Hands On: HoldFast Gear MoneyMaker Camera Harness

The world of camera straps is vast, but can be boring and uninspired. It isn’t often that a strap system stands out, but it seems we’ve found one that does.  When Chris reviewed the HoldFast CameraLeash last month, the quality of the materials and the unique understated styling caught my eye. Now, HoldFast Gear has created something new: it’s called the MoneyMaker, and It’s pretty exciting.

Styling & Durability

HoldFast claims that the styling of the MoneyMaker was inspired by the leather strap that detectives would use to carry their peacemaker. That inspiration is immediately evident when you put on the MoneyMaker, and there’s no way around it: it feels unbelievably cool.

My copy is in “Oiled Brown” which is a very smooth, medium-dark brown dyed leather. The leather feels nice to the touch, and looks clean and smooth enought to not cause a distraction in a potentially formal environment. It’s a great looking system, and I continue to get asked about it when wearing it in public.

This particular model is built to accomodate 3 cameras at once, so durability is of utmost importance. Fortunately, I have nothing but good things to say about the build. Everything about the MoneyMaker exudes quality, and it feels as if it’s something you could pass down for generations. The leather is thick and hearty and the chrome hardware is heavy very solid, It looks as if it will wear well over time, and I have no concerns about rivets failing or the trigger snaps wearing out. It’s all built by hand in the USA, and HoldFast strongly believes in the Classic Americana values of style, durability, and functionality.

Versatility

What’s particlarly unique about the MoneyMaker system is how incredibly versatile it is. It’s made to hold up to 3 cameras at one time, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to. It has one fastening point on each side for cameras, and by passing the two included Camera Leashes through the D rings near your shoulders, you can hang a third smaller camera in front of you.

These camera leashes are also great for hanging things like water bottles, wallets, keys, or anything else you want to keep close to you while shooting. Matt from HoldFast even pointed out that you can use a camera leash to stabilize a camera while it’s hanging at your side by attaching it to a rear belt loop. Pretty clever, and you can really get creative with how you decide to hang your camera system from this harness.

In Use

I don’t often carry more than one camera around with me, so I found myself using the harness mostly in single-camera setup. That said, it was an absolute joy to use. It’s very comfortable, and because it helps distribute the weight of your camera across both of your shoulders, fatigue becomes a non-issue.

The sliding camera harnesses themselves worked very well, and I never had any issue quickly getting my camera to my eye for a shot. I do a lot of street photography, so having quick access is key, and the MoneyMaker satisfies. I feel I need to point out, though, that this isn’t exactly a stealthy harness. It’s very noticeable visually, and the metal-on-metal of the sliding mechanism can make a bit of noise when you’re moving about. Not that you couldn’t use it in a quiet situation, but it takes a bit of dilligence and concentration.

Conclusion

There’s a lot to love about the HoldFast MoneyMaker. It’s a unique product that is incredibly well built, and very thoughtfully designed. It makes carrying multiple cameras infinitely easier, and even makes lugging around a single camera more comfortable. It takes a bit of creativity to figure out how it works best for your needs, but once you’re setup, it’s an absolute joy to use.

Check out the HoldFast Gear MoneyMaker

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