I’m quite choosy about camera straps. I rarely use the ones that come with cameras, instead preferring something simple, unbranded and unobtrusive. With small cameras, I’m always wavering between whether to fit a neck strap for easy carrying, or a wrist strap that allows me to carry the camera securely in my right hand ready to shoot. So I was intrigued when I heard about the unique Bowman ‘Duo’ straps, which combine both functions.

　　Bowman Peak Duo at a glance: From £41.95 Handmade leather ‘duo’ strap Choice of four colours Lengths from 70cm to 110cm Fits onto camera via split rings bowmanleather.co.uk Designed and handmade in England by Charles Bowman, the duo strap is deceptively simple. It’s superficially like a traditional slender leather neck strap, but it has an additional loop through which you can poke your wrist. Once you see it and start using it, it’s so obviously a good idea that you wonder why nobody else has done it before.

　　The duo straps come in various styles. I tried out the slim ‘Peak’ version, which is 1.2cm wide. This makes it perfect for small cameras like the Fujifilm X100 series, or compact 35mm film rangefinders. There’s also a 1.9cm ‘Vantage’ version which would be a better fit for larger cameras. You get a choice of colours, lengths, and edge finishes; my review sample is 120cm long and has rounded edges.

　　Bowman Peak Duo key features: Colours: This strap comes in four different leather colours: Black, Chestnut (shown here), Dark Tan, and Mid Tan Lengths: You can choose between 70cm, 95cm, or 110cm versions, or order a custom length Finishes: There’s a choice of a classic square edge finish, or ‘comfy rounded and polished’ for an additional £9 Fitting: The strap attaches to your camera via split rings, with a pair of chunky 19mm-diameter rings fitted The strap is really well made from high-quality leather, and held together by a series of chunky, robust rivets. It fits onto the camera using split rings, which means there’s no way of using it with cameras that have slot-type lugs. The leather is quite stiff when new, but softens up nicely with a bit of use.

　　One minor point is that the supplied rings are too thick to rotate freely through the lugs of Fujifilm cameras, on which I’d be tempted to swap them with thinner rings. But this doesn’t seem to be issue with other brands.

　　In practical use, the advantage of the Duo design is immediately clear. I find the 110cm-long version perfect for wearing cross-body like a sling strap, allowing me to bring the camera quickly up to my eye for shooting. If you prefer to wear your camera around your neck, a shorter version would probably be a better choice.

　　Alternatively, I can slip my hand through the loop and wrap the excess strap length around my wrist for carrying the camera one-handed, which feels much more secure than doing a similar thing with a conventional neck strap.

　　Quick Release (QR) versions If you like to be able to remove your straps quickly or your camera uses slot-type lugs, the Duo straps also come in ‘QR’ versions. These are fitted with the familiar Peak Design anchor connectors and employ sewn rather than riveted construction. The cost a premium of £32 over the standard versions.

　　Bowman Peak Duo: Our Verdict I have to say, I like Bowman Peak Duo a great deal. It’s rare to find anything to get excited about over camera straps, but this design just makes so much sense. It’s likely to end up a permanent fixture on my Fujifilm X100VI.

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