A couple of weeks ago I received an RS Sport strap from BlackRapid for our upcoming Fall Photowalk. I thought it was the responsible thing to do (wink wink) to test it myself beforehand in Europe before we had the photowalk. The photowalk cofounder, Zach, is a huge fan of their straps and after testing it for over a week on location, I can see why. The RS Sport proved to be invaluable on my trip.
I was never a fan of the strap my Canon T2i came with. It was awkward, uncomfortable, and had a tendency to get in the way. I wanted something that gave me some more flexibility, security, and comfort. The RS Sport strap hit all of those points. Having my camera hang at my side gave me the ability to use my hands without worrying that I needed to push the camera out-of-the-way. Also, since I had a battery grip and a rented 17-55mm f2.8 lens on my camera, the weight of my camera doubled. I couldn’t tell with this strap as it took the weight off my neck and onto my shoulder. That change allowed me to shoot for longer, as my neck wasn’t killing me (big plus). I wore the strap everyday for my entire 10 day trip.
The biggest benefit I ended up finding with this strap was the security. It was discreet. When you are traveling in Europe (as part of a tour group no less), it’s important to keep your valuables out of sight. For most people, cameras around their necks are hard to hide (from anyone) but having my camera on a RS Sport strap allowed me to keep my camera at my side and even hidden under my Timbuk2 bag if needed. In addition, being able to keep my camera literally in hand all day made sure I didn’t miss any critical shots. I even slept with it on it was so comfortable (see below).
I’m very thankful BlackRapid sent us a strap for the Photowalk group to test- I didn’t understand the true appeal of it until I used one. However, now that I have used one, I am a HUGE fan and will absolutely recommend them to my photo buddies in the future. Check them out online and if you would like to test one in person, come to our Fall Photowalk in November!
(HUGE thanks to BlackRapid for sponsoring our Fall Photowalk. You guys rock!)
Looking forward to checking it out during the Fall photowalk, Joe!