hope this solution helps anyone who is worried about extra security with the Ravus, and I hope AGC addresses this issue at some point... I love everything else about the harness though... more dust/debris- proof than my FHF and a significant upgrade from the Vortex Glasspak that my binos came with.

Genius! Thanks for this tip!

 

[ResearchinStuff]

The design doesn’t work for what I and those I’m around require. The open design and structure is a complete no go.

For that matter, the subject of this thread; a buddy has been using the Ravus for the last few weeks. Besides the issues I’ve mentioned, when belly crawling on a stalk, the Ravus has an annoying habit of opening itself. This time it was snow that filled the pouch and made both the binos and the RF useless trying to setup up in elk.

Resurrecting an old one. Has anything come out in the past 2 years that supplants the Sitka bino harness for your top choice?

 

[Formidilosus]

Resurrecting an old one. Has anything come out in the past 2 years that supplants the Sitka bino harness for your top choice?

In general no, however SG has a modified one that I am using now that is probably my choice.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

In general no, however SG has a modified one that I am using now that is probably my choice.

modified, as in a prototype not currently available to the general public on their website?

 

[Formidilosus]

modified, as in a prototype not currently available to the general public on their website?

Correct.

 

[atmat]

Correct.

Can you share anything about it? Including possible release timeframe?

 

[Formidilosus]

Can you share anything about it? Including possible release timeframe?

I can not.