You might be wondering why I’m about to spend so many words on a review for a camera strap. Some of you are perfectly content to use the small strap the manufacturer tosses in the box or pick up a slightly better one at your local camera store. Well, let me bring up an old adage… “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”
I get nervous hanging a few thousand dollars over my neck or shoulder. Especially since I’m the type of shooter who has to often juggle other things (additional gear, multiple bodies, small children). Toss in the fact that my shoulders are much closer in width to a linebacker than a male model and you’ll quickly see how most straps make me feel uncomfortable with a camera hanging in a weird spot (with little stability).
Enter the Vulture Equipment Works. I met the company’s founder at Skip Cohen University. He seemed super passionate about his product and told me how he was inspired while sky diving in a plane. He looked at the military plane he was on as well as the special ops jump rigs. Essentially, if the materials used were good enough to secure the top grade equipment and lives of military personnel, he thought they’d make an excellent camera strap.
So, while it may seem a little like overkill at first, here are some of the highlights of the strap system:
- The webbing material matches what’s used in parachute straps. Designed to hold hundreds of pounds with tons of force applied.
- The carabiner clips are easy to attach and remove, but impossible to accidentally detach.
- The adjustable strap system is comfortable for people of all sizes.
- The camera attaches with secure webbing and a multiple lock type system.
- The strap is large enough that you can adjust its length to turn it into a car rig or mount the camera to other pieces of grip gear.
I saw the inventor swinging full DSLR rigs over his head like a rodeo cowboy. The system is just that rock solid. If you’re looking for what I believe to be the finest strap you can buy, check out the Vulture Equipment Works. The product is a premium priced item, but think of how many thousands of dollars you have hanging on the other end.
Highly recommended.
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