In the past few years, I have literally gone through a dozen camera bags. I bought chest carriers, sling bags, waist belts, and backpacks while searching for a comfortable way to carry my gear while hiking, without losing quick access to the camera.
Despite the non-stop buying and selling cycle, I never discovered the perfect solution until I bumped into Peter Heck, from HecKtic Travels. He raved about his Peak Design Camera Gear enough that I range them up to ask for a demo kit.
After speaking with the awesome customer support team at Peak Design, I was happy to select three pieces of gear to test and review.
Peak Design Camera Gear Review
Capture Pro Camera Clip
The Capture Pro Camera Clip turns any backpack strap or waist belt into a camera carrier. It’s simple but effective. An aluminum bracket sandwiches around a backpack strap and a tripod plate locks the camera in place. Since receiving my capture pro camera clip, it’s lived on my backpack and I use it every day I go out shooting.
It’s a super solid mount, too, so I’ve never had reason to worry about keeping my camera in place. The added lock feature, which is as simple as turning the release button 90 degrees, isn’t really necessary except for peace of mind.
Another key benefit is it’s mounting plate. It matches my Manfrotto RC-2 tripod, so the camera can come straight out of the capture pro camera clip and into my tripod to capture a landscape before the light has a chance to fade.
Capture POV Camera Clip
The Capture POV Camera clip uses the same mounting hardware as the Capture Pro Camera, so there is absolutely zero loss of stability or safety. The difference is that rather than hold a camera in place, it turns the Capture Camera clip into a true POV action camera mount.
I’ve only had few occasions to use my GoPro with this mount, but I can already see the awesome benefits. It’s similar to a chest mount, even if it’s slightly offset to one side; however, it is more versatile because of the mounting system that Peak Design uses. Like all Go Pro mounts, this POV camera clip adjusts vertically, allowing the camera to sit at an angle, but there is also a super convenient horizontal adjustment. The result is more flexibility to grab the angle that works.
Cuff
I’ve always found camera straps bulky, especially those found on smaller mirrorless cameras. The Peak Design Cuff is a wicked alternative, because it’s a fraction of the size of a stock camera strap, but offers even greater security because it locks the camera to your wrist.
It attaches via a wicked little quick release system, too, so you can remove the strap when the camera is stored, on a tripod, or in the Capture Camera Clip. When detached from the camera, the wrist strap stays on your wrist and a second quick release lock turns it into a rather inconspicuous bracelet.
Peak Design Camera Gear Overall Performance
I can think of no higher praise for this gear except to mention that all three products – the Capture Pro Camera Clip, POV Camera Clip, and Cuff – that I received from Peak Design have become part of my daily photography kit.
They’re an awesome solution for an adventure photographer who wants to keep their camera both secured and accessible. I absolutely love how the gear transfers easily between cameras and backpacks, too, as it really enables me to go from capturing POV video on a mountain bike using the POV Camera Clip on a camelback, to hiking in the backcountry with my overnight backpack, without missing a beat.
Peak Design camera gear is definitely living up to the company’s mission statement:
The mission of Peak Design is to enable photographers, adventurers and outdoors enthusiasts to better capture the beautiful world around them.
Leave a Reply