Front bag Harness in Africa

Miletic

Miletic

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Harness is very popular in Eu, and used a lot. In addition to the optics, of course, I pack everything is need, and I don't take it out at all. Small flashlight, spare 5 bullets, emergency medicine, fire starter, multi tools, wind checker and mosquito repellent. I haven't noticed that they use it a lot in Africa. What do you think of this piece of equipment?
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What works well for me in Africa is a day pack with all the random "might need it" stuff that I leave on the back of the LR.

On my person for stalking I have a LRF bino on a RYO harness - which is the fastest/easiest for me. Ammo pouch/slide since I'm always shooting a combo or double rifle (though I'd still carry extra for magazine rifle), Multi-tool on belt for the unanticipated emergency fix, phone or pocket camera. I always wear electronic ear plugs. I think it helps not to have too much hanging off so you can slip through the bush without getting snagged up by thorny branches. For longer I'd just have a tracker carry my day pack with some water, or if I thought I'd need some other random thing on a long stalk.

I've only been a couple of times for PG but that's how my system has evolved so far.
 
Personally, I would go through every compartment before I found what I was looking for and then remember I forgot the shit kit.
 
You don't need all that stuff. Besides my rifle and spare cartridges I have a small pouch on my belt with a pocket knife, a pen light, a compression bandage and tourniquet. Binoculars are slung across my body like the PH does. The tourniquet and bandage are because of 40 years of fire department and ems work. Stuff happens.
 
Personally, I don’t like anything strapped to the front of my chest, including a binocular chest harness. It gets in the way when belly crawling during a stalk, and also just manipulating my rifle when navigating through thick brushy terrain when I’m switching my rifle from one hand to another. I don’t want anything to impede my manual of arms. I would prefer a small daypack strapped to my back.

But it is a good way to carry a baby! :)
 
To each his own, but to me, I’d not use one on a hunt anywhere. I have a belt and pockets and I really don’t like anything in or on them either. My day pack stays on the bakkie.

If I used that rig I’d be tempted to fill every compartment and pocket. Then I’d sound like a junk truck moving through the bush.
 
IMHO, way too bulky and cumbersome. Works great for whitetail, not for Africa stalking.

Search up the Rick Young bino strap - my PH turned me on to it and it’s now my go-to for everything.

YMMV,

Good Luck.
 
I left mine at home on my last trip and just used a simple binocular harness that left them in the open.

You'll find that you don't need a dozen different pockets on a African hunt and simpler is usually better.
 
I like the harness but it's too much. I prefer a harness myself and wore mine in Africa. It was a very simple one. Front bino pouch with two little pockets, not pouches, built in on the side. If that's a modular harness, lose the two side pouches, keep the bottom if you like, being it's small.

I do not like the side sling bino straps folks seem to like for Africa. Just not my thing. I didn't like my binos slinging around to the side.

The modular harnesses are nice. You can add a rangefinder pouch, a small pouch for an IFAK, sidearm holster or bear spray holder, etc. But not for Africa.
 
Way over the top for me. It seems actually bigger than my old reserve parachute from Fort Bragg days. :rolleyes: In any non-mountainous terrain on any continent, I use either a strap with the binocular on my right hip or a very simple Rick Young chest harness. If in mountainous terrain, I use the smallest bino pouch harness I can find to protect very good glass from very destructive rocks. For the rest of what is actually needed, I have pockets. Again in mountain terrain, I often will have a small field back for layered clothing and impromptu rifle rest.
 
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Less is more

Ask what the guide and other people in the group will be carrying, and scale down your kit accordingly.

The only exception would be a small first-aid kit, to be carried by each person at all times.
 
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Nor for me personally, can’t stand those things strapped to my chest especially if chasing dangerous game.
 
Dear friends, thank you for your opinion. I agree with most of your comments. I believe that if you go hunting by car to a certain place and then go to follow some animal that lasts 1-2 hours, this kind of equipment is not needed. But, if you spend the whole day hunting somewhere in the mountains far from the car, it can easily happen that you need something from this kind of bag. Maybe you'll only need it once, but if you don't have it right then....
I probably didn't take a good picture, so this bag seems big, actually it's not big. It's easy to carry, it doesn't get in the way when quickly inserting the rifle into the shoulder, and there are no inconvenient straps over the shoulder. It is very light and strong, so a person can easily get used to this kind of bag, and then he does not go anywhere without it. It's just not good for crawling
 
Miletic said:
Harness is very popular in Eu, and used a lot. In addition to the optics, of course, I pack everything is need, and I don't take it out at all. Small flashlight, spare 5 bullets, emergency medicine, fire starter, multi tools, wind checker and mosquito repellent. I haven't noticed that they use it a lot in Africa. What do you think of this piece of equipment?View attachment 748346View attachment 748347
Click to expand...
I think it's a great piece of equipment that is out of place if dangerous game hunting.

On my 2024 Zim tuskless hunt I brought WAY to much gear with me - First Africa trip.

The least used piece of hunting gear was my 10x Binoculars, after my first stalk I left them in the truck with my pack.
 
Sorry but it would annoy the crap out of me...would get in the way big time....also more sense to me if you wanted something like that to have it behind you...
 
I really like the harness system to hold my binos, phone and rangefinder. I use a military LCE system I kept from the Army as a day pack system.
 
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