Details
“Minimal” is a word you often hear from photographers describing what they love about their Simplr camera straps, like our acclaimed F1. We consider that an achievement, because there’s a lot of functionality built into that strap (like quick-adjustment and wrist strap hack-ability) — yet it’s still perceived as fundamentally simple — and simple isn’t easy.
If our goal was to design a minimal camera strap, we could draw inspiration from photojournalists who crafted DIY camera straps out of shoelaces (which happened often during the wars in Korea and Vietnam). That’s true minimalism, and it’s the inspiration behind our W2 wrist strap — which is kind of like a wide shoelace, but way nicer and neater.
One surgically precise 46-stitch bartack holds it all together, from the mil-spec nylon webbing, to the steel & magnesium alloy split ring, to that sweet orange “S”. Nothing extra … not even a tightening-sleeve-adjuster-sliplok-thingy, because who wants a wrist-tourniquet you need both hands to remove?
We realize “W2” might seem like an unfortunate naming coincidence (in the US, a W2 is an employer-supplied tax document which absolutely must be included with annual income tax filings) but we love leaning into the W2 reference. If, like many professional Simplr users, you have a “money making” studio camera, pairing a Simplr W2 with it is essential. Bad things can happen when W2’s are missing.
Seb V. –
Excuse the long-ish review. TLDR: If you want the lightest, but still crazy strong wrist strap, this is the one to get. Now the long version: I’d seen a trend of people carrying their Fuji X100’s with lanyards designed for mobile phones, as a stand-in for a proper wrist strap. As much as I love the idea of a phone lanyard form factor, a piece of string looped through a camera lug to prevent an accidental drop seems risky at best, especially knowing how Fuji lugs eat through cords attachments. That would not end well, I thought. In my head I knew what I wanted, then set out to find it, thinking it would be easy. Everything else I saw was either over-engineered, or attached with a string, or both. The W2 was literally the only strap that was sleek and didn’t attach with a piece of string. When I got it, I tried pulling the stitching apart (I figure it’s got a lifetime warranty, right?) and failed miserably. Couldn’t even pop a single thread. Impressed. I’ve been happily rocking it on my X100VI and it is exactly what I wanted! I wondered why not everyone made a strap like this, and my best guess is, because making something this small is hard like building a miniature train set. Seriously, are you guys using microscopes to get all the stitching exactly right? 😉
Austin Larson –
I’ve tried several wrist straps over the years, and the W2 strikes the best balance of comfort and security. It’s incredibly lightweight without feeling flimsy, and it never gets in the way while shooting. I use my camera to capture everyday life and family moments, so I appreciate gear that disappears into the background and lets me focus on the moment. It’s become a permanent part of my X100VI setup.
Jorge Garcia –
I’m really enjoying the W2 strap! Its simple and unobtrusive design makes it super easy and safe to use my Fujifilm X-T5 when I’m out and about. It’s truly a testament to the quality craftsmanship of their straps.
I’m a big fan of Simplr straps! I’ve been using the F1 Ultralight strap for a few years, so when I saw the W2, I immediately wanted to get it. So worth it!
Alexii Alipio –
This W2 is a gamechanger for photographers who opt for CWB carry (cameras without bags).
It’s a accessory that is thin enough to be weightless, unobtrusive to shooting, and yet provide enough security to have the camera always on hand on the streets.
That minimal S branding identifies this to other Simplr users we all wish to encounter anywhere in the world. While this won’t be a replacement for the legendary F1 straps with bigger lens setup, this W2 is truly an excellent strap for lightest possible carry.