Top shelf binoculars, rangefinders, and hunting knives are useless when they’re not easily accessible. Binocular harnesses are the most common tool to carry these items where they are readily accessible. Two popular but very different harnesses are the Kodiak Cub from Alaskan Guide Creations and the Stone Glacier Sentinel.
Design Philosophy
A number of the differences between these two harnesses are due to a difference in design philosophy. The SG Sentinel is a minimalist, modular bino harness optimized for light weight. On the other hand, the AGC Kodiak Cub is more heavily constructed and has a standardized layout. The SG Sentinel is laid out for the ounce counter who wants as streamlined a system as possible, while the Kodiak Cub is optimized for durability and protection of your optics.
Layout
The Stone Glacier Sentinel has a main compartment for holding binoculars and a harness from the factory. The binocular compartment as well as the rangefinder pouch use a pull forward design using elastics to apply tension. In practice, this leads to great protection from moisture and easy one handed operation. However, when the lid is open it is easy for your binoculars or rangefinder to fall out if you move around much. Additionally, the elastics can loosen over time and need to be re-snugged periodically.
Another feature of the Sentinel is the ability to add pouches using velcro wings on either side of the binocular compartment. This lets the user decide which of the accessory pouches they want to use. Available accessories are an admin pocket, bottom pocket, rangefinder pouch, ballistic pouch, and bear spray holster.
Conversely, the AGC Kodiak Cub comes with side, front, and bottom pockets already affixed to the harness. All of the pockets apart from the main compartment are accessed using zippers. The main compartment lid opens to the back and is secured by a bungee over a hook. This system has less opportunity for items to fall out of but is not as quick to access. The main compartment on the AGC is larger and has more heavily padded walls than the Sentinel. Unfortunately, it is difficult to add more pouches to the Kodiak Cub because there are no MOLLE or velcro attachment points.
Harness
The harnesses on these two chest rigs are differ significantly. The Sentinel has a very minimalist harness while the Kodiak Cub has a larger mesh back with straps running from the mesh back to the front. To my surprise, in use I found the Sentinel harness to be more comfortable. While it didn’t have the same large mesh back as the Kodiak Cub, the Sentinel harness seemed to carry the binoculars higher up the chest and have more of the weight supported on the shoulders. Meanwhile, the Kodiak Cub hung forward and I carried more of the weight with my neck. This was particularly apparent after 8+ hours in the field wearing the AGC.
Field Use
Kodiak Cub Strengths
In the field, both harnesses have their strengths and weaknesses. The AGC Kodiak Cub had more smaller pockets and was easier to organize smaller pieces of gear to access quickly. Items such as lighters, my Havalon, wind checker, and lense cloth all had their own pouch in the Kodiak Cub. That said, I did find some of the pockets were a little bit small for larger items, such as my Razor 4000 GB rangefinder and headlamp.
Another strength of the Kodiak Cub was the added layer of protection. There was much more cushion for optics as there was padding in the walls of the Kodiak Cub, unlike in the Sentinel. A downside of the added padding was in extreme rain the padding would soak up moisture. Once saturated, this leads to the binoculars being fogged up each time they were removed from the harness.
Sentinel Strengths
On the other hand, I preferred the light weight and comfort of the Stone Glacier Sentinel. Likely due to the weight, the Sentinel sat higher on my chest and it felt like more of the weight of the system was carried on my shoulders. The Sentinel also fits closer to the chest than the Kodiak Cub, which makes prone shooting easier while wearing it.
Another strength of the Sentinel is the opening of the binocular compartment. While opening the compartment of the Kodiak Cub usually required two hands, the Sentinel was easily opened single handed. The range finder pocket was similarly easy to do single handedly, which is very useful during archery season when you’re holding a bow.
Finally, the modularity of the SG Sentinel is a huge benefit. Pouches are easily added and removed depending on the circumstances of the hunt. For example, I carry bear spray while archery hunting but leave it at home when I’m carrying a rifle. Likewise, the ballistic pocket is not particularly useful when hunting but is handy to have when shooting matches. The Sentinel allows easy reconfiguration in seconds, unlike the Kodiak Max.
Closing Thoughts
At the end of the day, these are two bino harnesses built off of very different design principles. While the Stone Glacier is focused on modularity the Kodiak Cub is designed for durability. I could happily hunt with either until the end of my days. However, I ultimately prefer the Stone Glacier Sentinel. It’s comfort, one handed opening, and modularity matter more to me than the organization and added protection of the Kodiak Cub.