Best strap for amateur w/ children???

[mrpink]

With the weather warming up, I am quickly finding that my factory Nikon strap is not cutting it. Going to the park and on walks, I want to have my camera- but lifting my 18 month old with a DSLR around your neck is not a good idea. Slinging it over my head and shoulder (strap across my chest) works, but it takes a long time to get to shooting position.

I have been looking at the BlackRapid R-Strap, anyone with kids or a similar situation have any experience with these? Any other straps that you would reccomend?

Thanks in advance.

p!nK

 

[PhotoXopher]

I find keeping in a shoulder bag (no strap) works best for me, a hand strap works well also.

Kids ages: 2, 3 & 7 so I know what you mean

I'll probably never trust the Black Rapid system, I've ready way too many horror stories - even with the 'new' design.

 

[Josh66]

The R-Strap is pretty much the opposite of what I use (Domke Gripper).


I like it (the Gripper). It's a no frills basic camera strap. Canvas with rubber woven in.
It stays put, but is far from fancy.

It has quick releases on each end, for tripod shooting or whatever - whenever you don't want the strap to be on it.

Look into it if it sounds like something you might like.


BTW-
I'm also an amateur with children...

 

[shadowlands]

I own two different Lowepro straps. Love 'em both.

 

[Johnboy2978]

I must say, I recently bought the black rapid rs-5 and I am really enjoying it. Is it worth the $65? I don't know, but it's really comfortable to me and convenient. I really like the fact that with this strap, the body and lens stays at the small of my back and is better protected in weaving through crowds and such. I definately don't ding it on doors as much as I did with the traditional strap. I read reviews of horror stories of people suddenly having their cameras fall from a failed connection. Really, I think this was from the earlier connectors they had. I don't know how the current version could fail. Still, coming from a rock climber background, I know that you always have built in redundancy. Thus, I had a wide variety of caribeaners still in my closet. I had one that was just a wee bit larger than the one that is on it. It's not a load bearing caribeaner, nor is it locking like the one that is on the strap, but it would certainly protect your camera and keep it attached should the connector ever fail. Frankly, I would've been fine w/o it, but since I had one readily available, I threw it on there. If you watched the video, it really is as handy as it appears in the video.

Also, I have a 4 y/o daughter who stays pretty well attached to my hip. She's a real daddy's girl. I noticed that with the traditional strap, I would frequently have it on my shoulder and the lens would frequently ding her in the head if I wasn't constantly aware of it. Not hard enough to hurt her of course, but enough that it was annoying for both of us. With the BR strap, it stays tucked out of the way, and she's not complaining of being tapped in the head!

No regrets about buying it. It is a pleasure to wear.

 

[mrpink]

I find keeping in a shoulder bag (no strap) works best for me, a hand strap works well also.

Kids ages: 2, 3 & 7 so I know what you mean

I'll probably never trust the Black Rapid system, I've ready way too many horror stories - even with the 'new' design.

This is an option I never really considered until now.... Does the sling bag work as well as it is advertised? Easy to get to your gear for photos? Looking around, I am liking the looks of the KATA 3N1 10 or 20. Any thoughts on these?

I would also get the tripod "holster" of trekking....

p!nK

 

[usayit]

Any strap doesn't work for me (with child at my side) either. I made the same exact thing as the Black River strap for my rangefinder and it works fine but I still managed to knock my kid in the head (felt really guilty) when I bent over to help him or pick him up. The only thing that works is an open shoulder bag and no strap.


Btw... Mine is simply some heavy duty nylon straping with sewed in buckles and a heavy ring/latch. All purchased from the local hardware store.

 

[mrpink]

Went to my local camera shop and tried out some slings. They carried the Tamarac and Lowepro. Both felt ok, but I liked the extra space offered in the KATA.

Sooooo... I ordered the KATA 3n1 10 with tripod holster from Adorama (they were 20 bucks cheaper than Amazon, plus a free 2g SD card, plus free shipping).


I will update this thread when I receive it and try it out around the babe.

p!nK

 

[Eco]

I walk/hike miles every week with my Black Rapid strap with no issues. 90% of the time I have on my 70-200 and the weight is not an issue....I can't imagine that weight pulling on my neck!

 

[JohnnyL]

I want to get the crumpler industry disgrace strap. it looks really comfortable with all that fancy foamy cushions yet really practical , just a strap , no quick releases , etc. I dont like quick release buckles , i just dont trust they're always clipped in and those hard plastic could be hazardous to my gear.

I looked at Black Rapid straps. They look really '' fast '' because you can sling your camera over your chest and get it in front of your face much easier but they connect to the tripod mount of my camera. I shoot with a vertical grip and I dont want some extra thing sticking out of the grip.

 

[mrpink]

As promised.

I got the KATA 3N1-10 bag today, quickly loaded it up with my D90 55-200mm attached (hood reversed), 18-55mm kit, 50mm 1.8, and SB-600 with sto-fen. It all fit, snuggly, but fit.

Grabbed the family and went to the park to try it out. Works like a charm. I was able to keep it on my back while carrying the kid around, then slide it forward and draw my camera with ease, re-holster it and get back to playing. The zipper on the camera access are very easy to un do, this is something that I did not like on the Tamarc or Lowepro. It seemed like they were too tight and too alot of force to unzip (this looked like it was due to the weather sealing around the zipper on both bags) The Kata, you undo one buckle, pull on said buckle, the zippers unzip, and draw the camera in a nice shooting position.

Accessing other lenses or the flash will be a concern as the bag will need to be removed in order for this to happen safely, but that is not was i purchased this bag for.

So far (one day) I am happy with the setup. I might suggest to others that they get the larger 3N1-20 if they have more gear that they want to carry.

For all the fathers out there, the 3N1-10 works wonders.





p!nK