Taking the arc course I have a backpack and bring the two are not incompatible. The straps have a slight elasticity that participates in the practical side of things, but if you want to take your binoculars to hand attention: necessarily the straps pull the binoculars down and are close in terms of these ( logic) ... I solved this problem with a Vortex Optics accessory hard to find in France that blocks the opening angle.