I’ve used many digital camera setups by way of my years as knowledgeable photographer. Nevertheless, one factor that has remained the identical for a very long time throughout a number of digital camera setups is the digital camera strap system I’ve been utilizing.
Since I first purchased my Peak Design Slide and Clutch digital camera straps in 2015, I’ve been just about solely utilizing the Peak Design strap system throughout all my DSLR and mirrorless cameras.
I’ve primarily been field-testing my Peak Design digital camera straps for round a decade. I’ve taken all of them around the globe, from far under zero temperatures photographing the northern lights to the recent and humid jungles of Uganda on gorilla trekking and birdwatching journeys.
My Peak Design Slide digital camera straps have been rained on, snowed on, lined in mud, stuffed in a digital camera bag, and usually been by way of the wringer.
One has even been chewed on by a fox (extra on that later!).
In any case that, I believed it was about time I put collectively a overview of the Peak Design digital camera straps, primarily based on my expertise really utilizing it.
I’ll cowl the nice, the dangerous, my expertise with Peak Design’s customer support, who the straps are for, the choices out there, and much extra.
Peak Design make a wide range of straps for a variety of makes use of and digital camera sizes. By the top of this overview, it is best to have a good suggestion of whether or not or not this strap system is an efficient possibility in your digital camera setup, in addition to which particular mannequin is perhaps best for you. Let’s begin with a fast introduction to Peak Design.
Who’s Peak Design?
Peak Design is a U.S. primarily based firm, based in 2010 by Peter Dering. The corporate launched its first product in 2011, a digital camera clip system known as Seize, which remains to be out there at present.
Peak Design primarily creates merchandise that are designed to assist individuals arrange, shield, pack, and use their images gear. These embody digital camera straps and clips, digital camera baggage, tripods, and so on.
Given their recognition, they’ve additionally launched some extra common merchandise designs for vacationers and commuters, together with packing cubes, wash baggage, commuter backpacks, and cell phone circumstances.
They intention to create merchandise which look good and final a very long time. They arrive with a lifetime guarantee as commonplace.
Peak Design is understood for his or her progressive and trendy designs. Lots of their merchandise are additionally designed to work nicely collectively, so for instance you need to use the strap to hold the tripod bag in addition to a digital camera.
Additionally they have stable environmental credentials, being absolutely carbon impartial, a registered B Corp, they usually additionally donate 1% of all their income to environmental nonprofits.
What’s so particular about Peak Design digital camera straps?
Peak Design began when its founder, Peter Dering, was searching for a extra snug digital camera strap system after a protracted journey again in 2010. The corporate’s first merchandise had been their progressive digital camera clips and straps, and it was these merchandise that originally made them well-liked amongst photographers.
The standout options of their straps, which I’ll cowl in additional depth, are their consolation, sturdiness, attachment system, supplies and guarantee.
Peak Design now make plenty of totally different merchandise and I feel get numerous buzz for his or her baggage. I do personal a number of different Peak Design merchandise. For instance, I at the moment have a Peak Design digital camera backpack, some digital camera packing cubes, and a Peak Design journey tripod.
Whereas I’ve appreciated a lot of their different merchandise I’ve tried, I feel that their digital camera strap system stays their hero merchandise for a lot of photographers reminiscent of myself.
I first purchased a Peak Design Slide strap again in 2015 and have by no means used one other digital camera strap system since. I now personal three of their Slide straps in addition to a Clutch strap, and proceed to suggest them to others primarily based on my expertise.
So, on this overview I’m going to deal with the Peak Design digital camera straps and go over the assorted straps out there and share my private overview and experiences with them.
Peak Design Digicam Strap Selections
Peak Design make a number of straps, with the principle variations being the dimensions of the strap (width, weight and size), in addition to how the strap is designed to be worn.
These variations make the assorted strap fashions appropriate for various functions, with some straps being extra suited to bigger digital camera fashions and others suiting extra compact digital camera fashions for instance.
Some straps are additionally nicely suited to different functions past being as digital camera strap, reminiscent of for binoculars or as a strap in your tripod or digital camera bag.
Some Peak Design digital camera straps are designed as a full physique strap to be worn over a shoulder, across the neck, or as a sling, while different straps are designed as wrist or hand straps.
The principle digital camera straps that Peak Design supply are as follows.
Peak Design Slide Strap
That is the principle strap that I take advantage of for my cameras, I at the moment personal three of those straps. They’ve had slight tweaks over time however the principle design is similar.
The strap is designed so you may put on it in 3 ways, as a neck strap, a shoulder strap and a sling strap. My private favourite is carrying it as a sling strap.
The strap is made out of a robust nylon webbing materials, which is truthfully fairly like a seatbelt strap in texture and really feel. Nearly all of the strap is clean and slides simply.
The realm which sits round your neck or shoulder (relying on the way you put on it) is padded internally for consolation. It additionally has a gripped floor on one facet to forestall the strap from sliding round.
The strap is adjustable, with a fast launch deal with that allows you to rapidly and simply regulate how lengthy the strap is. The utmost size is 57″ (145cm) and the minimal size is 39″ (99cm).
The strap comes with an anchor mount, 4 anchor connectors, a hex wrench and a microfiber pouch. It might deal with gear as much as 200lbs.
That is the strap I might usually suggest for carrying a bigger setup reminiscent of an even bigger mirrorless or DSLR digital camera in addition to bigger telephoto lenses. It’s additionally a sensible choice in case you simply favor a wider strap as the burden is distributed extra evenly.
See extra concerning the Peak Design Slide strap right here.
Peak Design Slide Lite Strap
The Slide Lite is truthfully similar to the Slide, it’s only a bit thinner. Nevertheless, it could possibly deal with the identical weight load and has the identical options.
So you continue to get the anchor level system, snug clean nylon webbing with padding and a grippy facet, and adjustability. You additionally get all the identical merchandise within the field.
Nevertheless, the strap is 1.3″ extensive (32mm) in comparison with the 1.8″ (45mm) of the unique Slide. So in case you really feel the Slide is a bit chunky in your tastes, then the Slide Lite is perhaps for you. It nonetheless has the identical most size of 57″ (145cm) and minimal size of 39″ (99cm).
It might additionally assist the identical weight, however I’d suggest it for barely smaller mirrorless cameras, bridge cameras, and binoculars reasonably than the most important of gadgets.
This isn’t as a result of it could possibly’t take the burden, however reasonably is extra to do with consolation over lengthy intervals of carrying the strap.
A barely thinner strap means the burden isn’t distributed over as a lot space, so over time the Slide is prone to be extra snug with significantly heavy setups.
See extra concerning the Peak Design Slide Lite strap right here.
Peak Design Leash
For those who’re a minimalist however you continue to need a excessive performing digital camera strap, then the Peak Design Leash is probably going the strap for you.
That is the thinnest common strap that Peak Design affords. As with the Slide and Slide Mild, it may be configured as a sling, neck or shoulder strap. You additionally get the padded webbing part with a grippy facet in addition to the anchor hyperlink system.
The principle distinction is that the strap is simply 0.75″(19mm) extensive. The max size of 57″ is similar, however you may really make Leash shorter, right down to 32.6″ (83cm).
Leash is an efficient possibility if you need a extremely minimalist digital camera strap. As with Slide Lite, I’d suggest it for smaller digital camera setups, particularly in case you plan to hold them round for a chronic time frame.
See extra concerning the Peak Design Leash strap right here.
Peak Design Cuff Wrist Strap
Not everybody desires a protracted digital camera strap that goes round their entire physique, and in case you are a type of individuals, Peak Design has you lined with a lot of choices. The primary of those is Cuff.
Cuff is a wrist strap which, because the title suggests, helps you to put your digital camera on a strap which you safe round your wrist. And I do imply safe, as there’s an adjustable locking slider which helps you to cinch Cuff round your wrist so it could possibly’t slip off over your hand.
In fact, you don’t have to do this, however it’s in all probability a good suggestion in case you do.
When it comes to the strap itself, it’s fabricated from the identical nylon webbing as Peak Design’s different straps. There’s no grip however there’s a spotlight space which works round your wrist, which is on the market in both leather-based or a fabric known as Hypalon which is vegan. Width sensible it’s the identical as Leash, at 0.75″ (19mm).
The strap additionally has a magnetic clasp, which cleverly helps you to put on it as a bracelet when not in use as a digital camera wrist strap, which is fairly neat.
When it comes to what it could possibly carry, as a result of it makes use of the identical materials and anchor hyperlink system as the opposite straps, it could possibly deal with as much as 200lbs (90kg) of drugs as nicely.
So, in case you don’t wish to put on an enormous strap however nonetheless need to hold your gear secure when it’s in your fingers, Cuff is a wonderful possibility.
I’d say it’s higher for people who are inclined to put a digital camera away in a bag and take it out once more often reasonably than carrying a digital camera over their physique on a regular basis.
See extra concerning the Peak Design Cuff strap right here.
Peak Design Clutch Strap
Clutch is Peak Design’s hand strap. It’s mainly designed to sit down on the facet of your digital camera and goes round your hand when you’re gripping your digital camera.
This provides you extra peace of thoughts when holding your digital camera, particularly in case you are utilizing a heavier digital camera with out a strap round you.
Clutch makes use of the identical anchor hyperlink design at one finish as their different straps, which attaches to the digital camera’s base utilizing the included tripod suitable base plate.
I’ve had my Clutch for a similar period of time as I’ve had my Slide straps. I’ll admit that it took a little bit of time to regulate to utilizing it on my digital camera as initially my hand wasn’t used to having a strap across the exterior of it when holding my digital camera. Nevertheless, I rapidly obtained used to it, after which I discovered utilizing a digital camera physique with out it felt odd!
I’ve really had two variations of Clutch. The primary model I had for a very long time, however the strap the place it hooked up to the digital camera wore by way of from friction over time.
I contacted Peak Design they usually despatched me the newer model which changed the model I purchased. This includes a totally different kind of fabric on the level mine failed which I’m happy to report has not suffered from this subject.
General, I might say in case you are searching for a hand strap for a bigger digital camera, undoubtedly take into account Clutch. It’s a bit massive for smaller cameras, however clearly Peak Design has an answer for that subject within the type of the subsequent product on this checklist!
See extra concerning the Peak Design Clutch strap right here.
Peak Design Micro Clutch
Micro Clutch is mainly a smaller model of the Clutch strap. It’s designed particularly for smaller mirrorless digital camera programs, with the thought being that as a substitute of placing your entire hand in it, you solely use it with between two and 4 fingers.
This ends in a small and unobtrusive strap that also provides you the safety of a hand strap.
This one doesn’t really include the anchor hyperlink system, nevertheless the bottom plate does have loop attachment factors so you need to use the equipped base plate with different Peak Design straps if you wish to combine and match.
General, Micro Clutch is a good suggestion if you need a extremely small strap for a smaller mirrorless digital camera. It’s not appropriate for bigger cameras, however helpfully Peak Design has a digital camera compatibility information for micro clutch which you’ll be able to see right here.
You’ll be able to see extra concerning the Peak Design Micro Clutch strap right here.
Peak Design Strap Options
As you may see, there are a selection of Peak Design straps to select from. Now I’m going to undergo the important thing options of the straps.
Anchor Hyperlink System
The anchor hyperlink system is, in my view, what makes the Peak Design straps so distinctive and versatile.
The anchor hyperlink is the way in which that almost all of Peak Designs straps connect to your digital camera, binoculars, bag, or no matter else you need to carry. Upon getting used it together with your gear it’s truthfully exhausting to think about utilizing some other system.
The anchor hyperlink is a fast launch strap system which is made up of two components.
The primary half is the short connector which is hooked up to the strap. Peak Designs straps all include the short connector already hooked up, however you can too purchase them to connect to any current digital camera strap you personal.
The second a part of the system is the anchor connector. This can be a small spherical tab with a nylon loop. These are designed to simply connect to a variety of merchandise, together with cameras, baggage, and the Peak Design fast launch tripod plate, which is how I connect them to my cameras.
Regardless of their diminutive dimension, the anchor system is rated to assist 200lbs (90kg) of weight, which ought to be greater than sufficient for even the heaviest digital camera setup. I’ve used mine for years and by no means had a failure.
Clean Nylon Webbing
Most of Peak Design’s straps are created from a robust nylon webbing, which is analogous in texture and really feel to a seatbelt strap. Seatbelt straps are clearly extremely sturdy, given their supposed goal, and Peak Design straps are additionally extremely sturdy.
What I actually like about them is that they don’t appear to lose structural integrity in case you occur to break them barely.
For example, I used to be capturing at sundown in cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland one night, and a curious fox came to visit to see what I used to be as much as.
I put one in all my cameras down on the bottom and began taking footage of the fox, at which level he determined he wished to steal my digital camera in case it was edible. He did this by grabbing the Peak Design strap in his tooth and dragging my digital camera away.
Clearly, I finished him, however not earlier than he’d put some good sharp tooth holes in my strap!
I’ve continued to personal and use that strap for years for the reason that fox incident, and the outlet hasn’t impacted efficiency or gotten any greater. It’s only a neat reminder of a cool encounter I had as soon as!
Now, clearly I wouldn’t encourage anybody to break their strap to see the way it performs. However my expertise has proven that the straps proceed to carry out nicely even after prolonged use, and a few reasonably uncommon harm!
The webbing on a lot of the straps even have a really grippy part which stops the straps from sliding round in your physique as you progress round.
Lifetime Guarantee
Peak Design affords a lifetime guarantee for his or her merchandise towards manufacturing defects, and failures or breakages that render half or your whole product to grow to be non-functional.
This doesn’t cowl beauty blemishes, scratches, stains, or put on & tear. Nor does it cowl failures or breakages as a consequence of misuse, neglect, or intentional harm.
In my case, I’m unsure the fox encounter can be lined, though on condition that the strap works nice, that’s not been a problem.
I’ve had two events to make use of the lifetime guarantee, and in each circumstances Peak Design honored it. The primary was to switch my Clutch which wore by way of, and as I stated, that they had already recognized and addressed this drawback with the newer model. You’ll be able to see the damage within the picture under.
The opposite subject I had was with a restricted version purple coloured model of the Peak Design Slide.
This one had a special kind of grip materials to different variations I’ve owned, which was a form of rubber compound.
This labored nice till I took it trekking within the Ugandan jungle searching for gorillas. Sadly, a mixture of warmth and humidity, coupled with numerous motion, prompted the rubber to primarily soften throughout my shirt.
The strap turned a sticky mess (though it clearly nonetheless labored wonderful as a strap). You’ll be able to see how this ended up within the picture under.
I contacted Peak Design about this, they usually dispatched a substitute strap to me freed from cost. Additionally they let me know that that they had since modified the fabric used for the grip space, so this drawback wouldn’t occur once more.
I’ve been utilizing the substitute strap for a few years now and I can affirm it has held up nicely with no meltdowns but, and the grip materials is certainly completely totally different.
Adjustability
Clearly, everyone seems to be constructed otherwise, so having a one dimension matches all strap isn’t going to work for everybody.
Peak Design’s straps will be adjusted. The precise mechanism and vary of adjustment varies barely relying on the strap mannequin, however the principle factor is that they are often adjusted to go well with the necessities of the person person.
Strap Colours
Peak Design supply their straps in a wide range of colours. Colours range relying on the product.
Within the case of Slide for instance, you at the moment have a selection of traditional black, sage inexperienced, midnight blue, ash gray, and coyote brown. Additionally they sometimes do particular version straps of various colours.
Relying on the kind of images you do, you would possibly favor a special strap shade.
For instance, wildlife photographers will in all probability just like the coyote brown shade because it blends in properly with camo type and pure colours. Black is a good shade that work nice for those who simply need one thing that may go along with every part and matches most digital camera our bodies.
Peak Design Digicam Strap Evaluate
I’ll now go into some extra element relating to my private expertise utilizing the Peak Design digital camera straps, together with what I like, and areas I really feel might be improved.
What I Like About Peak Design Straps
The factor I like most about my Peak Design straps is the anchor hyperlink system. I feel it’s actually intelligent, and it makes attaching and eradicating straps tremendous straightforward.
Let me clarify why I prefer it a lot for my private setup.
The way in which Jess and I usually put on our Peak Design straps is crossbody, like a sling. The strap attaches to the underside of the digital camera, the place the tripod thread gap is.
This can be a pretty frequent design function for sling straps, the place the digital camera is inverted round your midsection space.
I discover this to be a snug method to put on a digital camera for a chronic time frame, definitely far more snug and sensible than having it bouncing round on a neck strap.
The issue with many sling type digital camera straps that use the digital camera’s tripod mount level is that they require you to place an attachment into the digital camera’s tripod mount gap to connect the strap to.
This implies you may’t connect it to a tripod with out absolutely eradicating the strap system.
The factor is, I all the time have a fast launch tripod plate hooked up to my digital camera our bodies and telephoto lens collars. I take advantage of a tripod rather a lot (see my the explanation why you want a tripod right here for why), and for ease of use I solely use tripods which have a fast launch plate system.
Because of this I connect a particular tripod plate to the bottom of the digital camera, which implies I can connect my digital camera to a tripod very simply with out having to screw or unscrew issues.
So you may see the conundrum. I need a strap system I can go away on on a regular basis, that makes use of the tripod mount level on my digital camera, but in addition lets me use a fast launch tripod plate system.
Fortunately, the Peak Design system does simply that. By utilizing the tripod suitable Peak Design mounting plate on my digital camera, I can connect my digital camera to any Arca suitable tripod head (Manfrotto suitable plates are additionally out there) with out having to take away the strap system. It’s seamless and straightforward to make use of.
The pliability and ease of use of the short launch system can also be nice. For instance, I even have a pair of enormous telephoto lenses, the place I favor to connect the strap to the tripod collar reasonably than the physique of the digital camera, as it’s extra balanced that manner once I carry the digital camera.
With the short launch anchor system, I simply must have anchor connectors on the lenses tripod collar.
After I swap lenses from a large angle to a telephoto, I can rapidly transfer my Peak Design strap from the digital camera physique anchor connectors to the telephoto anchor connectors. I may even use a seperate strap, and simply carry the telephoto lens over my different shoulder if I need.
In fact, the flexibleness continues. You’ll be able to have anchor factors on the digital camera’s high strap connector hooks if you need. Just about each digital camera on the market has commonplace strap connecting factors on the higher physique of the digital camera the place the usual strap that comes with the digital camera attaches.
So in case you put anchor connections right here, you may go from carrying your digital camera sling type, to carrying it the extra conventional manner round your neck, or over your shoulder.
Okay, that was rather a lot concerning the Peak Design anchor system. What else do I like concerning the Peak Design straps?
Nicely, clearly they’re actually snug. The padded part of the strap is snug, and I’ve actually worn mine for a lot of hours on lengthy hikes with out feeling uncomfortable or prefer it’s rubbing in any manner.
If I’m capturing occasions, or some other state of affairs the place I need quick access to a few lenses on the similar time, I normally put on two straps, crossbody. This provides me quick access to a digital camera on every hip, slicing out the time wanted to vary lenses, which might be time the place I’m lacking a shot. That’s additionally extremely snug.
I additionally like that the straps are straightforward to regulate, and that they only work. My expertise with customer support has additionally been nice once I wanted it.
Clearly, no-one desires a product to have points, however for a corporation to rise to the event and resolve the issue as they’ve finished each time, speaks volumes in my guide.
How May Peak Design Enhance their Straps?
What I like about Peak Design is that they’re all the time bettering on their merchandise primarily based on buyer suggestions. For probably the most half, the brand new model of the product replaces the outdated model of the product.
Most upgrades are iterative, so that you don’t essentially must improve in case you already personal the product.
Nevertheless, in case you are a brand new person, you will be assured figuring out that you’re getting one of the best model of the product to this point. With my instance of the strap that melted into my shirt, that drawback was addressed with a brand new materials.
Nevertheless, not all of the adjustments are essentially upgrades.
For example, once I first purchased my Peak Design Slide straps, they got here with a tripod suitable plate. This meant that I might connect them to my digital camera and use them with a tripod right away.
Sadly, nearly all of their straps now solely include an anchor mount which isn’t suitable with tripod fast launch plates. So, you need to purchase that half individually, with each an Arca suitable plate and a Manfrotto RC2 suitable plate out there.
Now, in case you occur to purchase a Peak Design journey tripod, this does include the mandatory plate. So perhaps now that Peak Design additionally make tripods, they really feel it makes extra sense to bundle the tripod plate with the tripod. Moreover, as they will’t inform what sort of tripod plate the end-user requires, sending them an incompatible plate isn’t a fantastic buyer expertise.
Nonetheless, I appreciated it once I obtained my Arca suitable plate once I first purchased my Peak Design Slide strap because it let me use the strap straight with the tripod I had on the time without having to fork out for extra equipment. So I wish to see it as an possibility maybe at checkout for a small improve value even when it’s not included once more.
One other space that has involved some customers of Peak Design straps is that the adjustment mechanism is a metallic loop, and I’ve seen stories that these can scratch a digital camera physique when packed in a bag. Personally, I’ve not had this drawback, however my digital camera our bodies get fairly banged up anyway!
Nevertheless, if this can be a concern, you would possibly need to pack the strap individually.
Lastly, by way of enhancements, it is perhaps good to see a system for carrying two cameras that doesn’t contain simply having a “X” form of straps throughout my physique. Some digital camera strap programs supply a twin carry system which is extra like a physique harness, and I’d have an interest to see if that’s one thing Peak Design might supply.
That’s simply an thought reasonably than a criticism although as I’ve truthfully been snug carrying the 2 straps crossbody.
Aside from the above, I’ve not obtained a lot else to say concerning the Peak Design strap system that wants enchancment! Clearly, they’re comparatively costly as straps go, however I do really feel you’re getting a well-made and high quality product that may final a very long time.
Peak Design Digicam Strap Evaluate Abstract
As I stated firstly of this overview, I’ve been utilizing the Peak Design straps for a few years, throughout a number of digital camera our bodies and lenses. In all that point they’ve stored my gear secure, which is the principle goal of the strap. I additionally discover them extremely snug to put on even for lengthy intervals of time.
I feel they provide among the finest strap programs available on the market, with straps which can be snug and safe. Their lifetime guarantee can also be one thing they stand by.
General, I feel the principle resolution most individuals must make can be which strap to purchase. I’d say if in case you have a heavier digital camera setup, particularly if going to make use of telephoto lenses, to go for the Peak Design Slide. For smaller cameras and lighter set ups, in my view it’s a call between Slide Lite and Leash.
Then, in case you favor a much less obtrusive setup, take into account Cuff. And eventually, if you need extra safety when gripping your digital camera, have a look at Clutch and Micro Clutch.
Actually, I feel whichever product you select you can be proud of its efficiency, construct high quality, and longevity.
Additional Studying
That’s it for my overview of the Peak Design strap system – I hope you discovered it useful. Earlier than you go, I wished to share a few of our different content material which we predict you will discover helpful.
- I’ve an in depth overview of the Peak Design journey tripod
- Our overview of the Vanguard VEO 2 265CB tripod after three years of normal use.
- A overview of the Vanguard VEO 2Go 265HCBM, the VEO 3+ 263AB and the VEO 3T+ 264CB.
- We’ve got a information to why you want a tripod, a information to selecting a journey tripod, and a round-up of our favourite journey tripods
- We’ve got a information to find out how to use a compact digital camera, find out how to use a DSLR digital camera, and find out how to use a mirrorless digital camera. We even have a information to how a DSLR works
- Realizing find out how to compose a fantastic photograph is a key images ability. See our information to composition in images for plenty of tips about this topic
- We’ve got a information to what depth of discipline is and whenever you would need to use it.
- We’re massive followers of getting probably the most out of your digital photograph recordsdata, and do to that you’ll want to shoot in RAW. See our information to RAW in images to know what RAW is, and why it is best to swap to RAW as quickly as you may in case your digital camera helps it.
- You’re going to wish one thing to run your photograph modifying software program on. See our information to one of the best laptops for photograph modifying for some tips about what to search for.
- For those who’re searching for extra recommendation on particular suggestions for various eventualities, we additionally have you ever lined. See our information to Northern Lights images, lengthy publicity images, fireworks images, suggestions for taking images of stars, and chilly climate images.
- For those who’re searching for a fantastic present for a images loving pal or member of the family (or your self!), check out our images present information,
- For those who’re available in the market for a brand new digital camera, now we have an in depth information to the greatest journey cameras, in addition to particular guides for the greatest cameras for mountain climbing and backpacking, the greatest compact digital camera, greatest mirrorless digital camera and greatest DSLR digital camera. We even have a information to the greatest digital camera lenses.
- If you would like a digital camera or lens, however the costs are a bit excessive, see our information to the place to purchase used cameras and digital camera gear for some funds financial savings choices.
And that’s it! As all the time, if in case you have any feedback or questions on this submit, simply pop them within the feedback part under and we’ll reply as quickly as we are able to!
