There are lots of alternatives to the strap that comes with your camera, like straps with thicker padding. But I’m pretty into sling-style straps, especially for torturous events like CES. Luma’s 2.0 Loop is a radically simple, elegant implementation of a sling strap.
The biggest change from the original Loop is the way it connects to your camera. The new pushbutton quick detach swivel connector is built by the same dudes who build similar connectors the Marines Corp (where it’s used on rifles).
Pluses
Super comfortable, thanks to the adequately padded leather strap and the weight distribution of your camera. Getting the camera from rest to shooting position is faster than a standard shoulder strap. And the new connector is a snap, literally. If you need to quickly rip your camera off the strap, just push on the detach button and yank. Otherwise, your camera’s plenty secure. (I hauled a Nikon D3s with an f2.8 70-200mm lens all throughout CES with no problems.) The system’s also flexible, allowing you to use pretty much any attach point you want.
Minuses
This thing is not cheap, at $US70 for the Loop. (Though if you’ve got the original, they’ll upgrade you for $US30.) Resting the camera at your side requires a slightly different mentality, otherwise you’ll smash it into stuff.
Price
$US70 for the Loop; $US35 for the LoopIt for smaller cameras; $US30 for Loop 1.0 upgrade kit