Upgrade your camera with this line of quality straps

Lowepro, well-known maker of camera cases, backpacks, and pouches, has brought their expertise and standards of quality to the strap market with the introduction of four new Lowepro camera straps. In this article, I'll take a look at each one and share my thoughts.

The Speedster

First up is the Speedster. Compact, lightweight, and flexible, the Speedster, in Figure A, is designed to cater to the needs of photojournalists and active photographers.

It's constructed from a nylon weave, with rubber threads woven right in to prevent slippage. The double ladder-locks ensure the strap stays secured to the camera, while the side release buckles offer quick interchangeability with other bodies. The Speedster retails for $20.00

Initially, I wasn't all that impressed with the Speedster. I didn't care for the rubber woven into the nylon, and expected it to snag and pull those little hairs on the back of my neck. But that just wasn't the case at all. It turned out to be a very light, comfortable strap.

Of all of Lowepro's new straps, I would have expected the Speedster to be the one that came with a memory card case, but it didn't. It seems to me that would be an ideal accessory for the photojournalist on the go. The Speedster is a nice strap, but nothing all that outstanding. Overall, I give it 3 out of 5.

The Transporter

The Lowepro Transporter was designed for use with multiple cameras, binoculars, and other photo equipment. The non-slip padding stays in place, while the strap can be adjusted to various lengths, or swung completely out of the way in order to use a different camera or device. It comes with a detachable memory card wallet that holds two spare cards, and features the same dual releases and ladder-locks as the Speedster. The Transporter, in Figure B, retails for $25.00

Lowepro's Transporter was my favorite of all their new straps. It has the same buckles and ladder-locks as the others, making it interchangeable. And it comes with the card wallet. The neck padding slides along the strap for comfort and easy adjustment. I give Lowepro's Transporter 4 out of 5.

The Voyager S and Voyager C

The Voyager C, for contoured, and Voyager S, for straight, were designed to address the specific needs of adventure photographers. The contoured design of the Voyager C is intended for photographers who carry their camera around their neck or over the shoulder. While the Voyager S is for those who prefer to sling the camera across their chest. Like the Transporter, both the Voyager S and C offer a detachable memory card wallet, and feature the same ladder-lock, dual side release buckles. Both of Lowepro's Voyager straps, shown in Figure C, retail for $30.00.

The Voyager S and C are essentially the same strap, with only the subtlest of differences. So subtle, in fact, as to be virtually indistguishable. The neoprene cushion of the Voyager C is about half again as wide as that of the Voyager S, and has a bit of curve to it. The down-side to the Voyager straps is that the cushions don't slide along the strap like on the Transporter. If the Transporter had the same neoprene cushion as the Voyagers, it would have rated a five. Likewise, if the cushion of the Voyagers slid along the strap like that of the Transporter, they too would rate a five. But as things stand, both the Voyager C and Voyager S rate 4 out of 5.