Last Updated on 11/28/2012 by Gevon Servo
I believe in good camera straps. If you are going to spend thousands of dollars on camera gear, you might as well invest to make sure you don’t drop that gear. When I first got to Photo Plus expo 2012, one of the first things that caught my eye was the Vulture Equipment Works A4. By far, it is one of the most rugged straps I’ve ever seen.
Build Quality
The A4, made in the USA, is the flagship product of Vulture Equipment Works. It is made of self-healing ballistic nylon. This material is very strong and can handle a huge amount of weight. The strap also uses military grade quick releases. It felt really tough after tugging on these things pretty hard. If you get into a bad situation you can get out of it easily enough though.
Ruggedness
So while talking with their representative, who had a heavy Nikon D2 on his A4 strap, I asked him to swing the camera. Without hesitation, he did. It was epic, especially with all the strange looks we got. There was no strain. At the show they had a Phase One camera to show how much trusted the straps.
Uses
The Vulture equipment strap is a multitasker. It can be configured to hang from the dual points on front hooks of a back pack .it can be converted to a single point strap like a Black Rapid RS-7. The A4 can also be a dual point strap for a doing and shoot pouch.it can also be uses as a strap to carry a briefcase or a tripod.
Is it Comfortable?
Yes. I have tested many camera straps. I have ever only been infatuated with one: the Black Rapid RS7. However, I have never felt truly comfortable putting my D700, with its grip and a big lens like my Tamron 28-105mm f2.8 on a Black Rapid. I would actually do this with the Vulture works.
Availability and Pricing
They will be available in retailers like B&H and Adorama in the near future or you can order from their site. There is also a smaller version called the A2 which will also be available around the same time. It has all the same features,just smaller.
Would I use it? I’m seriously thinking about it. It works with my Crumpler Sinking barge and my Tamrac Evolution 8 and I love the look and the fact that it has more than one function. It’s a genuinely great product.
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