June 07, 2011|By Michael Zajakowski, Tribune Newspapers
Steel & Bear. In addition to the STEEL safety feature the STEEL & BEAR - adds a friction eliminating genuine STAINLESS STEEL BEARING for better spinning and less swinging. This new camera/strap connector development also shortens the physical distance between camera and strap and reduces drastically unwanted swaying
Name: California Sunbounce Sun-Sniper Strap Pro
What it is: It's a mouthful of a name, but this camera strap has the muscle to back it up. A steel cable about the thickness of pencil lead is sewn into a looped nylon camera strap, which is meant to be worn across the body and extending below the waist. The idea is to prevent tourist-targeting bad guys from doing the cut and run.
How it works: The strap runs through a ring attached to a machined stainless-steel cylinder, which rotates on ball bearings and connects to the tripod socket of your camera. The ring allows the camera to slide up and down the strap, letting you draw the camera up to your eye quickly. The strap is adjustable up to 63 inches and has a thick shoulder pad and (surprise!) a neoprene-covered shock absorber with an inch of give.
The good: The strap is made well, sturdy and does as promised. It takes a little getting used to, but if you typically carry one DSLR with a short zoom and stick to that, I could see this strap being just the thing for you. After a short break-in period, it's good for all-day comfort.
The bad: It costs $40 to $50 more than the average camera strap, so you had better believe this is exactly what you've been looking for in a camera strap. If you're carrying a heavy DSLR, like most pro cameras, the single-point connection to the tripod socket does not inspire confidence.
Cost: $82.74
Available from: bhphotovideo.com