Mountainsmith Focus II Gear Pouch (Large, Black)

Comments about Mountainsmith Focus II Gear Pouch (Large, Black):

Needed a bag to carry my binoculars - 8.5 X 44
Swift . They are on the large size and a bit heavy, by my measurements they fit into this bag.
Shoulder strap is lightly padded but not bulky. Added a slice of foam to the back pocket for a bit more protection - easy to do, some would not need it. I would have preferred a velcro tab rather than the click fitting - however it is
more secure as delivered. It's well made , sturdy without extra bulk - not much seems to match it's size and function -
I would recommend.

Comments about Mountainsmith Focus II Gear Pouch (Large, Black):

After having bought a pair of fairly large binoculars that came with a measly vinyl carrying case for it, I started looking for something that would fit my large binos and could be slung around my shoulder for all day hikes (I'm an avid birder). I had to look no further than the Focus II from Mountainsmith. Excellently made (no loose threads) of tougher nylon materials on the outside and a smoothly lined interior, my spy glasses fit snuggly in and the top closes with a snap. The pockets are purposely placed and although there's a clip for your keys, I find that the zipped pocket on the top flap suffices nicely for quick stowage.

As for the most important part (carrying comfort), the strap is plenty long to be worn like a purse which distributes the weight comfortably across the shoulder. I wore it for a half day of hiking and with the shoulder strap padding there were several times I didn't realize I had it on.

The top flap design works great for quickly accessing your binoculars and it's almost just as easy to stow them away.

The bottom is a bit angled in towards your body to keep whatever you have in the bag close to your "core". The upshot of this for me means that when I stand the bag up on a table with my binos in it, the bag tends to fall over. This is mainly a function of the structure of the binos and not the bag. It would be nice for it to be more stable, but nothing's perfect, right?

Overall, I really can't ask for a better bag in which to carry my binoculars. The tipping over is the only caveat that kept me from rating it a 5 out of 5.

Comments about Mountainsmith Focus II Gear Pouch (Large, Black):

Smaller than a backpack or messenger, but perfect for everyday and does not look like a "man-bag". Padded compartment holds my S90 compact camera, iPod, and whatever else I need. The front zipper allows me to slip in my iPod touch or phone. Other compartments are great. Good construction. Very happy and at low cost.

Comments about Mountainsmith Focus II Gear Pouch (Large, Black):

fits my large binoculars and bird book very well. even room for keys and a few other things too.

Comments about Mountainsmith Focus II Gear Pouch (Large, Black):

The gear pouch serves as the perfect case for my night vision binoculars.

Comments about Mountainsmith Focus II Gear Pouch (Large, Black):

This is a great, small bag. I'm using it to carry a Panasonic Lumix LX3, tabletop tripod, and a couple of memory cards. It has room to spare (the camera manual or a small notebook or paperback book will also fit in the bag).

There are three separate zippered flat pockets - one in the rear, one on the flap, and one inside the flap. The inside pocket has an organizer panel for pens.

The strap is nice and long, and can be adjusted to match your torso length. I like the bag to rest on my hip, so I have the length as long as possible. It can also be slung across your body so that it won't slip off your shoulder. There's a pad on the strap with a bit of non-slip material also.

If you're a guy, this is the perfect "man bag" to carry around your small camera and a few necessaries. It isn't going to fit any kind of DSLR, so don't buy it with that in mind - but the LX3, which has a pretty "deep" body/lens fits just fine.