Early archery is fast approaching and already underway in several states, which means it’s time for the procrastinators among us to start dialing in their essential pieces of hunting gear. One thing you shouldn’t head into the deer or elk woods without is a quality bino harness.
During the off season, I’ve been testing Sitka’s newly released Flash Optics Harness, and I’ve found it to be a considerable upgrade over bino packs I’ve used during previous seasons. I like how easily this pack slips over the shoulders, and how quick it is to take on and off (thanks to Sitka’s innovative new “slide-and-latch” quick release clipping system).
It has a breathable back panel that wears more like a vest than a set of shoulder straps. And the design is less bulky than other models—not to mention quieter and more lightweight. Here’s my full review of the pack after using it for two months of summer hiking trips and pre-season scouting.
Flash Optics Harness—Key Features and Takeaways
For me, the stand-out feature on the Flash Optics bino harness is a set of quick-release clips that make the bino portion of the pack fully removable. These elongated plastic clips sit on both sides of the harness and easily slide up and off with minimal movement and noise.
The “slide-and-latch” system is the first of its kind that I’ve seen, and according to Sitka, the technology is still under patent. I found it particularly handy anytime I need to quickly remove the front-facing bulk of the pack, like for posting up to glass on a steep hillside vantage point or for readjusting my gear after a few hours in the woods. I can see where this feature would come in handy for saddle hunters too, who often needs to remove the bino packs quickly and quietly before embarking on a precarious climb.
For the most part, I’ve been running this pack with the lid open and the binos tethered to a quick-release strap that can attach to clips on either the left or right side. The lid stays out of the way thanks to magnets inside that keep it folded back flat against the chest. This "magnetic hood", as Sitka calls it, is another nifty feature I’ve not seen on other bino packs.
I’ve been using Sig Sauer’s Zulu 6 image stabilizing binos this year, and the Flash Optics harness accommodates them fairly well. If had my choice, though, I’d make the bino compartment an inch or two deeper, as the lid doesn’t completely enclose over the longer-than-normal Zulu 6’s, and I have to strain the elastic clip a bit more than I’d like when closing it.
The Flash Optics harness isn’t just for keeping binos secure and at the ready. A small pack to the right of the bino compartment holds my Maven RF.1 rangefinder as well. Like the bino compartment, the rangefinder pouch sports a magnetic top lid, and Sitka threw in a small quick-release bungee cord that can keep your range finder tethered at all times.
The coiled bungee stretches enough that I’ve never felt the need to untether my RF.1 from the pack while using it. This is another key feature for me since I recently lost a rangefinder that was awkwardly clipped into a bino harness that wasn’t designed to hold it.
The pack is designed to hold some non-optic items as well. The underside of the bino portion has an attachment point for Sitka's insulated hand muff, and heavy-duty webbing on either side make convenient spots for a can of bear spray in a holster.
These days, I need a bino pack that can hold a smart phone and keep it easily accessible at all times, which makes checking property lines, waypoints, and terrain features on onX quick and easy. The Flash Optics Harness delivers in that department too, with both a zippered and a mesh pocket on the back side of the pack where it meets your chest. I've found that a larger iPhone fits better in the mesh pocket, and sliding the bulky phone in and out as needed is relatively painless. The pack also has a stretchy mesh side pocket that's perfect for stowing away a bottle of wind checker.
Final Thoughts on Sitka's Flash Optics Bino Harness
This pack has elevated my early-season archery kit, and it's keeping me more organized in the field. It allows me to keep a handful of my most heavily-used items at the ready in a moment's notice. And it keeps the expensive stuff (read rangefinder and binos) safe and secure.
My biggest issue was the bino compartment itself, which is a tad small for the Sig Sauer Zulu 6 image stabilizing binoculars I've been using. In all fairness, though, these binos are longer than most standard 10X and 8X models—which is what the folks at Sitka had in mind when they designed the Flash Optics Harness.
Overall, this is a durable, high-quality harness that would make a solid addition to any big game hunter's kit. The streamlined and lightweight design caters to hunters who log lots of miles, but it seems tailor made for treestand or saddle hunters who value stealth over all—and might need to take the pack on or off while wearing a safety harness high up in a tree.
