Trekking Safari Strap Pressure Free Easy Access Heavy DSLR/Binocular Neck Strap - Trekking TS12312
From Trekking
Trekking Safari Strap Pressure Free Easy Access Heavy DSLR/Binocular Neck Strap Two sets of Camera Mounting Straps.
- Brand: TREKKING
- Model: TS12312
- Dimensions: .65 pounds
Cheaply Designed, Very Flawed
I have a Nikon D300 and bought the Trekking Safari Strap as an easier, lighter way to carry my DSLR camera. Previously I had been using the ThinkTank Airport Antidote to carry my camera (this is a backpack case that you can connect the camera straps to the shoulder pads for easier carrying so that it doesn't put all of the strain on your neck, much like what the Trekking Safari Strap claims to do, but doesn't deliver on). The ThinkTank system is MUCH better. It is designed with more padding and made with better materials and stitching. It is comfortable but bulky (since it is a backpack and the Trekking Safari Strap is just a harness). The Trekking Safari Strap comes as a one size fits all, but this isn't true. I'm 6 feet tall and weight about 220 lbs. I had to set this as small as possible so that it wouldn't ride up on my neck and put all of the weight on my neck (like a normal camera strap would). Someone smaller, like the woman in the picture, wouldn't be able to use this at all. The Trekking Safari Strap is supposed to put the weight on your back, but it isn't designed properly to do so. If you look closely at the few pictures available you can see that the people wearing it are not really using it as designed. It cannot hold up a large, heavy DSLR camera using your back since there is no counter weight like in a backpack and the straps just go under your arms with only one adjustment per side. It needs a better designed harness.
I tried using several of the connectors that it offers but they all worked poorly. If you clip on to the metal rings at the top, it rides up on your neck like crazy and doesn't fit well at all. If you connect using the plastic straps and then walk around a little, it quickly adjusts to the lowest point and then puts pressure across your chest in an uncomfortable way. There just doesn't seem to be a way to get this thing to fit comfortably and stay there for any time at all.
Additionally, the straps are thin and don't provide hardly any comfort where they rub your neck and shoulders. There is only one adjustment for the strap (another bad design decision). It would also have been better if they had provided two ended clips for people that want to keep their current strap on their camera and only wanted to snap on this thing for occasional use. They do provide an extra set of clips.
Hardly any documentation is provided and what is provided has obviously been translated into English, quite poorly. Luckily, it is such a simple design that you don't really need much more to know how to use it, but this might frustrate some people.
I decided to send mine back. It is hardly better than an average camera strap and certainly not as good as the ThinkTank system. It is inexpensive, and that is why I gave it 2 stars instead of 1. I would recommend avoiding this product. It is an interesting idea that needs a better design and better materials before it will be useful, comfortable and will work properly.
Comfortable for carrying a heavy camera
I found this item well made and very comfortable to use. It makes carrying a heavy camera (and an optional pair of binoculars) easier since there is no strain on the neck. It is well made and has two small pockets for carrying a spare battery or memory cards. Two things I did notice that could be improved; it is a bit confusing to put on the first few times (fits like a shoulder holster) and it would be nice if it had more and larger pockets; otherwise I really like it. You cna set up two cameras since it comes with extra camera clip straps so you only need one strap.
