Lockdown X binocular harness - S4 Gear

A review of the Lockdown X binocular harness from S4 Gear

I have used an S4 Gear Lockdown binocular harness (or, as they rather grandly call it, ‘deployment system’) for several years and it is an impressive and useful bit of equipment. It makes wearing an optic for a long day comfortable and keeps it close to your chest when crawling, climbing or even running. I noticed last year that the professional guides at West Highland Hunting are also fans.

The Lockdown X is a new and improved version. The key difference at first glance is the wider back strap that is even more comfortable so even if you have a chunky, weighty optic (such as a rangefinding binocular) you won’t be feeling the strain.

Unclip the low-profile ‘mouldable’ cover and you can glass ‘tension free’ for totally natural viewing. Then you simply slip the covers back over the binos and use the elasticated cord to clip them down to protect from the weather and the environment. The length of the chest straps, the cover cord and the connectors can all be easily adjusted for your preferences.

Things that I still think could be tweaked are the chest straps. These work loose quite easily and although simple to cinch tight I can’t help but wonder how long the elasticity will survive. My old Lockdown is still going strong but the chest straps need less regular adjustment. The metal hook is quite sharp and a rounded ‘tow-hitch’ end might be nicer and less likely to snag on clothing or gloves. Finally, I think the sizing could be slightly more generous. I used it with a set of Hawke Sapphire ED 8x43s – not a huge optic – and it was quite snug. If you like a larger 50mm or 56mm bino, it might not fit the Lockdown X so check the dimensions guide on the website.

But in truth, this is a well thought-out and practical item and subtly improves something that was already effective. If you do a lot of active stalking and crawling about, or just like your binos kept out of the way when not in use, why not give the Lockdown a try?

Available from Digital Wild Cams, the camo version as tested here is £58.95 plus P&P and there is a non-camo version also available.

RRP: £58.95

www.digitalwildcams.co.uk