You’re Doing It Wrong. Choosing the Best Camera Strap

Last Updated on 07/30/2024 by Chris Gampat

Fact: most photographers tend to stick with the stock camera strap they get from the camera manufacturer. In most cases, this couldn’t be any more wrong. It’s convenient for sure, but manufacturer camera straps are often some of the worst we’ve used. They’re not good for a variety of situations, and they’re often uncomfortable. But in most cases, they’re also just plain ugly. Luckily, we’ve been reviewing camera straps for well over a decade. And we probably have the most reviewed of any credible publication. So we’re going to do a deep dive into camera straps and satiate your curiosity.

Why We Don’t Use Peak Design

First off, lots of folks use Peak Design. We stopped using them a long time ago for ethical reasons. If you’re not aware, they supported Unsplash many years ago, and they never wanted to make amends. I’m not sure what kind of company willingly sells out their audience and their backers. We’ve had correspondences with them about it, and they’ve just wanted to sweep it under the rug. 

For the record, we hold many companies accountable for it.

You Really Should Use a Camera Strap

If you’ve ever seen photographers doing on-stage demos, lots don’t use camera straps. I can tell you from experience that this is a terrible move. We’ve been testing cameras and lenses for 12 years, and there have been accidents. I, too, have been on the receiving end of them. There’s nothing more gut-wrenching than watching a camera slip out of your hand, hit the concrete floor, and keep rolling. Camera straps are like seat belts. And it’s mandatory for our reviews team to use them.

Even if you’re the type to use an anchor of some sort or a tripod, you can never be too sure. Lots of folks complain that good camera straps are too expensive. But I can tell you from experience that they’re a lot less money than a repair, a rental, and the time you’ll spend waiting for the camera to come back from the shop. If you have insurance, the plan may not necessarily want to pay for the repair. This is especially the case if you happen to be off-site.

In summary, it’s just cheaper to buy a good camera strap.

What a Good Camera Strap Should Have

The best camera straps are made of either one or a few key pieces of material:

• Seat Belts – Recycling these over the years has been a big part of photography. But let’s be honest, seat belts aren’t also the most comfortable thing. That’s because seat belts are designed for a different function. With the exception of the waist, they give the user a fair amount of play in a car. They only become rigid when they detect they’re being pulled at a certain speed. Putting a camera on a seat belt strap is like having the seat belt constantly trying to pull you back a bit. After a really long time, it’s going to feel annoying and hurt. 
• Specific Types of Leather – There are various types of leather out there, but some are better than others. Just because it’s Italian leather doesn’t mean it’s going to be a nice fit. In fact, there are few Italian leather straps I’ve ever really liked. Vegan leather can also be pretty good depending on the types, pliability, build, etc. 
• Canvas, Sailing Rope, or Sailing Cloth – Canvas is so robust, as is sailing rope and sailing cloth. They’re all designed to react to strong pull. For that reason, they also make for really great camera straps when they’re designed well.

More than that, there are also vital parts that a good camera strap should have. And for that, we’re taking inspiration from camera bags. As you probably know, we’ve also done original reviews of the most camera bags on the market. And I think we need to look at what messenger bags do here. They make the most sense of the bunch. 

• Webbing – By webbing, I mean that the strap should have enough space to evenly and comfortably distribute the weight along your body. 
• A Shoulder Pad (situational) – Ideally, a small shoulder pad will help keep the strap stable on your body. But they can also be uncomfortable. This is a situational thing; if you’re using something like a BlackRapid style strap, then it’s mandatory. In most of my experiences, though, any other camera strap has been able to do everything the BlackRapid straps can and more.
• Strong Connections to Your Camera – This is the most mandatory thing any camera strap needs. They all need solid split rings. These are generally better than slipping the ends through and then locking them via a buckle. I’ve been in situations where a camera strap has still let a camera go flying despite standard securements that a manufacturer will provide. Trust us; manufacturer straps are often not great.

The Best Camera Straps

Here are some of the straps we use often. For the record, we only ever recommend products that we’ve reviewed and tested. All of these images are original product photos done by the staff. And our reviews are linked accordingly for you to check out. Before you make a purchase, I strongly suggest you check out our reviews and see if these really are for you. If you’ve got questions, shoot me an email at chrisgampat[at]thephoblographer[dot]com.

Here are our staff’s picks for the best camera straps, from luxury leather to $30 budget options.

Vi Vante

Vi Vante is a newer brand that’s made here in America. Their creator, Scott, also does a fantastic job with them. Three of our favorites are:

• Tiger Lambskin: ethically speaking, if you were concerned about animal leather, this is the best choice. Sheep aren’t factory farmed on anywhere near the scale that cows, pigs, and chickens are. In fact, most of it probably goes to halal farms, which treat animals very well. 
• Sheetline Luxury Black Rope: the problem with lots of rope straps is that they’re not comfortable. This is the opposite. It’s soft yet strong.
• Matador Noir: this strap lives on my Leica SL2s. If you own a heavier camera and use bigger lenses often, you’d be hard-pressed to not get this strap.

Vi Vante is so good that I’d gladly buy them for the entire staff as standard straps.

Cosyspeed

Cosyspeed is incredibly ethical about lots of how their products are made. And even though they’re not always a hit with us, their recent stuff has become excellent. A case in point is the Quick Sally strap. Of any wrist strap I’ve used, this is probably the best. It’s comfortable, surprisingly strong, and it tightens comfortably around your wrist. There are times I’ve mounted it to a camera where I thought it would break. But that hasn’t been the case. It’s a bit perplexing to me, but I don’t question something that works.

TAP and DYE

TAP and DYE straps are made right here in NYC, and I’ve seen this company grow and evolve a lot over the years. Their greatest straps are made with leather and have great additions to them too. Some of them are coated in beeswax to make them durable and weatherproof. They’ve also got great hardware to attach to your camera. Other straps are soft and pliable, like their Horween Chromexcel straps. Of any camera straps on this list, Tap and Dye probably age the best.

Two of our favorites are their Legacy Neckstrap and their Horween Chromexcel strap. The latter might be one of the best camera straps on the market.

Hawkesmill

Hawkesmill straps are made in Europe, and they’re incredibly well done. They make very high-end, pricey camera bags that have always been frustrating. But their camera straps are some of the best coming out of Europe. They use strong materials that have lasted on our cameras for years. You can’t really go wrong with these at all. Buy it once, and it’ll last you an incredibly long time.

Holdfast Gear

Holdfast Gear has been around for a very long time, and it’s been wonderful to see how Joanna and Matt have grown the company over the years. Holdfast makes two specific straps that are incredibly well done:

• The Vegan MoneyMaker: This works almost like a backpack and lets you have two cameras on it. The vegan version is by far the most comfortable version I’ve used.
• Money-Maker Swagg dual camera strap: A more affordable alternative to the vegan and leather MoneyMakers, this cotton version is easier on the wallet, yet still comfortable and colorful.
• The Classic: Holdfast made a special mechanism that lets you quickly detach the strap from the camera when you need it. It’s not the most perfect solution, but it’s by far the most elegant.

Langley Paracord Strap

The Langley paracord Strap is one of our favorite non-leather straps. The colorful paracord makes it still a fashionable choice, yet it’s also strong enough to hold up to the heaviest mirrorless cameras. The strap is made with a seat-belt-like material, then the paracord, then a quick attach system that proved to be very durable. Best of all? The strap sells for around $40.

Harber London

Harber London isn’t a camera accessory company, but rather a family-owned leather goods business. We tried out their first foray into camera straps and found the leather strap to be quite comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. It’s a well-made strap that comes in tan or black and can even be customized with a logo for an upcharge. Our biggest complaint was that it was hard to put on and take off, so don’t pick this one up if you like to remove the strap frequently.

Field Work Slim Fixed Leather Camera Strap

Leather straps tend to be pretty pricey, but if you want the look of leather without the high price, consider the Field Work Slim Fixed Leather camera strap. The strap sells for around $60, yet it’s made with real leather. This is a smaller strap — hence the slim in the name — so it isn’t the best choice for the heaviest camera setups, but we really loved the look and feel of using this with a Canon Canonnet QL17. Another plus? It’s sold on Etsy by creators, not a major corporation.

Bowman Vantage Leather Strap

What’s unique about the Bowman Vantage Leather Strap is that it’s a neck strap that also doubles as a wrist strap. There’s a specially designed slot for your hand, then the extra length just wraps around your wrist. That’s incredibly convenient for photographers who love both wrist and neck straps. Our only complaint was that we had to break in the leather a bit before it was truly comfortable.

Blackrapid Backpack Strap

Backpack wearers, listen up. The Blackrapid Backpack Strap attaches to the strap of a backpack, distributing the weight to your shoulder rather than your neck. But because this strap is designed specifically for wearing with a backpack, it doesn’t get in the way. It’s comfortable, convenient, and a win in our book.

Falcam Maglink

Two big things we love about the Falcam Maglink? The fast magnetic attachment and the $30 price point. While we wish the strap material was a little bit thicker, it’s a forgivable flaw for the budget price point. The strap is comfortable, stylish, and affordable.