Gear Review: Pnuma Outdoors Bino + Tech Harness

I didn’t go looking for the Pnuma Bino Tech Harness, but I’m glad I found it.

Having previously given up on the entire binocular harness concept, I passed over the Pnuma Bino Harness when I saw it in the store. I was shopping for a rain jacket. I had a plains game safari coming up, and the weather report said it was likely to rain every day I was there.  I was looking for a rain jacket that could stand up to the South African brush and would be quieter than the North Face jacket I’d been using for years.

Remembering the Pnuma Waypoint Jacket I had borrowed from a friend earlier in the year, I checked out the Pnuma 3 Element Rain Proof Jacket.  It was very well made, and whisper quiet (review pending). Finding two pieces of gear that I already liked, and noting the relatively low price tag, I took another look at the Bino Tech Harness.

The need for something like the Pnuma Bino Tech Harness was already pretty obvious to me. Hunt after hunt, I’ve found my binoculars either getting hung on brush while they were hanging from my neck, or slapping up and down on my chest as I moved.  I eventually made the habit of cross slinging my binoculars under my arm.  That was not a good solution.

Pretty much every hunter has the same experience, which is why there are so many solutions on the market.  They all have their benefits and drawbacks.

The least obtrusive design is simply a strap set that holds the binoculars tight to the chest, but has enough elastic to allow the binoculars to be brought to the face.  I tried this solution, but ended up having to send my Vortex binoculars back for repair after dirt and grit had frozen the eye cups and made the focus dial gritty.  The binoculars also repeatedly got caught on the strap of my rifle, flipping and twisting them on my chest.

On the opposite end of the size spectrum were the large harnesses that are very popular with western hunters.  These protect the optics well, but look and feel like you’re carrying a toddler on your stalk.  It’s just too much.

Pnuma has managed to come away with a goldilocks option.  The Pnuma Bino Tech harness is small and light enough to forget about and still protect the optics from the elements.

Part of the reason why the Bino Tech Harness works is it’s modularity.  If you want to strip it down, leave it alone and roll with just the bare harness.  You’ve got a solution that fits tight and almost as flat as your optic, and weighs all of about 12oz.  I ran the Bino Tech Harness as it came, with the included rangefinder pouch attached.  Now the Bino-Tech Harness is up to a glass of water in weight.

That rangefinder pouch slips on either side of the binos with molle webbing.  It’s fully micro-fleece lined and includes a silent strap secure closure.  The rangefinder pouch has a bungee attachment included to keep the rangefinder (or whatever else) attached to the harness.  At one point in my plains game safari, I was ranging an animal and then had to shoot it quickly.  I simply dropped the rangefinder, shot, and reeled it in as I ran.  Without that bungee, my excitement would likely have lost a pricey Leupold rangefinder to the tall grass.

If you needed even more space, you could add another pouch to the other side. And if, for some reason, you needed to add even more, the bottom of the bino pouch includes a sturdy Hypalon molle strip.  That would be a good spot for a small first aid kit.

Even if you just stripped it bare, there’s still pockets on either side of the bino pouch on the harness.  A small cleaning cloth was included in one of my pouches, and for my hunting trip that’s where I also stored my ear plugs. During range days it’s where I put my Kestrel a well.  The other side housed spare .375 H&H Magnum rounds for my Ruger No1.

The folks at Pnuma are hardcore bow hunters, and keeping every bit of the gear quiet is a high priority. The interior of the harness is fully microfleece lined.  There’s no exposed metal or plastic to rub anywhere on the optics.  That’s great for protecting the optics themselves, but also helpful as you withdraw the optics, as the fleece keeps any metal or plastic-on-fabric from making that tell-tale “zip” sound as it moves across the Cordura.

The sound proof priorities carry on throughout the Bino Tech Harness.  The bino pouch has a magnetic closure.  That’s helpful for the constant in-and-out of the binoculars you may need on some hunts.  The difference between other magnetic closures I’ve seen is that Pnuma has padded each side of the magnets, eliminating the common “snap” sound of magnets that carries so well through the quiet woods.

The rangefinder pouch opens and closes with a thin bungee strap. The grip is large and curved, good for cold, wet hands.  It also opens toward the wearer, not to the outside. That means the closure doesn’t get caught on branches and briars, reducing noise and further protecting the gear.

The back of the binoculars pouch includes a flat zippered pouch as well.  This is perfect for range cards, small maps, and instructions for electronics.

The exterior of the Bino Tech Harness is Cordura 560D.  Even this has a PU waterproofing that further protects the optics form the elements, but also smooths out the material, keeping it quiet against the brush.

The straps on the harness are wide enough not to dig into the body, and feature protected mini-sleeves where they attach to the harness.  This not only keeps them from inadvertently releasing, but means that there are no hard surfaces to rub or chafe during long days in the field. All of the straps sit tightly but stretch with the body, and there are no lose ends flapping around.

The harness holds its structure when empty.  It will crush down if you press it, taking up little space in luggage.  It springs right back to shape.

Like the Hog Saddle and tripod, the Bino Tech Harness is one of those few pieces of gear I was hesitant to use, and now I pick up every time I hunt or shoot. Every bit of the Pnuma Bino Tech Harness was well thought out.  I started using it barely two months ago, but after wearing it constantly for 10 days while hunting, it’s just where I keep my binos, ear plugs, and range finder now.  Every day when I go to the range, I’m grabbing it, since it carries the things I’m constantly using, and right there on me.

SPECIFICATIONS: Pnuma Outdoors Bino Tech Harness

CORDURA® 560D Tactical Nylon with PU waterproof coating
Structured bino compartment with plush padding and soft micro fleece lining
Silent magnetic lid closure(2)
Adjustable Bino Lanyard Straps with quick release buckles(2)
Exterior stretch fabric side pockets for wind indicator and other small accessories (not included)
Included Lens Cloth attaches inside either side pocket on an elastic lanyard
Bino case sits 7″ to 7.5″ deep(2)
Foam spacers included for shorter binoculars
Torso straps are heavy woven elastic to allow some flex as you move.
Included Range Finder Pouch
Included Rangefinder elastic tether with swivel clip
Silent magnetic lid flap closure
Lanyard attachment loops on either side
Soft micro fleece lining
Weight: 16 ounces
Regular price: $100.00

Rating (out of five stars):

Overall * * * * *
Pnuma’s touts the robust field trials and hunter driven product development that goes into their gear. With the Bino Tech Harness, it shows. Pnuma has hit the sweet spot on a solution so many other companies have missed. The Pnuma Bino Tech Harness holds everything right where it should be, quietly, and does so with a minimal footprint and at a reasonable price.