Black Rapid / Alternates

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adam*

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Hi guys

Just wanted to hear opinions on the Black Rapid straps or any of the imitations (any good? still reliable?).

Cheers

Adam
 
there are imitations of the black rapid out there for far less money, but would you feel confident on carrying you £1000 worth of kit on one.....???

i have tried a black rapid and would say they are pretty excellent
 
Very pleased with my RS4, makes carrying the 7D and a 17-55 f2.8 comfortable for extended periods of time. The only criticism I would make is that the webbing used to make the strap could do with being a heavier gauge, it tends to fold and crease at the point where the camera hangs, unless it's just mine.

I would definitely buy another if anything happened to mine.

Chris
 
alan_g said:
there are imitations of the black rapid out there for far less money, but would you feel confident on carrying you £1000 worth of kit on one.....???

i have tried a black rapid and would say they are pretty excellent
Click to expand...

+1

Why save £20 on an imitation production when entrusting it with your much more expensive camera and lenses...

Love my RS7, so comfortable.
 
Not saying there isn't something better than black rapid but it's hard to imagine there would be and I've not come across it. Without doubt the best accessory in the price range I have. I use with 7D + battery grip+ any lens (my heaviest is probably 70-200 2.8) it never slips and make walking around with a camera all day a much better experience. I never even opened the bag with the canon strap, a neck strap is total joke compared to this kit.
 
If you use two camera's is it possible to use one in conjuction with a normal strap or does that not really work? Don't really fancy wearing the double harness just for style reasons ;)
 
Yes it is, you can also combine it with a backpack etc.
 
I use a sunsniper strap, I think it's pretty similar to the black rapid rs-7. It's not a cheap knock-off (only costs a tenner less), but one came up for sale on here so that's the one I went for. They also do a version with a steel cable in the strap for added strength/security.
 
OK. Cheers guys. Was thinking one would be good for hanging my 70-200 or 300 by my side, take alot of weight off my shoulder. Apparently you can get an extra attachment so you can just unclip it from one lens and onto another? Other camera on a wide + flash would usually be round my neck. Should work. Was going to get an UPstrap but these sound good.
 
I use a q strap (black rapid clone) with a d90 and sigma 70-200 perfectly fine and without worry.
 
Another vote for sun sniper here... Recently tested walking 10+ miles daily in the peak district with a d700 and heavy lens resulted in a big thumbs up from me!

(neck straps are just evil..only to be used by tourists as totally unsuitable for real use and very bad for your body too)
 
There is also the Luma Loop which has great reviews from the USA
 
i have a black rapid rs sport very well made, camera is always to hand works wonderfully, transfers the weight from around your neck to your shoulder so no stiff neck and feels relatively secure
 
I have the BR rs7 and it has coped with the a900 / 70-400 combo for over a year now (heavy combination) and if I'm totally honest - I really wouldn't trust anything else, Bought my wife the female version (shaped strap for the bumpy bits on the front) and likewise - it is always used.

.DAVID.
 
All sounds good. Standing around with a 5dmk2 and 70-200.and a 1d with a 300 2.8 can get Perry achey. Think ill invest in an upstrap and a br. Will the rs4 be adequate?
 
it funny that people say why buy the cheap one would you trust carrying £1000 camera on it, well i have the ebay dual quick strap £20 and i carry a d300 and siggy 50-500mm os and a d700 and nikon 70-200mm vr or a nikon 28-70mm f2.8 both gripped with no probs(bit more than £1000 worth), do i worry no not a chance, have i played with a proper black rapid and is it worth the extra to me no way.
 
I use an Optech Utility Strap Sling because I had the Pro strap and got the conversion strap for a tenner. Seems to work well enough but I have added a bodge to give a second connector on the camera baseplate as well as the one on the strap lug, just to keep my paranoia at bay....
 
The rooms and cupboards of togs are full of 'cheap' alternatives that were bought to save a few pennies. As you are doing, when I have the impulse to buy, I grab a coffee, open up tp and get some advice. Blackrapid always gets high praise.

Love my RS7 with the FastenR-T1 Monfrotto Tripod plate attachment.
 
Q strap carabiner scratched my D2Hs base, so not worth it IMO.
 
I use a Sunsniper Pro and been really impressed with it. I use it in conjunction with my D3s and either my 70-200 VRII, 24-70, or 14-24 with no problems at all. It also has a steel braided cable running through the strap to prevent opportunists from cutting the strap and running off with your kit.
 
Q strap user here and no probs to report. The design, construction and materials used is top notch. And the asking price seems of £20-25 is (to me) correct for what you get, whereas I consider the BR stuff is overpriced.

However I do use a FastenR-T1 in preference to the Q strap bracket, but that is purely so I can keep my Giottos QR plate attached to the camera full time. Incidentally, I had to attack the QR plate with a Dremel to get the FastenR-T1 work. I'm sure some out there wouldn't be happy doing that, but I am! Also I was bit surprised at the poor quality of thread on FastenR-T1.

Also I find this 'don't buy cheap copies' argument amusing and somewhat partisan. People seem very happy to recommend (for example) Redsnapper tripods, Meike grips and Yongnuo strobes and other bits of kit that are blatant clones/copies of more expensive branded gear, but when it comes to a strap the tenet is 'branded is best' seems to prevail.


It's all even odder when you consider that Canon and Nikon both started off producing cheap copies of Zeiss and Leica gear:)
 
Did the Q strap bracket seem adequate? I think the same as regards to third party stuff - some of it is fine.
 
Also where did you buy it from? Could you point me to the same product. CHeers
 
The Q strap bracket isn't the prettiest thing going but it is certainly robust if not "industrial" in design and construction... and as it is offset I found it held the camera in a better position at my hip, and doesn't get in the way when the camera is held in portrait. Also the sizable (rubberised) contact area means there is far less likelihood of it working loose once tightened to the the camera.

But as I wanted to keep the QR plate on camera, using the BR FastenR-T1 made more sense than stacking the Q bracket and my QR plate on the bottom.

I got mine from http://stores.ebay.co.uk/photogear2010.. excellent service too :)
 
I see one of the big issues with all the BR look a likes is the fastening is in to the tripod mount, which means taking it off for monopod/tripod work. Personally I like the Lu.ma loop method of attaching to the original camera strap mount.

For what they are I think they are all way over priced, there is very little extra material or workmanship in a shoulder strap than an normal Optech Pro Camera Strap.
 
When walking in the peak district, I was able to balance the d700 on my monopod with out removing the sun sniper. And then move on to next location (primarily a waking holiday!). I don't use a head on the monopod though. The combination of monopod as walking stick and the ss to hold camera was prefect for getting through muddy or tricky paths!

Unscrewing the strap to put the tripod qr plate on takes a few seconds, but tripod photography is not about quick shooting and constant movement which these straps are..........
 
whiteflyer said:
I see one of the big issues with all the BR look a likes is the fastening is in to the tripod mount, which means taking it off for monopod/tripod work.
Click to expand...
Not if you use a Manfrotto QR plate as you can get the FastenR-T1 which allows you to have the QR plate on camera whilst attached to the strap. It's then just a matter of unhooking and attaching to the tripod. No unscrewing/attaching tripod plate at all.
whiteflyer said:
For what they are I think they are all way over priced, there is very little extra material or workmanship in a shoulder strap than an normal Optech Pro Camera Strap.
Click to expand...
Yes they are overpriced. So are a lot of camera accessories - Arctic Butterfly/any sensor cleaning gear anyone? HOWEVER, it's the only way of carrying a heavy camera all day and still be able to stand up straight when you get home. With all the accessories on my RS-7 (I have a BERT, BRAD and a coupler of BUCKs) I reckon my strap cost approaching £100. Do I regret the purchase and wish I'd bought something cheaper - no way! Your priorities may be different however...
 
I use both the Q-Strap and the BR RS-7 because I get fed up with moving a strap between bodies.
Both screw very securely into the tripod bush but only the RS-7 will screw into a tripod plate, the Q-strap has its own plate.

However, with both straps I use the added security of using an Op-Tech connection between the cameras own strap thingy and another point on the sling strap assembly.
Thus if the tripod bush connection becomes detached then the secondary connection should prevent tragedy!
 
The Q-Strap plate is unsightly and not something that everyone would want to use ... I don't and so used it with a BR styler fastener but the carabiner has some sharp points protruding - if it touches your camera it will mark it!
IMO this is a fault and needs to be rectified in order to make the strap reliable in use.
 
Gramps, couldn't you gaffer tape the caribiner and stop that happening?
 
adam* said:
Gramps, couldn't you gaffer tape the caribiner and stop that happening?
Click to expand...

Yep, I could use gaffer tape, insulation tape, crisp packet but ....
Temporarily I've removed the carabiner and am running the strap through the fastner loop and that resolves the damage issue but isn't ideal.

My beef is that this is a defect in the design of the strap, there shouldn't be anything used which could damage the camera and in the case of this strap there is.
 
gramps said:
Yep, I could use gaffer tape, insulation tape, crisp packet but ....
Temporarily I've removed the carabiner and am running the strap through the fastner loop and that resolves the damage issue but isn't ideal.

My beef is that this is a defect in the design of the strap, there shouldn't be anything used which could damage the camera and in the case of this strap there is.
Click to expand...
so when you onna buy a black rapid then, at the end of the day they supply it with a bracket that does work with no probs, and my caribiners are fine no sharp bits, you must be unlucky.
 
scottthehat said:
so when you onna buy a black rapid then, at the end of the day they supply it with a bracket that does work with no probs, and my caribiners are fine no sharp bits, you must be unlucky.
Click to expand...

I may well do ... see what the TP one is like first :)
My carabiners, (both - I got the twin strap), definitely have sharp bits and has definitely scratched the camera, I may be unlucky, or you may just be lucky.
I just think everyone should be aware of the possibility of damage with these, forewarned is forarmed as my old mum used to say.
 
mine has no sharp bits.
i have the dual q strap
SJB_5960.jpg
 
Your carabiner is a different design, clearly it is silver and has rounded edges to the clip 'rivet' - mine was bought a few weeks ago and is more a bronze colour and definitely the 'rivet' ends are sharp.

You got shares or something?
 
gramps said:
Your carabiner is a different design, clearly it is silver and has rounded edges to the clip 'rivet' - mine was bought a few weeks ago and is more a bronze colour and definitely the 'rivet' ends are sharp.

You got shares or something?
Click to expand...
fare enough, and i wish mate they must be raking it in.:D
 
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scottthehat said:
it funny that people say why buy the cheap one would you trust carrying £1000 camera on it
Click to expand...

I must admit, it does make me think that buying the cheapo Ebay versions, re-branding them and selling them on for £200 quid each should make a fortune. After all if the logic is - "Black-Rapid expensive, Q-Strap cheap: therefore: Black-Rapid reliable, Q-strap fall apart instantly" then the same logic should apply and my re-branded knockoffs, being twice as expensive as the BR, should be twice as reliable. Yes, moronic. But no different to the comments from people who've never tried both.

I own a BR-7 and really like it. I found I had need of a double-harness once every month or so. I wasn't going to pay £100 for the BR version, so I bought an Ebay copy for 1/3 the price. As far as I can tell the quality is identical.
 
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hollis_f said:
I own a BR-7 and really like it. I found I had need of a double-harness once every month or so. I wasn't going to pay £100 for the BT version, so I bought an Ebay copy for 1/3 the price. As far as I can tell the quality is identical.
Click to expand...

:eek: looks like i'm buying an ebay special for my 1ds and 50d lol

M.
 
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