I Hate Hippy Straps

[doubs43]

One decision that we all face is which strap to use to carry our camera(s). Some like the wrist straps and some like the "Never Ready" cases with their attached straps. I prefer to carry the camera bare and with a neck strap.

However, I absolutely hate what I term "Hippy Straps"; you know...... those wide, woven design and brightly colored abominations that should be banned from all civilized nations. Their single attibute is that their width makes them comfortable. Oh, some also think they look "cool". That's it, IMO. It's all downhill from there.

Look at the typical Hippy Strap. The snap for attaching to the camera is much too large to fit through the camera body's eyelet so a split ring of some nature is necessary. The ring and the snap almost guarantee damage to the camera's finish. The final insult is the width of the strap gets in the way of advancing the film wind lever and can impede film loading too.

Yep..... I hate the dam*ed things! :bang:

So what DO I like? Well, I am comfortable with a well-made standard width leather strap. I can even handle a snake-chain although they have a habit of pulling the hair on the back of my neck and that can be painful.

Lately, though, I've found that a $10 Quantaray strap works just fine and is very comfortable. There a soft, padded, neck strap portion about 1 5/8 inches in width for comfort and then a 5/8 inch ballistic nylon strap that's adjustable for length. It's secured to the camera by split rings and has tough nylon snap-connectors that allow disconnecting the upper portion from the lower straps, leaving a few inches of the straps attached to the camera. They can be very quickly re-attached.

So what straps do you like.... and why? 😕

Walker

 

[titrisol]

but but but
hippy strraps are so damned comfortable for heavy SLRs!!!

 

[nwcanonman]

And have you seen the outragious prices they're getting on Ebay? De-ja Vue all over again - LOL.
They are great for carrying those big-heavy SLR's made in that same era - FTB's, Konica Auto-T's and F2's.

 

[DougK]

I hate neck straps in general, so I'll use a wrist strap with my rangefinders and a grip strap for my SLRs.

 

[BJ Bignell]

I'm a recent convert to wrist straps, now using a homemade wrist strap for my Bessa. I use what I guess is a hippy strap for my Yashica A, 'cause it's a heavy camera.

 

[Honu-Hugger]

In most of Idaho we just plain hate Hippies, except for the area of the state where I live -- it's a haven for holdovers from the sixties 😀. I believe a study was commissioned and every VW bus in Idaho is registered in Blaine county...and less than half of them run.

Just kidding...I only missed the sixties by a few years myself. I like authentic hardware (lenses, hoods, etc.) but have never cared less for authentic straps or cases, they are useless to me. I have Op/Tech straps on every camera I own. Same web nylon attachment as the Quantaray, same semi-wide and comfortable neoprene strap. I have two basic types of straps in various colors and all can interchange between different cameras -- I like the system, it comfortably supports even heavy SLR/MF rigs.

 

[doubs43]

And have you seen the outragious prices they're getting on Ebay? De-ja Vue all over again - LOL.
They are great for carrying those big-heavy SLR's made in that same era - FTB's, Konica Auto-T's and F2's.

That's where the Quantaray strap excells. It has the width around the neck area to be extremely comfortable while narrowing to attach to the camera. The best of both worlds, I think.

I'm going to have to research the prices being paid for those straps because I have several that came on cameras I've purchased on ebay. Maybe I'll find a use for them after all. 🙂

Walker

 

[kmack]

As an antique hippy I have to say:

There is some irony in seeing a fat, white haired guy with a 30 year old camera and a hippy strap. I would not be seen actually using it but; you'll have pry my green, gold, black, and electric blue needle point, cannabis leaf motif strap from my cold dead fingers 😛

 

[pshinkaw]

Funny this should come up. I just won my 6th or so "hippy strap" (actually I won an auction on a camera that comes with the strap).

I think the straps make great collectable items because there are so many different designs and so few people are tempted to actually use them. That is part of the definition of a collectable, is it not?

Back in the 70's. (I think they were actually more prevalent in the 70's then in the 60's) There was also an all black "hippy strap" Identical to the colorfuil ones, but all in black. I bought one to use on my Mamiya C33, all 5.5 pounds of it. I still use it. Also, down here guitar straps are almost the same design and very popular.


-Paul

 

[Honu-Hugger]

(snip)...Also, down here guitar straps are almost the same design and very popular.

-Paul

We like Willy in spite of his guitar strap, not because of it 😀 !!!

 

[suzums]

lol this even makes a thread?!



haha i love hippy straps. they really are comfy!

 

[Honu-Hugger]

lol this even makes a thread?!...(snip)

We're easily entertained -- somedays more so than others 🙂

 

[Little Prince]

This might be RF heresy, but straps in general get in the way of *tripods*. Yes I said the word 😀 .
The bigger the strap, the worse the problem. I like the small, narrow obscure straps with a minimum of fuss. But those Optech QR straps are quite nice. And oh, I also have a big wide one with *Nikon* glaring from it. Or did I lose that with the last camera I got rid of? Hope so.

 

[JoeFriday]

here's what I'm looking for... a "Leistrap" designed by Joseph Kuosac.. this particular one sold on eb*y for $62.. but I can't find another one

altho here's another that might be nice..

going for $36 on eb*y

 

[aizan]

anybody know where i can get a hippy strap exactly like this one? if i can't, i'll never be able to finish my 'city of god' camera set!

 

[doubs43]

lol this even makes a thread?! haha i love hippy straps. they really are comfy!

Sometimes an opinion can generate more comments than you'd generally believe. I'm glad that you "love" them and hope you continue to enjoy their use. For me, they're kinda like a "pet peeve" sorta thing. But I recognize that everyone is different and what works for one doesn't necessarily appeal to others. It's what makes the world go around, I suppose. 🙂

Walker

 

[gns]

It takes a certain character to pull off the hippy strap look (I'm thinking Cosmo Kramer, maybe). I don't care for them, but I wouldn't be caught dead with one of those "Leica" riding crop straps.

 

[Rob]

I actually liked those straps. I used a split ring but used heat shrink tubing to cover the clasp part so no damage. I liked the way you could stick a couple film cannisters in the strap. They are still being made.

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

I dig Gordon Coale's wrist straps and I also like the Hakuba Neoprene Neck Straps.

Both are good deals IMHO. Gordy's straps got class, and they are durable. The Hakuba straps do the job of neck strapping in comfort, don't bother worrying about style with these, they're plain and functional.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Hippy Straps are now "In" with the under-20 crowd. So if you have any, and do not want them, I'll be glad to deliver them to the "In-Crows" at the local camera shop. I tossed mine quite a while ago; I got a few with some used cameras and took them off upon receipt. Put em in a box, and they did not survive the last basement cleaning. Disappointed "kids" at the local camera shop!