So I've heard people give their opinion on which strap is best and often it comes down to which they own. I know I've posted that the Crumpler Industry Disgrace is an excellent strap and indeed it is. However, I never had tried some of the competition so I couldn't claim it was BETTER than any other.
So, in my latest purchase from BHphoto...I slipped in a BlackRapid RS-7 because I've always been interested in their product.
So finally I was going to be able to tell which strap better suits me! Hopefully a little comparison between the two from someone who has now tried both will help
Crumpler Industry Disgrace:
Crumpler is well known for their line of bags for every application. Photography wise you'll usually hear about their Million Dollar Home series. Ranging in size for holding a small point and shoot to being able to house a Full Frame Professional camera with grip they are well regarded as being a quality product. A few years ago they came out with the Crumpler Industry Disgrace. Unlike its title it aims to improve upon the generic OEM neckstrap that are often the cause of complaints regarding sweating, abrasion, and just plain making carrying a camera uncomfortable.
The Industry disgrace is much like the generic OEM neckstrap in that it attached to the same hooks on the top/sides of the camera with fabric straps. The neck area is padded with a stretchy neoprene material. On the inside it has some tacky material spelling out "Crumpler" meant to keep the neckstrap from sliding. The padding is quite wide and extends down until about the upper chest. Installing the strap is relatively easy, and involved looping the nylon fabric straps through buckles used to adjust its length. It can be a confusing process your first time through...especially trying to keep the correct side of the padding up.
Once installed, the Industry Disgrace is typically seen worn around the neck. Here, the improvement from the OEM strap is immediately noticeable. The fabric breathes better than the leather/nylon of the OEM strap making the strap feel noticeably "cooler". The stretch in the neoprene successfully takes some of the weight out of the camera(breaking the laws of physics themselves!). This stretch has a bit of a downside in that I found wearing it around the neck in front leads to a "spring-like" effect and causes the camera to continually bounce off your chest. It can be a bit annoying, especially if you are walking fast.
Personally I have found that wearing it either over one should(aka like a woman would carry a purse) or wearing it around the opposite shoulder and across the chest(like you would usually wear their camera bags) are more convenient. In the first position, the camera is not secured from sliding off your shoulder but typically stays in place just fine due to the tacky material on the strap. Usually when I would use this position, I would have a hand on the camera grip at all times. Wearing it in the second position results in a far more secure result. It can no longer slide off your shoulder and the neck padding works surprisingly well...not sure if they meant it to be used like this but it certainly doesn't look that out of place. The camera can be pulled a bit awkwardly against the body in this position making it a bit harder to pick up and shoot.
Another issue is that the nylon straps do not allow the camera to rotate easily which helps keep the camera upright against your chest when wore around your neck but doesn't work as well when draped over your shoulder. The straps gets twisted and you have to "unravel" them like a twisted rubber band.
Anyway, in summary, I consider the Industry Disgrace the ideal strap if you wear it around your neck. If you wear it over your should or across your body...it does a good job and is leaps and bounds better than the OEM strap. However, it has a few annoyances that some may run into.
BlackRapid RS-7:
Unlike Crumpler, BlackRapid is pretty much known for one thing...their straps. They've made a business of marketing slightly different style straps to their customers. In fact, they advertise their straps as "The fastest camera strap". So...for my first test I put the strap on the ground and raced it against a turtle. Sadly, the claim was proven untrue as the turtle won.
Anyway, onto more serious things, the rapid strap is definitely meant to be only worn cross-body. The RS-7 adds a bit of curve to the padded area from their previous models to better allow this. The strap attached via the "Fastener 3" to the camera's tripod mount. This new fastener is a single piece construction and I believe aimed at better reassurance that the part will not fall apart.
Installation is a breeze as you simply screw the fastener into the tripod mount...done. The caribeener attachment to the fastener is something I had always wished to have on my Crumpler strap. It allows the camera to rotate freely without causing the strap to twist. This is what sometimes required you to "unravel" the Crumpler strap.
Once installed, I slung the strap across my body. The strap was initially too small but the buckles, similar to the Crumpler, allowed an easy but secure way to adjust the length. Once in the correct position the first thing I noticed is how odd it was too look down at my camera upside-down. However, this has the advantage of the lens following your leg keeping it from bouncing into unsuspecting passerby's. I pulled the camera up to my eye only to have the strap slide completely out of position. However, Black rapid has a solution for this that they call "bumpers". These are just two plastic buckle/clips that clamp to certain positions on the strap. The one towards your back serves to pull the pad back into position when you lower your camera. The other in front keeps it from sliding around too far. I adjusted these again for my body and then the strap stayed in place and shifted nicely back when the camera was lowered. I can definitely see how in certain situations this would be beneficial if trying to quickly get a shot. It also doesn't "pull" at your side like the Industry Disgrace does when worn cross-body.
On the downside, the padded material doesn't feel quite as nice as the Industry Disgrace and definitely feels a bit more stiff.
BlackRapid RS-Sport:
So curiosity got the best of me and I had to try this one from Blackrapid as well. Its very similar to the RS-7 but has a bit more of a "turn" in the strap to conform to your body. The back of the strap is a bit longer and has a larger area of padding. Lastly, it comes with the "BRAD" which is an acronym lovers way of saying "A strap to keep the R-strap from rotating around your body". So its more of an attempt at a design improvement from the RS-7 rather than a radical change. One aspect that others have pointed out that I am not too concerned about is the RS-7 has a buckle on the back which a thief could theoretically unhook and quickly snatch your camera. I haven't heard of this happening but I can see how it could. The RS-Sport does not have this buckle.
The BRAD strap is detachable. So, if you don't need it, you don't have to use it. I tried it and it is functionable. I don't find it entirely necessary but if I was quickly on the move perhaps it would be a bit more important.
Currently I have it detached and the shoulder pad sticks pretty well in place due to its contoured design.
More important to me is the more prominent "turn" in the front of the strap. This leads the strap in the correct direction across your body. It sounds like a nit pick but it really does make a difference. The best way to describe it is the straighter the strap the more the actual strap has to "curve" across your body. I can feel this where the strap touches my body and tends to pull up on your shirt and bunch it up. It also seems to make the camera feel ever so slightly more present. The RS-Sport doesn't have this same issue and in back to back tests this is the biggest difference I noticed.
More padding never hurts and the RS-Sport adds just enough to keep it from being so prominent but making it ever so slightly more comfortable.
Anyway, for those that don't like/aren't interested here's the summary:
Crumple Industry Disgrace:
Pros - Good use of materials, excellent "light" neckstrap when worn in typical "around the neck fashion, Can easily be mounted to a tripod, May be better for "well-endowed" ladies.
Cons - Wearing cross-body can be awkward, straps get twisted, Installation can be tricky (for some)
Buy this if you are looking to replace the OEM neckstrap and want to wear your camera around your neck in typical fashion. Works well with lighter DSLR cameras.
8/10
BlackRapid RS-7:
Pros - Easy installation, comfortable, "bumpers" keep strap in position, never gets tangled.
Cons - Can only be worn cross-body, Ladies might have some issues, padding not up to Crumpler standards.
9.5/10
BlackRapid RS-Sport:
Pros - Easy installation, comfortable, "bumpers" keep strap in position, never gets tangled, Better contour than RS-7, BRAD strap is nice if needed
Cons - Can only be worn cross-body, Ladies might have some issues, padding not up to Crumpler standards.
9.75/10 - because no product is perfect
I hope this helps some people that were curious about both and didn't know which they might like better. Feel free to ask any questions!
If deciding between the RS-7 and RS-Sport, I'd go with the Sport. I returned my RS-7 and will stick with the model for the ergonomic improvements that make it feel like my 7D and 17-55mm lens weighs nothing at all!
So, in my latest purchase from BHphoto...I slipped in a BlackRapid RS-7 because I've always been interested in their product.
So finally I was going to be able to tell which strap better suits me! Hopefully a little comparison between the two from someone who has now tried both will help
Crumpler Industry Disgrace:
Crumpler is well known for their line of bags for every application. Photography wise you'll usually hear about their Million Dollar Home series. Ranging in size for holding a small point and shoot to being able to house a Full Frame Professional camera with grip they are well regarded as being a quality product. A few years ago they came out with the Crumpler Industry Disgrace. Unlike its title it aims to improve upon the generic OEM neckstrap that are often the cause of complaints regarding sweating, abrasion, and just plain making carrying a camera uncomfortable.
The Industry disgrace is much like the generic OEM neckstrap in that it attached to the same hooks on the top/sides of the camera with fabric straps. The neck area is padded with a stretchy neoprene material. On the inside it has some tacky material spelling out "Crumpler" meant to keep the neckstrap from sliding. The padding is quite wide and extends down until about the upper chest. Installing the strap is relatively easy, and involved looping the nylon fabric straps through buckles used to adjust its length. It can be a confusing process your first time through...especially trying to keep the correct side of the padding up.
Once installed, the Industry Disgrace is typically seen worn around the neck. Here, the improvement from the OEM strap is immediately noticeable. The fabric breathes better than the leather/nylon of the OEM strap making the strap feel noticeably "cooler". The stretch in the neoprene successfully takes some of the weight out of the camera(breaking the laws of physics themselves!). This stretch has a bit of a downside in that I found wearing it around the neck in front leads to a "spring-like" effect and causes the camera to continually bounce off your chest. It can be a bit annoying, especially if you are walking fast.
Personally I have found that wearing it either over one should(aka like a woman would carry a purse) or wearing it around the opposite shoulder and across the chest(like you would usually wear their camera bags) are more convenient. In the first position, the camera is not secured from sliding off your shoulder but typically stays in place just fine due to the tacky material on the strap. Usually when I would use this position, I would have a hand on the camera grip at all times. Wearing it in the second position results in a far more secure result. It can no longer slide off your shoulder and the neck padding works surprisingly well...not sure if they meant it to be used like this but it certainly doesn't look that out of place. The camera can be pulled a bit awkwardly against the body in this position making it a bit harder to pick up and shoot.
Another issue is that the nylon straps do not allow the camera to rotate easily which helps keep the camera upright against your chest when wore around your neck but doesn't work as well when draped over your shoulder. The straps gets twisted and you have to "unravel" them like a twisted rubber band.
Anyway, in summary, I consider the Industry Disgrace the ideal strap if you wear it around your neck. If you wear it over your should or across your body...it does a good job and is leaps and bounds better than the OEM strap. However, it has a few annoyances that some may run into.
BlackRapid RS-7:
Unlike Crumpler, BlackRapid is pretty much known for one thing...their straps. They've made a business of marketing slightly different style straps to their customers. In fact, they advertise their straps as "The fastest camera strap". So...for my first test I put the strap on the ground and raced it against a turtle. Sadly, the claim was proven untrue as the turtle won.
Anyway, onto more serious things, the rapid strap is definitely meant to be only worn cross-body. The RS-7 adds a bit of curve to the padded area from their previous models to better allow this. The strap attached via the "Fastener 3" to the camera's tripod mount. This new fastener is a single piece construction and I believe aimed at better reassurance that the part will not fall apart.
Installation is a breeze as you simply screw the fastener into the tripod mount...done. The caribeener attachment to the fastener is something I had always wished to have on my Crumpler strap. It allows the camera to rotate freely without causing the strap to twist. This is what sometimes required you to "unravel" the Crumpler strap.
Once installed, I slung the strap across my body. The strap was initially too small but the buckles, similar to the Crumpler, allowed an easy but secure way to adjust the length. Once in the correct position the first thing I noticed is how odd it was too look down at my camera upside-down. However, this has the advantage of the lens following your leg keeping it from bouncing into unsuspecting passerby's. I pulled the camera up to my eye only to have the strap slide completely out of position. However, Black rapid has a solution for this that they call "bumpers". These are just two plastic buckle/clips that clamp to certain positions on the strap. The one towards your back serves to pull the pad back into position when you lower your camera. The other in front keeps it from sliding around too far. I adjusted these again for my body and then the strap stayed in place and shifted nicely back when the camera was lowered. I can definitely see how in certain situations this would be beneficial if trying to quickly get a shot. It also doesn't "pull" at your side like the Industry Disgrace does when worn cross-body.
On the downside, the padded material doesn't feel quite as nice as the Industry Disgrace and definitely feels a bit more stiff.
BlackRapid RS-Sport:
So curiosity got the best of me and I had to try this one from Blackrapid as well. Its very similar to the RS-7 but has a bit more of a "turn" in the strap to conform to your body. The back of the strap is a bit longer and has a larger area of padding. Lastly, it comes with the "BRAD" which is an acronym lovers way of saying "A strap to keep the R-strap from rotating around your body". So its more of an attempt at a design improvement from the RS-7 rather than a radical change. One aspect that others have pointed out that I am not too concerned about is the RS-7 has a buckle on the back which a thief could theoretically unhook and quickly snatch your camera. I haven't heard of this happening but I can see how it could. The RS-Sport does not have this buckle.
The BRAD strap is detachable. So, if you don't need it, you don't have to use it. I tried it and it is functionable. I don't find it entirely necessary but if I was quickly on the move perhaps it would be a bit more important.
Currently I have it detached and the shoulder pad sticks pretty well in place due to its contoured design.
More important to me is the more prominent "turn" in the front of the strap. This leads the strap in the correct direction across your body. It sounds like a nit pick but it really does make a difference. The best way to describe it is the straighter the strap the more the actual strap has to "curve" across your body. I can feel this where the strap touches my body and tends to pull up on your shirt and bunch it up. It also seems to make the camera feel ever so slightly more present. The RS-Sport doesn't have this same issue and in back to back tests this is the biggest difference I noticed.
More padding never hurts and the RS-Sport adds just enough to keep it from being so prominent but making it ever so slightly more comfortable.
Anyway, for those that don't like/aren't interested here's the summary:
Crumple Industry Disgrace:
Pros - Good use of materials, excellent "light" neckstrap when worn in typical "around the neck fashion, Can easily be mounted to a tripod, May be better for "well-endowed" ladies.
Cons - Wearing cross-body can be awkward, straps get twisted, Installation can be tricky (for some)
Buy this if you are looking to replace the OEM neckstrap and want to wear your camera around your neck in typical fashion. Works well with lighter DSLR cameras.
8/10
BlackRapid RS-7:
Pros - Easy installation, comfortable, "bumpers" keep strap in position, never gets tangled.
Cons - Can only be worn cross-body, Ladies might have some issues, padding not up to Crumpler standards.
9.5/10
BlackRapid RS-Sport:
Pros - Easy installation, comfortable, "bumpers" keep strap in position, never gets tangled, Better contour than RS-7, BRAD strap is nice if needed
Cons - Can only be worn cross-body, Ladies might have some issues, padding not up to Crumpler standards.
9.75/10 - because no product is perfect
I hope this helps some people that were curious about both and didn't know which they might like better. Feel free to ask any questions!
If deciding between the RS-7 and RS-Sport, I'd go with the Sport. I returned my RS-7 and will stick with the model for the ergonomic improvements that make it feel like my 7D and 17-55mm lens weighs nothing at all!
