Review – Joby UltraFit Sling Strap
As Travel Photographers we spend a lot of time on our feet and it is not unusual for us to walk up to 20kms a day and sometimes this can be every day for a couple of weeks. We used to use the conventional neck straps but this was causing a lot of neck strain. Sure, we could always wear the strap over our shoulder however this was not practical and quite awkward when wanting to take a shot. There was also the option of the Joby UltraFit Hand Strap, however, we find these impractical in Travel Photography as it is always good to have both hands free at all times.
As a result, we started using the Joby UltraFit Sling Strap a few years ago and wow, it really does make a huge difference. The camera now goes over the shoulder and hangs securely to the side of your body. It has a small locking clip that will allow you to depress which will keep the camera tight against your body instead of swinging around. When wanting to take a shot just lift the locking clip and the camera seamlessly slides up to eye level and you’re ready to go. For those of you who are a little paranoid about the connection at the bottom of the camera, we suggest you purchase the Pro version which includes a Camera Tether connecting the camera to the strap for that extra peace of mind.
There are quite a few brands on the market however we have found the Joby brand to be quite cheap yet well-made. The more expensive brands seem to have more padding around the shoulder areas which would possibly be a little more comfortable, however, we’re sure you could probably modify the Joby strap should this be required. We highly recommend this product as it will take the strain off your neck over long periods of time and certainly save you a visit to the Physio or Chiro with neck problems.
UPDATE
We posted this review a few years ago, and although we do absolutely love this strap, there were a couple of negatives that swayed us towards the Peak Design Slide camera straps.
- Over the long term, they are not as well made as expected. Parts of the strap that are glued down started to separate.
- The connection point at the bottom of the camera is not ideal when mounting the camera on a tripod. The anchors used on the Peak Design Slide Strap are a far more practical solution for us.
- Limited warranty on their products as opposed to the Lifetime Warranty offered by Peak Design
Having said that, we still consider this strap to be excellent for the occasional photographer.
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