Last Updated on 11/28/2018 by Mark Beckenbach
The Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo is the stripped down version of their well designed Money Maker.
With the Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo, photographers are getting the closest thing that the company will ever make to a BlackRapid strap. Like many of the company’s other products, it oozes with quality and well made materials. With the Money Maker Solo originally designed for the photographers who bring two big cameras with them, the Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo is more so designed with a single camera in mind. But in terms of implementation, it sometimes falls short. I genuinely think that if Holdfast fused their Maven and the Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo together, they’d create a strap that is pretty much unbeatable.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Well built
- Sturdy
- Great hardware
- I wish some straps on camera bags had this much durability
- Looks pretty nice
Cons
- It’s slower than a Black Rapid, and so when they make a Swagg version of it, I think this strap will be at its pinnacle as far as implementation goes
- Totally not for photo walking
- When you take it off, you’ll feel like you’re pulling off a massive harness system. That’s essentially what this is
Tech Specs
Taken from the Holdfast page
The MoneyMaker Solo sling strap is a single camera, cross body version of the legendary MoneyMaker.
Same leathers and hardware, remixed into the perfect blend of high form and function for the single camera user.
The shoulder pad is designed the handle the load of heavy cameras with ease and comfort.
The included stabilizer strap keeps that shoulder pad in place.
A front d ring attachment point for use with our Sightseer Cell pouches or other gear like sun glasses.
And here’s what really sets this strap apart, the included Belt Anchor.
Attach this little gem to any belt, or one of ours for a perfect match, and now your camera stays put where you want it (no swinging forward or flopping around) until you’re ready to shoot.
A quick tug sets the camera free for shooting, then one handed attachment back to the belt makes using this strap a one of a kind experience. Be completely hands free with full mobility on your adventures with your camera, until you see the image, then break free and get the shot! High comfort and high performance, the MoneyMaker Solo is the perfect companion for single camera shooters.
Select Right Hand or Left Hand when picking your size.
All images shot by Brandon Burk
SMALL= Height of 5’7″ (170 cm) and below (if you are broad/built then size up)
MEDIUM= Height between 5’8″-6’2″ (173 – 188 cm) (if you are slender then size down, broad or built size up)
LARGE= Height of 6’3″ (191 cm) and above OR wear extra large clothing (if you are slender then size down)
*Review “DETAILS” tab below before making your order
Ergonomics
The Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo is a beautiful camera strap system in appearance and build. Think of a thick leather belt and then think about mounting that around your torso. You’re getting a great strap for sure, not only in the hardware but the leather quality. In fact, I’d argue that Holdfast overcompensates.
The main part of the Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo is this. It mounts to your camera’s tripod socket and locks into place. You can twist all you want but to take the camera off, you’ll need to unlock a fairly complicated mechanism. This unit also slides up and down the Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo. It is sort of slow.
The Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo otherwise has very solid build with its leather and the hardware. The belt hole system has a pin underneath that makes it difficult to adjust and therefore lose its shape. But once you do it, you can rest assured that you won’t need to change the implementation.
Here’s the shoulder pad. This pad is very comfortable. But again, I think that some extra cushion could be nice.
Build Quality
The Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo exudes high quality. It is built very well, sturdy, and strong. I’m positive it could support my weight if I hung off of a ledge or bar from it; the buckle system is even designed to keep it at its same length. Indeed, Matt and the crew have created what I’d say is ultimately the most durable camera strap in the world. But that’s also its pitfall: I sometimes feel like it’s too heavy even with a DSLR and a big lens.
Ease of Use
The Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo is a brilliant idea: take the Money Maker and sort of slim it down for one camera. I mean, that just makes sense. But unfortunately, it isn’t always the best. The beautiful thing about a Black Rapid style strap is how quickly it lets your camera go up the strap. In this case, you’re slowed down because of the hardware against leather. This is why I think Holdfast would be better off using their other materials for the Solo. If Holdfast did this, it would perhaps be a big threat to Black Rapid.
In real life photo walking use, I found the Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo to weigh down quite a bit on my chest and cause my shirt to dampen with sweat in NYC’s summer. The implementation is the best they could have done for sure, but it’s not the best that Holdfast can produce.
Conclusions
With the Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo, you get a great camera strap. (At least, this is a great start.) It’s built well in every single way and deserves our five out of five star rating just for this. But at the moment, it is a strap that will find best use for studio and landscape photographers. It just simply doesn’t let you deploy your camera fast enough. But if the Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo came in a canvas/seat belt/thinner leather version, then it would solve these problems.
The Holdfast Gear Money Maker Solo wins five out of five stars from us. For $175, you’re getting a strap that will ensure your camera stays safe no matter what.