Black Rapid RS-Sport strap - Review

JoeLewisPhotography

Senior Member
At the request of other members, here is my review.

I'm Tired of having a sore neck, and reading all the great stuff about the Black Rapid sling style straps, I bought one.

(Image borrowed from Black Rapid)


blackrapid-rssport2-2.



Price:
For a strap, it is a bit pricey at $70. I Bought mine at Allens Camera in PA and got free shipping, so that relieved a little bit of the pain. (customer service there is great by the way). If you look, almost everyone has them for the same price, and offers free shipping. More thoughts on the price later...

Right out of the package:
It was packaged well, and included a Black Rapid sticker. At first sight, the overall quality and construction of the strap is amazing to say the least. It looks great too.

Trying it on:
I tried it on first, without the camera. It slides right on. It takes some getting used to (if you are used to a neck strap) but after taking it off and putting it on twice, I had the hang of it. The armpit strap has a clip to "open" it to make it easier, but I found it the easiest to slide your arm through it.

The armpit strap:
This is the RS-Sport model, which has the additional strap that goes under your arm. Being a guy who wears sleeveless shirts often (as I am today), I immediately thought, man, this is going to be uncomfortable rubbing against my armpit/side. Short sleeves, and longer are a must for maximum comfort in my opinion. This extra strap is there for a reason. It helps hold the strap in position, and keeps it on your shoulder, avoiding the possibility of it creeping toward your neck. If you dislike the strap, it is completely removable.

The main strap:
I was worried. being a tall guy at 6'5" and having the strap at its max length, it didnt seem as though the camera would sit at my hip like advertised, but more so on my spare tire. yikes. wasn't sure how this would be when I get the camera on it. It does have 2 adjustable "stops" so when equipped with the camera, you can control its resting position.

The hardware:
The hardware is all done in a black chrome finish, and looks great. I love the style clip that is used for attaching the camera to the strap. With the safety barell screw, its not quick, but it is safe, and thats important. The loop that goes on the camera comes with a rubber "gasket" so you dont tear up the camera bottom putting it on.


(not my photo, just one i pulled off the net)
This was a plus for me. with $3000 worth of camera hanging upside down at your side, feeling safe is important.

RS-4-Review-Shot-12.jpg



First Impressions:
Looks amazing, and obviously high quality, but a little awkward and weird fitting without the camera.

Gaining 5 lbs. does make a difference! :confused:
I added my 5 lbs. of camera to the strap. A D300s and a 17-55 2.8. No grip...for now. WOW, what a difference. IMMEDIATELY the strap became incredibly comfortable. With the weight, the camera went down a bit, and hung right where it was supposed to at my hip. (if taller than 6'5", it may not) When walking, the camera doesn't bounce around like you might think if positioned correctly. (main strap is adjustable for length). I wouln't run with it though (unless hanging on to it), then it will bounce around some. Brisk walking is fine, with minimal movement. The camera's hanging position is that of a pistol in a holster...its perfect. Right at your finger tips. The camera slides up and down the strap flawlessly. The strap does shift a bit when sliding the camera up, but immediately goes right back to position when you put it back at your side. The armpit strap also minimizes this movement...at least thats how it seemed.
That armpit strap instanly felt useful now. You can feel it doing its job. which is a plus. But it is still uncomfortable against the skin. It became a little better with the camera attached, but still, nylon straps and skin doesn't mix well in any case. It would have been nice if that was padded. As long as you arent shooting in a muscle shirt or topless, this wont be an issue. If it is, then with a little fidgeting, the armit strap comes right off.

Final thoughts:
Buy one. :cool: do not hesitate, or think twice if considering one. The sheer comfort alone, and weight off your neck is enough to justify the price. The build quality and ease of use is just a bonus. Not once while wearing this, having my camera attached and jogging, jumping etc, did I feel like my camera was un safe. It is a very secure setup. I did not try this with my Ziekos grip yet, but I will. Though I am very hesitant that the plastic construction of the Zeikos will hold up to the same abuse. I may invest in a Nikon brand grip just for peace of mind. I will test it later and report back.

Hope the review was helful, and I will post more on it, the more I use it, though I can only forsee it being nothing less than great, all the time.
 
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fotojack

Senior Member
I totally agree with Joe. This is the best strap made.....bar none! I've had mine for over a year now, and it's the best buy I ever made for my camera. I don't have the under arm piece, as they didn't have it when I bought mine (RS-4 model), but I'm thinking of a way to make my own under arm piece.
 

JoeLewisPhotography

Senior Member
I thought that under arm strap would be annoying , but it does serve a purpose! I unsnapped it and tried it without, and its fine, but I can feel it creep toward the neck a little. I only wish that strap had a little bit of padding, but thats just for me and my style (sleeveless).
 

JoeLewisPhotography

Senior Member
Looking at the sun sniper, I see 2 major differences right away. The first is the fastener and clip. I would much more prefer BR's. The biggest difference I see though, looking at the shoulder pad of the sniper, it looks to be somewhat straight and right up against the neck, where the BR is curved to go around the neck and sits more on your shoulder. For someone like me, who has neck and back issues, that is a big deal.
 

fotojack

Senior Member
Update: I have since attached the under arm strap to my RS-4 strap and I can honestly report that it works as advertised. I got it as a gift, by the way. :)
 

fotojack

Senior Member
Got it. Do you use anything over the lens like a cover or cushion of some sort? Thanks

No, nothing. The camera is always ready to shoot. Other than using a lens hood, nothing else is needed. Just be aware of where the camera is and use common sense in protecting your camera. As I walk, I keep my hand on the hand grip of the camera so it doesn't move around. It's the natural thing to do..........unless you don't like your camera and don't care. :)
 

catfish

Senior Member
I have this strap also and love it. Keeps my camera from bouncing around and I can bend over and it stays right on my hip ( as long as I have the plastic lock thingy locked) I used it at the Copan ruins climbing up on pyramids and climbing onto shipping containers ( to gain a better vantage point ) and never once has it banged on what i was climbing up.

Great strap, for the price it is totally worth the "safety" that it provides your camera.
 

Geoffc

Senior Member
We got a couple of sport straps the other week and really like them. Even with a 70-200 2.8 it feels really comfortable, although you need to screw the strap onto the lens rather than camera body to balance it. I've acquired a second screw in piece so I can have one on the body and one on the lens to avoid swapping them all the time.

We haven't used the under arm piece yet but I may try it.
 
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