Peak Design Leash: An Ultralight Camera Strap
I'm a kind of picky person when it comes to camera straps (okay, a lot of things, but we're just talking about camera straps today!). I used the same brand and style of strap for almost ten years, from my first camera until they quit making my strap. It was a Tamrac neoprene and it was so soft and perfect for a DSLR. Then they quit making it, and Kim graciously let me have hers - she had bought one right before they were discontinued. That left her without a strap, and she started shopping. She chose a Peak Design Slide strap, which is a very versatile neck, shoulder or sling strap.
We both have a couple of cool old retro woven straps that fit with our older film SLR's, since they are smaller and lighter. I was pretty satisfied with my Tamrac neck strap, but always felt a little jealous of the shoulder sling option of Kim's Peak Design strap.
That all changed the day I got a little Fuji mirrorless camera. I snagged a great deal on a Fujifilm X100T from KEH Camera, and the beautiful new-to-me camera needed a strap. The Tamrac was just overkill for such a small camera. The vintage straps look awesome, but I didn't like all the metal attachments rubbing on the silver parts of my new camera. I started shopping...
I had no idea that Peak Design had made a smaller strap, which they say is perfectly suited for small, mirrorless cameras. When I saw the Peak Design Leash Ultralight strap, I knew it was a perfect match, and hoped it would be as perfect in use!
I would describe the strap as a soft seat belt type of material - but very soft, and strong. It is adjustable in so many ways - from a short neck strap, to a longer shoulder strap, to a perfect length for wearing as a shoulder sling. My favorite thing about the strap is the quick adjustment points - with just one finger, I can quickly adjust the length of the strap. The low-profile aluminum and Hypalon dual adjusters are on both sides of the strap, and are super functional, and great looking. The quick adjustment on this strap is so perfect in use.
This strap has the improved anchor system - while it works with the older anchors, it comes with the newer ones. They are a slightly thinner cord, a little different angle shape, and a thinner anchor. The cord is also improved, so if it starts to fray, red cord will begin to show and make it known that it is time to replace the anchor. The anchors are stronger than they may seem - able to withstand over 200 lbs - which makes this strap versatile for any of my cameras.
This lightweight strap is really great and has been a perfect match - in both form and function - for my small Fuji camera. The high quality construction is obvious right out of the box. And the strap is very comfortable. The material is soft and glides easily over clothes when worn as a sling. There isn't a "grippy" section, to make it stick to your shoulder, which could be a pro or a con. For how I use this strap, I'm glad it isn't grippy. I rarely wear it as a shoulder strap - typically just a sling or neck strap.
Oh, and the color is what really made me jump in the first place. A soft grey (Ash), which makes it unique, without making it obnoxious. I really like the accents and the small touches of blue. Did I mention that it is super soft and comfy?!
I've become a fan of this strap to the extent that I am considering the larger Slide strap for my DSLR and bigger film cameras. A great feature of the Peak Design straps is that you really just have to buy anchors to attach to your cameras, and then the straps are fully interchangeable between them. The Leash came with 4 anchors, which for me, was enough for two cameras. It'd be easy to purchase a second strap and a few more anchors and my gear would be set. I might have to try one of those larger straps out in the near future!
