New Products From Peak Design: Leather & Rope Camera Straps & Toolless Tripod Mounting Plate

Peak Design, everyone’s favorite supplier of camera carry solutions, just announced a new lineup of camera straps plus another innovative accessory. Dubbed the “Form” series, the new straps are available in full-grain leather or braided nylon/polyester rope, four sizes each, and a collection of tasteful colors. There’s more cool stuff, too, which we detail below.

In addition to the Form rope and leather neck straps, Peak Design also debuted Cuff Leather and Cuff Rope wrist straps, which feature a one-size, quick-cinching design in matching materials and colorways.

And not to be overlooked, an accessory that has been long overdue: the Field Plate, a tripod mounting plate that doesn’t require a coin or impact wrench to tighten or loosen. The Peak Design Field Plate features a pop-up thumb drive screw that enables secure operation using your hands alone. It’s fully compatible with Peak Design tripods, Capture clips, straps, and most third-party Arca-type heads.

As with all Peak Design camera straps, the new Form collection straps use the time-tested Anchor Link quick-connection system, but with a twist. Ultra low-profile hardware is integrated directly into the strap ends with no visible stitching, O-rings, or connectors. Nonetheless, the flatter connections can support up to 200 pounds.

Form Leather straps are premium ECCO full-grain leather and are fitted with machined aluminum hardware and a custom finish along the strap’s underside to provide shoulder grip. In case you wonder, full-grain leather is the best, most expensive type. Top-grain leather is the second highest grade. Confusing language, except perhaps to cattle.

Form Rope straps are made from a custom-developed, braided nylon and polyester rope, and are finished with fiberglass-reinforced nylon Anchor Link housings.

Both Peak Design Form strap styles are available in fixed-length neck/shoulder models as well as bandolier (cross-body), four sizes in all, plus matching Cuff wrist straps. The Leather straps offer three colorways: Black, Amber and Tan. Rope straps come in your choice of Black, Ocean (blue), and Kelp (military green). Cuff wrist straps offer the same color choices, based on material.

In the Field
Shutterbug had the opportunity to use a representative assortment of Peak Design Form straps with a variety of cameras that varied from tiny to normal to monstrous.

From the get-go, I was impressed that colors of the anchor links on the Form Rope models were coordinated to match the strap color. Nice touch and totally unexpected. On the other hand, my desire for small-minded consistency forced me to swap Anchor connectors when I changed from a kelp-colored Form Rope to a Form Leather strap. Can’t have green links on an amber strap, right?

I was pleasantly surprised by how useful the Neck versions, which measure 30.9 inches (78.5cm) with Anchors, proved to be. They allowed me to carry my Nikon Z fc or Fujifilm X100f cameras close below my neck or over my shoulder, snuggly near my chest. It took me back to my college days when I wore my Leica M3 on a homemade strap in exactly the same way.

The long strap versions have more virtues than advertised. They were awesome as a bandolier (cross-body) straps, but made their bone doubly in my cold climate because they were a comfortable fit over a heavy jacket.

The braided Form Rope strap has a unique feel. I understand that Peak Design was not satisfied with available material choices, so they concocted their own blend. They felt great—just stretchy enough and not stiff at all.

The premium, full-grain Form Leather straps are a beauty to behold. I can easily imagine how rich they’ll look in years to come, as this highest-level cut of leather always acquires an attractive patina as it ages. The standard length was just right and the milled aluminum alloy endpieces, i.e., the Anchor Link shells, are amazing. They meld seamlessly onto the strap ends with a very low profile. PD says the undersides of the leather straps have a special low-tack, finished surface to retard slippage when worn over the shoulder, but for my money I’d still like more friction. Maybe I’m clumsier than most (I have been told so) but somehow I often manage to slip straps. Maybe Peak Design can create an optional, removeable strap pad for whiners like me.

At first I was confused by the need or function of the aluminum accessory loop that slides on one end of specific straps. Took my tiny brain a minute, but then it dawned on me that by attaching an Anchor Link connector, it would be a snap to splice the two ends of the strap together temporarily to allow single-point camera carry. I never carry cameras by one lug, but if I did, I would have guessed this right away, maybe.

But the gem of the new product announcement, one that is less glamorous but far more important, is the Field Plate. Instead of a slot that requires a coin or screwdriver to rotate, the Peak Design Field Plate has a brilliantly designed pop-up mechanism that enables removal (or attachment) of this tripod mounting adapter using only a thumb and forefinger. Although I did not see this in Peak’s literature, I suspect that this method is also less like to result in over-torquing and stripping the tripod socket.

Price & Availability
You can order now directly from Peak Design. Be warned that these are new and hot, so some SKUs may not be immediately available.

Form Leather Straps are available in Long, Short and Standard sizes (MSRP $79.95) and as a Neck Strap (MSRP $69.95). The Form Rope Straps are priced at $49.95 (Long, Short, Standard) and $44.95 (Neck). Cuff Leather wrist straps are priced at $59.95, Cuff Rope Wrist straps at $39.95, and the Field Plate at $39.95.

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Unbelievable Success
Peak Design has raised $57 Million across 15 Kickstarter campaigns and is one of the world’s most successful crowdfunded companies. They are the recognized leaders in the camera bag, photo backpack, camera strap, multipurpose bag and other categories important to photographers. Their Travel Tripods and Pro Tripods have set new benchmarks for innovation and function. They are one on the most imitated brands, in my opinion. And Peak Design is a company you can feel good about because they care for the Earth and its inhabitants. Download their Impact Report and read what I mean.

Bad News, Good News
All over the world, photo enthusiasts are stuffing junk drawers and closet crevices with brand new, unused, unopened camera straps that came with their cameras. Peak Design camera straps have captured the hearts and minds of photographers everywhere, rendering camera manufacturers’ straps antediluvian. And for good reasons. Peak Design camera straps are innovative, strong, stylish and comfortable. I like them partly because they switch easily from one camera to another—with no fuss and no broken thumbnails.

As an act of pure benevolence, I, Jon Sienkiewicz, have started a cottage-level business enterprise that sells conversion kits that allow you to transform your camera-manufacturer strap into something truly useful. Each kit includes the necessary hardware, superglue, safety pin and Ikea-inspired instruction sheets to build a) a sturdy dog leash that advertises your camera brand, b) a jaunty sport belt to be worn with your cutoff cargo shorts and, c) a choker collar for your favorite feline. The choking function is optional. To order, put $25 cash in a greasy paper bag and mail it to: Cozen Enterprises, Station Box 17, Rubeola, RI. Allow 60 days for delivery. Watch for us on Kickstarter.

—Jon Sienkiewicz