I love to photograph nature and that often takes me to locations where I get to do some hiking. Normally, I wear my camera on a strap so that I can have my hands free when I need them. Stability is important to me when hiking with my camera and the strap alone doesn’t give me the security I need. So I searched for something that would work better, and that’s when I discovered Cotton Carrier.

They have many camera carrier systems to choose from and I immediately gravitated towards the Cotton Carrier Strapshot. This system attaches to the strap on your camera backpack and allows you to securely attach your camera on the backpack strap for quick access.

I was so excited for the opportunity to review the Strapshot, and received it just in time for my trip to Hawaii. My husband and I had several hikes planned through the beautiful Hawaiian scenery, and I knew this would be the perfect situation to test out this system of carrying my camera. Preparation was easy, a couple days before we left, I attached the Strapshot to the strap on my camera backpack and the Camera Hub to the bottom of my camera. I found the instructions very simple to follow, having it all assembled within 5 minutes. Seeing how I was up to my ears in travel plans, this was something I truly appreciated!

Our first adventure in Hawaii was a visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a great opportunity to try out the Strapshot carrying system! As we started our decent down into a volcano crater, it was a bit uncomfortable at first. I felt a little uneasy about the bulkiness of my camera strapped to the front of my backpack. I was tempted to take it off, but since we had already started our hike, I thought I might as well leave it on until we got to the bottom of the crater. It would be safer that way.

As we reached the floor of the crater, I was a believer. My opinion of the Strapshot had made a complete turnaround. It was fantastic! Once I got used to the initial awkward feel, it felt normal and a part of me. My hands were free to keep my balance when necessary, and my camera was secure against my chest and not swinging around bumping into things. I wore my backpack with the Strapshot everywhere for the rest of our trip, even while we were zip lining!

The system is extremely easy to use and once you get the hang of the feel, it sort of just blends right into you and your camera is safe and secure. Photographers who love to hike or simply desire a safe and secure method for carrying their camera on vacations, or when they wear their camera backpacks, will love the Strapshot. Now that I’m home from vacation, I wear it on all of my hiking trips.

The Strapshot is priced great for the value at $79. I love mine and, if you’re a nature nut like me, it just might be the answer you’ve been looking for, too!