– Advertorial
Carrying optics with the KEYHOLE ® Camera and Binocular Harness System means I don’t have to tackle the ‘must have’ and the ‘want’ dilemma when filling my backpack.
The Problem:
Carrying an SLR camera or binoculars is a hassle. The added weight, the un-ending swinging, and the fear of damage is daunting for a day trip, let alone any type of backpack trip. After a few hours on the trail, either my arm is tired from holding my optics, my neck is tired from the optics weight, I’m tired of the optics swinging when I don’t hold them, or all three. I want to put my optics inside my pack even though I know it will be a hassle to dig them back out. When I carry either my camera or waterproof 10×42 binoculars around my neck, not only am I miserable and fatigued, but I do things that I really shouldn’t. I scramble up a bouldered hillside with only one hand free while the other hand is holding the optics. I cross a swift flowing creek with my optics swinging, causing me to be unsteady and unfocused.
If I pack my camera or binoculars in my pack, I take far fewer photos and make far fewer observationswith only my naked eye. Digging my optics back out of my pack is neither quick nor efficient. I also riskmissing a shot of a moose running across the trail right in front of me or not spotting the warbler as he flits further and further, high above in the canopy.
Simply put, it would be easier to just leave my camera or binoculars behind and eliminate the hassle.But on trails where I might hike beside high alpine wildflowers, bringing my camera is a ‘must have’.And on trails where mountain goats may be spotted high above on a steep cliff, bringing my binoculars is a ‘must have’. Depending on my destination, each type of optics has its individual purpose that I’m not willing to give up and so I ‘must have’ one or the other along.
The Solution:
Carrying my optics with easy access, reduced neck strain, no optics swing, and optics protection is my ideal scenario. At Backcountry Solutions, we have devised the KEYHOLE ® Camera and Binocular Harness System to solve all of these problems and more.
The KEYHOLE ® System is comprised of:
(1) A set of specially designed shoulder straps which distributes the camera or binocular weight across the shoulders and can be worn under a backpack or alone. These shoulder straps eliminate the need to wear a bulky optics neck strap.
(2) A unique harness, attached to the shoulder straps
(3) A specifically designed tripod compatible knob (for camera) or bracket assembly (for binoculars) which screws into the optics tripod mount hole.
How the KEYHOLE ® System works:
The knob/bracket assembly (fixed to the optics) engages into the harness cut-out. This secures the camera or binoculars to your body and safely points the lens down rather than outward. The weight of the camera or binoculars rests within the harness, which further reduces the weight from your neck and prevents the optics from swinging. A tether strap is attached to the harness and fastens to the camera lens cap to prevent lens creep and is also a lens cap keeper. To use the camera or binoculars, simply lift up on the device body and disengage the knob or bracket assembly from the harness cut-out.
Advantages:
The KEYHOLE ® System provides easy access, comfort, and optics protection. This ‘one-size- fits-most’ accessory is easy to custom fit with the various adjustment straps and has quick disconnect buckles that allow for easy on/off.
The shoulder straps are not bulky and can be worn under existing backpack/day-pack straps. If a pack has 1” webbing running the length of the shoulder straps, the harness may be transferred directly to it.
When using the KEYHOLE ® System, I am no longer miserable, fatigued, and have my hands free to use a walking stick, scramble up rocks, or maintain my balance. And my optics are always at my finger-tips, readily accessible. Carrying my optics while backpacking is no longer a hassle. I even carry them easily when traveling, where busy streets and crowds previously left my camera and binoculars vulnerable to damage.
Customer Feedback:
Users of the KEYHOLE ® System have reported that their cameras and binoculars are more accessible, easier to manage, and enjoyable to carry, thus allowing them more opportunities to view and photograph things they might otherwise have missed.
Technical Details:
MSRP – $80
Weight – 10 ounces
Color – Black or Red
Made in the U.S.A.
Contact:
Please visit our website and contact us for more information at backcountrysolutions.com
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