Peak Design Leash Camera Strap Review
After realizing that I looked like a massive tourist with a long zoom lens and bulky camera strap, I decided that I needed a more compact camera set up for travel. In particular, I wanted a small and unassuming set up that would be more discrete as I walked around small towns, sat at cafes or headed for a quick happy hour drink after snapping photos. Naturally, the first plan of action could’ve been to get a new, smaller prime lens (which I did end up doing eventually), but those are expensive. So, to help achieve my goal without breaking the bank, I decided to swap out my camera neck strap for Peak Design’s Cuff Camera Wrist Strap, which instantly made my camera set up way more compact and light. Mission accomplished - kind of.
If you’ve read my review of the Peak Design Cuff Camera Wrist Strap, you likely know that I do really enjoy it. In true Peak Design fashion, the Cuff Camera Wrist Strap is well built, comfortable and very compact. But, to be honest, carrying a camera around in your hand all day with nothing but a wrist strap to keep it from falling to the ground can be tiring. So, after experimenting with the wrist strap for a bit, I knew I needed to get back into the neck strap game. But, of course, a new neck strap would need to fit in with my now super compact camera set up / mantra. And it’d also need to be able to hold a decently heavy camera set up from time-to-time (don’t forget about that big bulky tourist zoom lens)! So, after a bit of research, I landed on another Peak Design product that seemed to check all of the boxes. It’s called the Peak Design Leash Camera Strap.
Features
The Peak Design Leash Camera Strap is basically the same as the Cuff Camera Wrist Strap, but in neck strap form. And that’s a good thing.
The Leash Camera Strap features a very slim profile, making it look very unobtrusive when you’re wearing it. Because of it’s slim profile, the camera strap can also be rolled up into a very small form, allowing you to easily pack it away in your camera bag. Peak Design even shows it being shoved into a pant pocket on their website, that’s how tiny it is!
Don’t let the strap’s small size deceive you, though. The strap, along with Peak Design’s anchor system, can hold up to 200 lbs! So, no matter how heavy your camera set up is, the Leash can handle it.
Speaking of Peak Design’s anchor system, the Leash comes with two extra anchors, so you can attach them to a second camera body and easily switch your strap between your two cameras. Or, if you have the Peak Design Cuff Camera Wrist Strap like me, you can take off your Leash and toss on the wrist strap in seconds if you’re feeling more of that vibe on any given day.
The strap also features quick pull tabs that allow you to easily adjust the length of the strap while you’re wearing it. Peak Design is quite generous in the amount of material they use to make their straps, so you can really make the Leash as long or as short as you’d like.
Lastly, the Peak Design Leash Camera Strap comes in a variety of colours, including coyote, black, ash, midnight and, my personal favourite, sage.
Build Quality
Like all Peak Design products, the Leash Camera Strap is built to last. Similar to the Peak Design Cuff Camera Wrist strap, the Leash is constructed using premium seat-belt style nylon webbing. The nylon certainly feels “premium” and solidly constructed. For a strap that looks and feels so small, it actually feels a lot more robust when you’re using it with a camera, as you can instantly tell the nylon is very strong.
The strap’s aluminum / Hypalon quick adjusters also add to the premium look and feel of this strap. The little leather bands that are connected to the adjusters are also a nice premium touch. I’m not sure if they actually enhance the functionality of this feature or not, but they certainly make the Leash look a bit cooler. The adjusters themselves also work smoothly, ensuring that you can quickly and easily adjust the strap’s length with one finger, even with a camera attached.
Lastly, Peak Design’s anchors are also extremely well built. This has been documented by many reviewers in the past, but their quick release function, along with their ability to hold up to 200 lbs, ensures that you’ll be able to use the Leash on multiple camera bodies, while keeping them safe while you’re on the move. The anchors also provide you with a heads up when they’re about to fail; if you see yellow threads starting to appear, it’s time to replace them. The good news is that Peak Design provides an extra set of anchors when you purchase the Leash, or, if you need even more than that, it only costs $14.95 CAD to purchase more.
Travel Practicality
Considering that the Peak Design Leash Camera Strap can fit into a pocket with ease, there really is no reason why you can’t bring this thing on a trip. Even if your travel camera bag is jammed with camera bodies, lenses and 10 different filters, you can still find room for this little camera strap when it’s rolled up.
In addition, the Leash practically weighs nothing (86g according to Peak Design), so you won’t even feel it in your bag. In fact, you might even forget it’s there until you’re trekking through the streets of Rome and realize that your camera’s about to drop out of your hands from holding it all day!
Potential Cons
The only potential con is that, because of the slim profile of the strap, it can start to dig into your neck if you’re carrying a heavy camera set up, or if you’re wearing the Leash for a long period of time.
I have found that, if you wear the Leash as a shoulder strap, you essentially eliminate this issue - even with larger camera set ups. But, if you do mostly use large camera set ups and you’re worried about comfort, consider opting for one of Peak Design’s larger camera straps, like the Slide Lite. Just keep in mind that these camera straps are much larger than the Leash, so they’ll take up more space in your bag.
Peak Design Leash Camera Strap - Verdict
The Peak Design Leash Camera Strap is a premium, well-constructed camera strap that is small enough that you can literally take it anywhere. The Leash can also safely hold up to 200 lbs, allowing you to safely carry even the heaviest camera setups with ease. If you are, however, looking for a super comfortable camera strap that you can wear all day, you may want to look into some of their others options, as the small profile of the Leash can start to dig into your neck after a while. But, for the money, the Peak Design Leash Camera Strap is a great compact option for travel.
Grab your Peak Design Leash Camera Strap here! Please note, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.