Camera straps? Who cares, right? Wrong. The camera strap that comes in the box with your camera gets the job done, yes. But it’s a pain in the ass to put on the camera and it’s really not very comfortable. Custom SLR has a solution. They just launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a new camera strap they’re calling the Air Strap. The Air Strap is light, breathable, and affordable and it’s a sure bet that it works better than the camera strap you’re using now.
The crew at Custom SLR aren’t Kickstarter virgins. The Air Strap is Custom SLR’s fifth Kickstarter campaign. Their first time was for their C-Loop camera strap mount, which has a swivel and allows you to mount your strap on the camera’s tripod mount. They also used Kickstarter to launch their Split Strap camera strap and the M-Plate Pro, which adds a tripod quick release plate to the bottom of your camera and allows you to use the C-Loop strap mount without removing your camera strap. I’ve been using the M-Plate Pro with the C-Loop for over a year and I absolutely love the system.
As I said, the Air Strap is a lighter, smarter and more breathable replacement for the crappy OEM strap that came with your camera. It’s made of vented neoprene with a wicking fabric finish on both sides. The neoprene is stretchy and acts as a suspension system, protecting your neck and shoulders; and swiveling buckles allow your camera to move more easily with your body. The Air Strap also has a cool cinch strap that allows you to pull the camera tight and close to your body when you’re not using it; and quickly pull it loose when you want to take a picture. The Air Strap isn’t a replacement for Custom SLR’s burlier Split Strap. It’s perfect for an entry-level or prosumer DSLR and light zoom lens. But if you’re packing a Nikon D4 or a Canon EOS 1D X and a 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom, you’ll still want the extra support of Custom SLR’s original Split Strap.
Since this is a Kickstarter campaign we’re talking about, you have a few options if you want a Custom SLR Air Strap. A pledge of $25 or more will get you an Air Strap and a Laptop Strap Attachment that allows you to use the strap on your laptop bag or whatever else you want. A $50 pledge gets you the Air Strap, Laptop Strap Attachment and a C-Loop for mounting the strap to the base of your camera. For $100 you get the strap, the laptop attachment, a C-Loop, an M-Plate Pro and a ProDot shutter button upgrade. The retail value of the C-Loop and M-Plate Pro alone is over $100, so that’s a pretty sweet deal. For high rollers there’s also a $250 pledge option, which gets you all of the above plus dinner with the team in San Francisco – travel expenses not included.
Custom SLR Air Strap Kickstarter Intro Video:
Custom SLR has done this before and it’s a totally safe bet that the Air Strap will be funded. The campaign only started today and they’re already well-past the one-third mark of their $15,000 funding goal. But if you don’t want to help them fund the project you can just wait for it to hit the market and buy it from the Custom SLR Web site for $19.95. Personally, I’d jump on that $100 pledge option while it’s available. The final funding day of the campaign is January 9, 2014 and Custom SLR expects to deliver the first Air Straps to contributors in February of 2014.
Custom SLR Air Strap Kickstarter Page >>
Custom SLR Web Site >>
Super awesome. These guys are pros!