The quick release works flawlessly. I can detach the camera and begin taking pictures instantly.

A tether is included that prevents the camera from falling if dropped, but simply using the regular camera strap around the neck also works and doesn’t require threading split rings through strap mounts.

The harness itself is bulky and difficult to put on and to adjust. I regard it as a prototype and hope that CottonCarrier simplifies it for the future. It attaches with one waist buckle and two shoulder buckles. I did not find the shoulder buckles at all useful and never used them. The waist buckle is placed too far to the rear. It is difficult to buckle, and I can’t reach back and make adjustments. Every time I want to make any adjustment, I have to take the camera off the harness and take the harness off my chest, make the adjustment, and then reverse the procedure. It would not be too difficult for CottonCarrier to move the waist buckle to the front to eliminate this problem.Although it is possible to adjust the waist by adjusting a Velcro strap, this strap is also used to immobilize the lens, and the strap isn’t long enough to do both. (Although not a deal-breaker, this Velcro strap makes enough noise to scare away almost any bird or animal as you detach it. The next time I want to photograph Nature, I simply won’t use this strap.)

I paid over $110 for my harness (including shipping). With design simplification and larger volume production, the price could be halved, which would make it much more affordable. Moreover, my Mastercard was charged a fee (about $3.50) for an international transaction. CottonCarrier ships products from Blaine, WA to avoid customs and duty fees. They could avoid credit card fees by opening a bank account in Blaine as well.

However if you suffer from neck strain reduction or want hands-free mobility, the system works.

The CottonCarrier Camera System is a harness worn like a life preserver vest that supports medium to heavy cameras on a person’s chest without putting undue strain on the neck. It offers hands-free mobility. Its best feature is a camera quick release that allows the camera to be moved from the harness mount to an in-the-hand, ready-to-shoot position in about two seconds. All the features are demonstrated on the company website, most with short videos, and I recommend you look at them. CottonCarrier is located in British Columbia, Canada.

I tested this harness with a Canon EOS 40D body and a Canon EF 70-200mm F4L USM lens with the lens hood extended. This is a pretty long and heavy combination to carry rigidly attached to the chest, and I felt it would give a rigorous test.

I hiked four miles wearing the harness without suffering any neck strain. I have arthritis in my neck, and pressure there is debilitating, so this feature makes the harness worth it for me. It is also very nice to be able to walk with my hands completely free. However, while riding a bike I found that the camera-lens combination was so long, the lens hood banged on my knees and interfered with my pedaling. I can pedal okay when I remove the hood but still feel constrained when trying to turn my torso to see behind me. In the future I will use the harness for hiking but not for bike riding where a big handlebar bag works fine.

Customer Service

CottonCarrier sent me a more expensive quick release than I paid for. When I informed them of this, they immediately sent the correct release. My expectation is that they will continue to give good service.

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