It’s best to avert your gaze when the price comes up
There’s something about Apple’s Crossbody strap that I’m in love with. Is it perfect? No. Is it a great value? Not overly. But is it nicely designed and kind of clever? Yes, and that’s hooked me.
Crossbody straps have been growing in popularity for a few years now among phone users, but most use a strange attachment plate that’s meant to fit between a case and your phone. This is fine, and it’s how my mom has connected a wrist strap to her phone for a long time. I never quite liked how that connection point would make the phone hang on my body, so when I saw that Apple’s strap was designed to wear a little bit more like a camera strap, I became intrigued.
I did let out an audible gasp when I heard that it costs $80 in Canada, but the more time I’ve spent with one, the more I’ve fallen for it. I don’t wear it all the time, but when I’m out on a shoot and need my phone handy, it’s great having it dangling around my neck like Chris Nolan’s tiny Casio TV. Even when I’m biking, it’s helpful to whip up my phone to respond to a text without needing to dive into a bag or fiddle in my pockets. And it’s super easy to adjust, making it really easy for it to hang loose when I’m taking pictures and tight on the bike.
While I do like the way the new strap falls on my body, it is a little more specific about what cases it works with for now. As far as I’m aware, right now, the main cases that have holes to fit the loops through are only the Apple first-party cases, except for the clear options for the Pro and regular 17 (the clear case for the iPhone Air has the holes). This ideally won’t last that long as I’m sure knockoff case companies are working overtime to make both cases that work with cross-body straps and cross-body straps themselves. Other companies may come up with their own solutions. For example, the camera accessory brand Moment is now selling these connectors to help its cases be compatible with its own straps and the new Apple ones.
Anyway, moving back to the strap itself, it’s quite slender, which I like. The pattern woven into the front of the recycled PET yarns makes it look a little more robust, which is nice. It’s by no means a simple strap, and if you’re the type of nerd who researches the type of weaving that Apple used on the Vision Pro strap, you’ll probably appreciate this subtlety here.
Inside the strap’s fabric is a strip of magnets that keeps the two pieces of fabric aligned. It’s a nice touch, and I imagine what makes this so expensive. The magnets also allow you to easily adjust its length without using a traditional ladderlock buckle (yes, I had to Google that). The magnetic connection in the Apple strap is pretty slick, and as a design element, it’s way more sophisticated than pretty much any other crossbody/camera strap I’ve ever used. Part of me is wondering if I should be buying more of these to use as camera straps for something like my old XT-3 with a 23mm lens of the new Fujifilm X-half.
At the end of the day, out of all the new Apple gear, this little strap wormed its way into my heart by being simple, effective and premium. Sure, it’s expensive, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s lived up to the price.
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