February, 2012

(Two days after I bought my BosStrap the model was discontinued and the OP (One Piece) version was released. There are a few differences which I explain at the end of the review.)

The BosStrap Camera Sling System is another sling style camera strap made by BosStrap LLC, a Massachusetts based company. The BosStrap separates itself from other camera slings in that it attaches to the left camera strap lug instead of the tripod socket. Also, the strap has no shoulder pad. The BosStrap sling includes the strap, a sliding fitting, and the BosTail. The fitting has a clip which attaches to the BosTail, while the BosTail attaches to the camera.

The advantage of using a sling style camera strap instead of a traditional one which goes around your neck is that you avoid neck and back strain, especially if you carry your camera around all day. Having the strap draped over your shoulder provides more support and less pressure since it's spread out over a larger area. The idea behind having no shoulder pad on the BosStrap is to prevent the strap from slipping off your shoulder. I was a little skeptical at first, but it does actually work. The strap didn't slide up or down or ride up on my neck. Another benefit of having no shoulder pad is easy storage. The strap can be wrapped around a camera lens, taking up little or no extra space in your camera bag.

The sliding fitting clips onto the BosTail and easily slides up and down the strap.

The sliding fitting moves smoothly up and down the strap allowing for easy access to your camera. The clip on the fitting attaches to one end of the BosTail, while the other end attaches to the left camera strap lug. Most other sling style straps attach to the tripod socket. With the BosStrap the tripod socket is always available.

The ring of the BosTail attaches to the sliding fitting.

The BosTail is meant to stay attached to the camera. If you want to remove the sling you simply unclip it from the ring of the BosTail. Both the sling strap and BosTail are fully adjustable so getting your camera to hang at the desired height is easy. Overall the BosStrap works as it should. The one thing I didn't like is that I felt my camera swung too freely from the BosTail. Most of the time I was walking with it I had to hold my camera to prevent it from swinging. When using a tripod mount sling system I felt the camera had a little more stability. It did swing as well, but not as much. But if you don't mind keeping one hand on your camera when you walk it shouldn't bother you. One thing I've read in other reviews is that some people are concerned the clip can accidentally open if it gets stuck on your clothing. I really didn't think this was a problem. The makers of the BosStrap have eliminated this concern though.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, two days after I bought my BosStrap a new version came out, the BosStrap OP (One Piece). The OP version is different in that there is no longer a clip built into the sliding fitting. Instead, one end of the BosTail is permanently attached to the fitting. No clip means no accidental opening. Personally, I prefer the original version. There are times when you want to remove the strap, ie putting your camera on a tripod, cleaning your camera, etc. With the original version to remove the strap all you had to do was unclip it, leaving only the short BosTail attached to the camera. With the new OP version you need to unstrap the BosTail from the camera lug. Taking it on and off doesn't take long at all, but when you're photographing out in the field you want to make things as easy as possible. You can get more info and order the BosStrap OP from their website here, or you can order it through B&H Photo or Amazon using the links below.