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Peak Design Updates Cuff, Leash
10 August 2017
About a year ago we made the move. We looped one of Peak Design's Achor Links on the right eyelet of all of our cameras (well, four of them anyway). Why? So we could snap Peak Design's Cuff to it.
The Cuff had become our favorite wrist strap. It was easily detachable for those times when we preferred a shoulder strap. And when it was attached, it was light and flexible. And a cinch to slip on or escape.
This month Peak Design will be releasing an updated version of its Anchor Link as well as a new Cuff and an update to its lightweight camera strap, the Leash. We've been working with pre-release versions of all three for a few weeks.
Cuff & Leash. The new designs in their packaging.
Note that the products won't ship until Aug. 15, at which time we'll update this story with affiliate links.
ANCHOR LINK
The Anchor Link is the connector between your camera and Peak Design's straps. It's a small plastic button with a very strong cord that loops through a camera eyelet.
Anchor Link. Note the beveled surface and thinner cord of the new version.
Because it's so short and small, it's about as unobtrusive as it gets. The Dyneema cord, used in climbing and sailing products, hardens instead of frays. It uses a layered color system that indicates the wear level as it frays.
The button snaps into the buckle at the end of Peak Design's straps. To release one, you just press it in and slide it out.
So how can you improve on perfection?
This version has a slightly thinner cord to fit through smaller eyelets. And the button is shaved down to slip in and out of the buckles a bit more easily. We've never had a problem with that but we won't complain about an improvement.
To recap, the highlights of the new design include:
- More secure, fast, lower profile
- Angled button design to more easily attach to the buckle
- Thinner cord to fit smaller eyelets
- Holds up to 200 lbs. securely
We had no problems with the new design at all. We had none with the old design.
The difference between the two designs is not worth losing any sleep over, although we can appreciate the improvement.
Both designs work in the Peak Design buckle, which has not changed.
The new design will be available Aug. 15 on the Peak Design Web site, Adorama and B&H. A set of four anchors is $9.95.
CUFF
The Peak Design Cuff is the wrist strap we use on all our cameras. Just one is all you need with an Anchor Link for each camera. It's proven to be the most convenient and comfortable of any strap we've used while being just as secure as anything else.
Cuff. New design uses an aluminum slide.
The new Cuff uses an anodized aluminum slide where the older design relied on a plastic buckle. Peak Design prides itself on its unique hardware and in this case it is replacing a standard plastic buckle with an attractive aluminum one.
But it's metal. And although there are no sharp edges, we're very wary of attaching anything metal to our cameras. The LCDs and monitor covers are not scratchproof after all.
It does have one advantage over the older design, though. It really does slide when you pull on it. So if you like to use the strap tightened around your wrist, you just have to pull on it.
And if, like us, you prefer to use it opened up a bit so you can get in and out of it quickly, it locks in that position just like the old one. Best of both worlds, in short.
The new strap attaches to the buckle a bit differently, too. The older design simply looped the strap fabric around the buckle. This design sews a loop made of different material around the buckle. We're not sure what the advantage is.
Also sewn onto the strap is a 5.5-inch piece of the same material used for the buckle loop which covers a button magnet than can moved up or down the strap. This provides a clasping function to the strap so it can be worn as a bracelet to parties at Peak Design or just to carry the strap more conveniently when not in use.
You move the magnet to fit your wrist. And to reposition it, you simply squeeze the sides of the strap and push it into position where it miraculously stays.
Highlights of the new design include:
- New all-aluminum anodized hardware
- New one-handed adjustment design
- Adjuster locks in open wrist loop position
- Magnetic wrist lock for storing as a bracelet
- New Anchor connectors
- New smooth twist-resistant nylon webbing with tighter, more durable weave
- Premium materials and refined aesthetics
- In Black or Ash colors
We'll grant that it's a more attractive design and we like the stronger webbing. But we're concerned about the aluminum scratching our LCD cover of black-and-white status LCD on our dSLRs when we drop the camera into a bag or holster.
So we'll continue to use the original. But we wouldn't want to dissuade you from the Cuff wrist strap solution. You can always wrap that aluminum piece in tape or a thick rubber band.
We don't find much need to wear the Cuff as a bracelet but we do like the new slide both for its quick adjustability and its secure hold on the webbing.
At $29.95, the new design will be available Aug. 15 on the Peak Design Web site and B&H in ash or charcoal.
LEASH
The Peak Design Leash is the company's lightweight camera strap that boasts easy adjustability in the field. You can shorten the strap so it hugs your body while you are biking or climbing or running around. And with one finger you can lengthen it back out to shoot.
Leash Slider. Overly complicated but one at each end now.
The new design features two adjusters, one at each end, so there's no front or back end of the strap.
It also includes a new hardware mount that screws into the tripod socket of your camera to provide two eyelets for attaching an Anchor Link. Attaching the strap to a camera eyelet and the tripod eyelet allows your lens to point down when wearing the strap, which can be a more comfortable angle with long lenses. The mount is small but it still blocks the battery compartment of our Olympus Micro Four Thirds camera.
Leash Mount. Small but not small enough, no washer, Allen wrench required.
The hardware mount requires an Allen wrench to tighten its screw into the tripod socket and prevents the use of the socket. For products like its original Capture, Peak Design offers a quick release plate that screws into the tripod socket and provides eyelets for its Anchor Links. So you have options.
Highlights of the new design include:
- New all aluminum anodized hardware
- New low-profile dual aluminum/Hypalon quick-adjustment system
- New Anchor connectors
- New low-profile Anchor Mount for varying your strap configuration
- New smooth twist-resistant nylon webbing with tighter, more durable weave
- Premium materials and refined aesthetics for touch/stress points
- In Black or Ash colors
The Leash was a rare Peak Design fail for us. We greatly prefer the Custom SLR Slim Strap used with a C-Loop Mini.
While the Slim Strap has only one adjustment loop (so you have to put the strap on with the loop in front), that's its only disadvantage.
But it has some important advantages:
- The C-Loop Mini, which swivels 360 degrees, has a knurled screw top to make it simple to screw into the tripod socket. No Allen wrench required. The C-Loop also has a soft rubber washer so when you do tighten it, it pushes back to hold the screw in the socket. And it's small enough not to block the battery compartment.
- And the strap slips through a slider that stays on your shoulder, providing both a friction-free sliding motion and, when you let the camera hang down, no slippage.
The Leash's small metal mount has a hard plastic buffer between the metal and the camera base. It has a textured pattern to it but because it's plastic, it doesn't grab the camera base. Tension is strictly between its screw and the tripod socket, which feels rather boolean to us: either it's tight or loose.
And the Leash's quick adjustment, while functionally identical to the Slim Strap, requires more hardware.
The Leash is an attractive product, but it didn't perform as well in the field as the Slim Strap. And if you want to connect it to the tripod socket with the included mount, we suggest adding a rubber washer.
At $39.95, the new design will be available Aug. 15 on the Peak Design Web site and B&H in ash or charcoal.
CONCLUSION
Peak Design puts a lot of thought into their products. And a lot of thought went into these two redesigns as well.
But not enough.
The metal slider on the Cuff works well but is a liability to the plastic screens on your cameras.
The Leash just doesn't compete with the Slim Strap on several significant points.
There are workarounds for some of the problems but it's back to the drawing board for the rest.