Nikon 8172 Retractable Rangefinder Tether

It works very well.

I am using this on a Gossen handheld light meter, clipped to a Photographer's Vest. There is substantial strength apparent in both the spring-powered retractor spool and the braided cord the meter hangs from to carry the weight of the meter. The spring tension is enough that the meter never drops down on its own, even while rapidly underway. The unit has a detachable plastic ring that bridges between the metal ring and the end of the cord. This might become a weak point after repeated use, since it is a simple two-prong squeeze release in a plastic socket. I may permanently attach the two pieces with epoxy. The cord length is adequate to extend for arm's reach to take a reading for manual film exposure. Recommended.

This product can be very hard to find. I also paid a lot more than it is currently selling for. I use it to hold my GENUINE WhiBal G7 Certified Neutral White Balance Card - Pocket Card (2.1"x3.35") with a whibal quick release. I simply attach the two together and then attach the tether to either my Domke PhoTOGS Vest Large (Khaki) or my camera bag (Typically a Domke 700-02A F-2 Bag (Brown Waxwear Finish) for street shooting or a Domke F-832 Medium Photo Courier Bag (Brown RuggedWear) for back and forth to work). Build quality is excellent. However, realistically, any similar tether, without the Nikon logo would work. The Gear Keeper 325-44112 Standard Retractable CB Microphone Holder is about half the price and would probably work just as well.

Quick and easy to attach. Mostly quiet. Holds my range finder out of the way and close to my body. Product is very useful in getting the range finder up and down for a quick scan. Satisfied with the performance.

Sometimes you find a piece of equipment that simply makes your life easier. The Nikon Retractable Rangefinder Tether is one of those products. Nikon makes a good product and this is no exception. It is simply a retractable tether with a heavy duty spring. You can attach your rangefinder, or just about any electronic device, to one end and then clip it to your belt. Your rangefinder is now always at your fingertips, never to be lost and never to get tangled in brush. The housing is made of plastic, so I'm not sure how this would hold up with every day use. If you are like me, you don't go hunting every day, so this is not an issue. The belt clip is on the small side. It will clip to a belt loop or a d-ring, but not around your belt. I like that it attaches to your equipment with a key ring. This is very secure. The 25 inch cable is coated in nylon and has a 60 pound breaking strength. It has a 9 ounce retraction force, which is more than it sounds. Hanging a range finder on it is no problem. A small digital camera, GPS unit, or knife would also work well on it. I personally prefer hanging my range finder from my left shoulder via a d-ring on my pack or vest. However, the 25 inch cord is plenty long enough for it to be attached anywhere on a pack or belt. One word of caution: Don't just let go of your range finder. The retraction strength is so great that it will snap back loudly and violently, possibly damaging the unit and hurting you. I can see lots of uses for The Nikon Retractable Rangefinder Tether. There have been many times that I wished my pistol, knife, or GPS had a tether, but a long string just got in the way. I will probably purchase a couple more of these and attach them to my more critical (and expensive) pieces of gear.

I'm using this for deer hunting, not for fishing, so keep that in mind. It's a gear holder/retractor, and I guess that works. It is not "whisper quiet", or even particularly quiet. I have a cheap $3 key retractor, and this one is about as loud in dB, but at a lower pitch (because it is larger). I wouldn't want to pull this out or retract it with a deer nearby. Mine also has a frequent, but sporadic, "popping" noise when retracting that appears to be related (uncontrollably) to how the cord is winding around the spindle. Happens on about 2/3 retractions. The tension is not constant over the length of the string. Attached to a Nikon rangefinder, it doesn't retract all the way without help. If it's attached and you jump or jostle it, it will sometimes retract all the way, sometimes not. After extension, it seems to retract to about 2 or 3" from the attachment by itself (see picture). If you manually retract it fully, it will stay put until it is jostled again. Overall, more like a $10 product than $20.

Nikon is missing an entire market with this little device. You need to put this in every hunting store. You should have this in camo as well. The retractor is strong and silent. The device is plastic, but stong. It rotates and adjusts really well. I had to use some sports tape to silent the rotating hook fitting, but regardless of modifications this is wonderful to have. I no longer have to worry about dropping my rangefinder or fiddling around looking for it when I need it most. The device is always ready in the same spot. Great item!

I use this for either my teaching slates or my primary light for scuba diving. Anyhting with the name scuba in it gets an automatic 40% price premium, but this works just as well. It has enough pull above the water to keep my slates tight to my BC, but not enough for my primary light (Princeton Tec LED Miniwave, 4C batteries), but underwater, it has enough pull to keep the light tight if I let it go. So far, no signs of rust on the ring, which is more than I can say for my other retractor, which is designed for diving. The clip is secure and easily clips to a D-ring on my BC. Overall, I wish the whole length was a little shorter, but that is very minor. If I need a future retractor, I will probably come back for another one.

facilement maniable et solide