When I brought some sample Tie Her Up wrist and neckstraps back from Greece in May I was sure that the rope Komboloi would appeal to British photographers. So it has proved. Red Dot Cameras have been stocking the wrist straps in various colours for the past month and demand has exceeded expectations, according to Ivor Cooper.
The Komboloi is made from heavy duty climbing rope and features a unique sliding leather sleeve to adjust to any size wrist. In my experience it is more secure than longer loop-style straps which do not offer such a close fit on the wrist. I’ve also found the Komboloi is more comfortable when holding the camera because there is only one single round-profile strap attached to the camera. Loop straps with a double-thickness feeding into the lug connector can feel bulky around the base of the right thumb.
There’s another factor in favour of the Komboloi—price. Ivor decided to sell the straps for £28, including VAT and, as he says, many customers will add one to a larger purchase without too much hesitation. Although I like the red strap, it is black that seems to have caught the imagination and more supplies are on their way from Greece as I write.
With the political and economic situation in Greece seemingly going from bad to worse, it is encouraging to find one company manufacturing high-quality camera accessories at a good price. Find the Tie Her Up Komboloi straps at the Red Dot Cameras website.
On the left you can see the red Komboloi on display this afternoon at Red Dot when I called round for a chat. Designed originally as a point-of-sale device for the CL, the Hand of Barnack makes the ideal demonstrator for the Komboloi. Note how the leather slider allows the strap to be pulled tightly around the wrist for added security.