A Simple Strap That Almost Feels Like You’re Not Wearing One: Wandrd Wrist Strap Review
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Shooting without a neck strap is both a bit liberating and terrifying. Liberating because there’s no neck or back pain, even with long shoots. Terrifying because of the constant threat of a catastrophic drop. Thanks to a loose-fitting design that instantly tightens when dropped, the new Wandrd Wrist Strap is the next best thing to shooting strap-free.
Made from partially recycled nylon, the Wandrd Wrist Strap is part of a recently launched trio that includes a sling and a neck strap. The series is characterized by nylon construction and a quick attachment system. Selling for $30, it’s an affordable way to carry your gear without straining your neck.
Wandrd Wrist Strap Pros and Cons
Pros
- Wears loose around the wrist but tightens for drops
- Eco-friendly design with some recycled materials
- Easy to attach and remove from the camera
- Affordable
- Minimalist design
Cons
- Not quite as soft as expected
- Uses a thin cord to attach to gear
Tech Specs
- Recycled soft-touch nylon & hypalon
- Custom metal “quick-connect” hardware
- Max Length: 13.25″ (33.6 CM)
- Capacity: Up to 75 lbs
Gear Used
I used the Wandrd Wrist Strap on the Nikon Z 6 II, primarily with the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f2.8 lens.
Ergonomics
The Wandrd is a stiffer style wrist strap. Unlike a flexible strap, the Wandrd doesn’t need to fit snug around the wrist the entire time you’re shooting. The stiffness of the wrist portion of the strap allows it to be worn loosely. It’s almost like not wearing anything at all. Even when worn slack around the wrist, a quick-adjust loop around the strap pulls tight if you drop the camera.
The stiffer wrist and quick-adjust loop make the Wandrd more comfortable than a strap without that feature. Wearing a strap snug around your wrist can chafe and pull. The strap only loosely touches one side of the wrist unless you drop the camera.
More than a foot long when stretched out, the strap is a good length. It’s long enough to comfortably grip the camera, but not so long that it’s going to get in the way. While my wrists are on the small side, the strap still looked sufficient for photographers with larger hands.
Build Quality
Soft nylon stretches almost the entire length of the camera strap. Made from new recycled nylon that Wandrd calls “soft touch,” the Wandrd Wrist Strap is a happy medium between soft and hard. The part designed to wrap around your wrist is reinforced with a stiffer material on the outside. The cuff section of the strap that circles the wrist is more rigid than I expected, but because that softer nylon is on the inside, it’s not uncomfortable. That stiffness helps the strap keep its shape.
The quick-adjust loop is, unfortunately, plastic, but it does its job. That allows you to wear the strap loosely around your wrist without worrying about dropping gear.
The quick-connect system is a plastic and metal hook. But, this hook attaches to a thin cord. That cord is what attaches to the strap. This cord looks frighteningly thin to be supporting up to 75 pounds. But, while it looks thin, it doesn’t yet show any signs of wear, and it handled harsh tugs without issue. My initial concerns over the thin cord began to dissipate the more I used the strap.
Ease of Use
That thin, flexible cord that loops through the camera’s anchor points makes the Wandrd Wrist Strap incredibly easy to put on and take off. The cord is flexible. I tested the cord on the type of camera anchor with the triangular metal piece built into the camera. I could easily see the strap fitting through several different types of anchors.
Because the strap is so easy to get on and off, it’s ideal for photographers who want to regularly swap straps. If you find straps dangling from a tripod annoying, for example, it only takes a few seconds to install and remove this wrist strap. (Wandrd also has a neck strap and sling strap with similar attachment points, which I’ll be testing next.)
Some wrist straps occupy the tripod socket or require a specific tripod plate. Wandrd keeps it simple by only using one camera anchor point. That leaves you free to easily use whatever tripod you want.
While the nylon isn’t as soft as a neoprene strap, I still found the strap comfortable to use. Because the strap will tighten automatically if you drop it, you can wear it loosely around your wrist while shooting. By far, my favorite feature about the strap is that it felt like wearing no strap at all. But, when dropped, you still have that tether.
Conclusions
The Wandrd Wrist Strap offers reassurance against accidental drops without getting in the way. The stiffer nylon helps the strap keep its shape, allowing for a looser fit. The quick-adjust loop instantly tightens to protect against drops. It’s also easy to attach and remove from the camera, and it keeps the tripod socket free.
The strap isn’t quite as soft as I expected. The attachment cords are also a little thin. Because it’s eco-friendly, it’s not as luxurious as leather straps. And it could be prettier. Those are rather minor complaints about a strap that I enjoyed using overall. But, you can add a few more if you compare it with similar products. The similarly priced Peak Design Cuff, for example, has leather accents and an aluminum sliding quick-adjust loop instead of plastic. The price of the Wandrd Wrist Strap, however, is excellent. Selling for $30, it’s a solid buy for photographers who want to be liberated from their neck straps.
I’m giving the Wandrd Wrist Strap four out of five stars for its simplicity, comfort, and affordability.