BosStrap

I did a check on the last time I wrote on sling-type camera straps and realized that it’s been more than 3 years since I last wrote one such, even though these sling straps are a much-needed improvement over the typical shoulder strap that comes supplied with new camera bodies. My previous post on my first sling strap – the BlackRapid RS4 – is right here, and on the Herringbone handgrip here.

The BlackRapid series of straps are widely known and used, and also carried at many local resellers here. Shortly after I picked up the BlackRapid though, our ang mo bud came about visiting us in Singapore, bringing along an interesting strap from a lesser-known supplier: the BosStrap. Now, who wouldn’t like a name like that? :)

The BosStraps though aren’t available through local resellers as far as I can tell. You either need to get them through online retailers like B&H, Amazon, or on eBay. I picked up the BosStrap Generation 3 Sliding Sling Strap for about S$80 – shipping costs = ouch – through their eBay store, and the strap’s been used for more than 3 years now.

Comparing between the BlackRapid and the BosStrap: both serve the same function – sling your camera on your shoulder and offload from your neck the weight of your camera. The securing mechanism and material used for the straps couldn’t be more different though. The BosStrap uses nylon webbing, similar to the material you find on car seat belts. There are numerous advantages to that: the material is soft, velvety-like and nice to hold and run your fingers along. The strap is also easily flexible and can wrap around your lens for easy storage, something that’s just not possible on the BlackRapid.

Unlike the BlackRapid too, there is no shoulder pad. Some photography enthusiasts won’t like it, but I actually prefer a pad-less strap. The BlackRapid pad keeps sliding back, and its presence makes me consciously aware that I’m carrying a camera on my shoulder. The BosStrap’s mostly soft material and minimal use of metallic elements is also a talked about advantage as it reduces the possibility of those elements scratching or damaging the camera body.

Next couple of pictures showing how the BosStrap is secured to the camera.

In short I like the BosStrap. The one difficulty I have with the strap though is incidentally also another much talked about benefit. The BosStrap secures the camera via the body’s strap lug. This frees up the tripod socket that’s routinely used by other straps, including the BlackRapid, and enables the camera to sit properly on flat surfaces. I found the Tail however a chore to remove, and you’ll need to be happy leaving it right there tethered semi-permanently to the strap lug. And fixing up the main strap to the Tail also takes time. Fundamentally, if you want a strap that’s quick to mount and dismount, you might need to look elsewhere – and this is something that might be more important than you’ll realize until you’ve used the strap for a bit!

Neither straps have secondary securing systems. The straps are pretty secure for my use. But for those of us who’re nervous about having several thousand moolas worth of glass, plastic and metal dangling about your hip and the chance of it kissing concrete, there’s apparently other sling straps with redundant camera securing systems built-in. More on that later once this innovative strap comes in!