When Judie and I were at CES 2014, I kept my camera handy at all times thanks to the Capture Clip from Peak Design. (Read the review.) The Capture Clip started as a Kickstarter Project and quickly became a favorite way for me to carry my camera. Now the company is back with their new Slide, Clutch and Anchor Links.
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- Peak Design
Capture from Our Initial Review
I have pre-release samples of each of the three accessories, and I can’t say enough good things about them. Yes, this is one of the (all-too-few) examples of amazing companies that come into being thanks to crowd funding, and continue to introduce products that are innovative, effective and worth your hard-earned money. Let’s take a look at each of the items. If you’re impatient and want to jump over to their Kickstarter Project Page, you can click here.
The Peak Design Slide
The Slide is a camera strap unlike anything you have seen or used. Yes, we have reviewed shoulder straps that hold your camera in unusual manners, but the Slide is designed to function as if it were a standard camera neck strap OR as a sling or shoulder strap.
The Slide Is:
- Wearable as a sling strap, shoulder strap or neck strap.
- Quick connecting with one hand, using our patent-pending Anchor Link™ connection system.
- Smooth on one side and grippy on the other, and instantly reversible depending on your preference.
- Comfortable even with the heaviest of pro cameras.
- Made of tubular seatbelt-style webbing with padding on the inside for less bulk and a clean, classic look.
- Compatible with ARCA-type tripod heads, so you can place your camera in the tripod without unscrewing anything.
- Quickly customizable and adjustable. It can attach to multiple places on your camera and quickly cinch to fit your body type or activity.
- More than strong enough to hold any pro camera/lens/accessory combo.
There are many reasons to like the Slide. For me that begins with the fact that I hate the cheap neck straps camera companies include with their products. Those straps tend to be thin, uncomfortable, and they are simply the least expensive way for them to be able to claim they include a carrying method with their cameras. The Slide starts as a much better-quality neck strap, but then it also quickly becomes a shoulder or sling strap thanks to its innovative design.
In addition, because the Slide is designed to work with the included ARCA-type mount, it “plays well with tripods.” And finally, since the Slide ships with Peak Design Anchors, you can quickly remove and reattach the strap. Better still, if you have extra Achors (we will come to that shortly), you can use one Sling with multiple camera.
The Peak Design Clutch
Just as the Slide is a new take on neck and shoulder straps, the Clutch takes the camera hand strap to a new level. It is, “the only quick-connecting, quick-adjusting camera hand strap ever made.” The Clutch lets you get a secure grip on your camera while also letting you access the controls with ease.
The company notes that the Clutch is made with materials and hardware that was inspired by climbing gear. In other words it is rugged yet stylish; functional but simple. I tend to use a hand strap with my cameras, and I’ve always found them to be “good enough.” The Clutch stands out because it is “better than good.” And because it ships with an ARCA-style mount and Anchor Links the Clutch works well with tripods and can be easily integrated into a system that employs both the Clutch and the Slide.
Clutch Features Include:
- Quick connecting with one hand, so you can add or remove it as needed.
- Quick adjusting, so you can tighten it when you need extra security and loosen it when you need to access your camera’s controls.
- Low profile and unobtrusive compared to other camera hand straps on the market.
- Made from premium materials and custom hardware inspired by high-end climbing gear.
- Designed to work with or without battery grips, and strong enough to hold any pro camera/lens/accessory combo.
Peak Design Anchor Links
At the center of the Peak Design ecosystem is the Anchor Link. The Anchor Links are a super-easy, super-secure way to connect any strap to your camera.
They are, “quick connectors that can be placed on the ends of any standard camera neck strap, giving it super-fast, über secure quick-connection capability.” Best of all, you don’t have to purchase a Slide or a Clutch to make use of the Anchor Links. Then again, since the Clutch and Slide are so well designed, why would you opt to use anything else?
I’m super impressed with the Capture Camera Clip and use it all the time. I’m equally impressed with these new offerings and know you will be too. Back them here on Kickstarter!
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample of the Peak Design Slide, Clutch and Anchor Links
What I Like: Thoughtfully designed to be secure, simple to use and flexible; Anchor Link system lets everything work together
What Needs Improvement: Nothing but I encourage people to back this project before it ends in order to save some money
