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Upon upgrading to the Nikon D610 DSLR at the very end of 2019, I found that it is significantly more weighty than the D5000 it was replacing. The kit strap that came with the D610 wouldn’t be sufficient and I needed something to provide better support.
Enter the Slide by Peak Design, a nylon strap with a unique anchoring system to permit quick release when necessary. A coworker of mine recommended the Slide and brought his in for me to give it a try. I was sold and needed to buy my own.
The Slide is versatile and functions either on the neck, as a sling or shoulder strap. While the anchoring system looks questionable, it can support up to 90 kg (200 lbs). It feels secure and in the few times I’ve had the camera out, I haven’t encountered any problems. Sadly, due to COVID-19, I haven’t given it the full convention weekend treatment — that will be it’s true test for me.
I use the Slide in sling mode on my right side, relieving pressure on neck with the 850 g (1 lb 14 oz) body and lens (my 55-300 mm zoom lens is the heaviest in my inventory). As I’m right handed, having it like this allows me to quickly raise the camera when I’m ready to take a shot; with it down by my waist, it doesn’t bounce around. It’s almost easy to forget I have an expensive imaging device hanging next to me.
The strap comes in a neat box, accompanied by four anchor connectors, an anchor mount (fits into the hole for a tripod mount), a hex key wrench and a microfibre carrying pouch. If you shop often at IKEA, they use the same size hex wrench, so you’ll have spares galore. The anchor connectors are interchangeable; when they wear down another colour appears indicating that the connector needs replacing. Very clever!
I’m impressed with the strap and it’s quite comfortable to use. I selected mine in black, but ash (grey) is the only other colour available. Peak Design makes other handy accessories, including straps for mirrorless DSLRs, carrying cases, hand grips and more. Be mindful there is a Slide Lite that is designed for smaller cameras, so double-check before making that purchase! I paid $89.99 CAD for the Slide from Henry’s Camera; a price that echos its quality and versatility.
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