Like any camera strap, you can use the Frii Conda Strap to carry your trusted mirrorless camera around your neck, keeping it within easy reach at all times while minimizing the chances of accidental drops. Unlike other neck straps, however, long sections of the strap can stiffen by simply adjusting the lever, allowing it to behave like those Gorillapod tripods for mounting in plenty of creative ways.
That’s right, it’s a neck strap that also serves as a flexible tripod. Except, you know, it doesn’t have three legs. Instead, it has two legs that are connected by a strap at the end, so you can hang it around your neck for safely transporting the camera when it’s not in use.
The Frii Conda Strap, basically, reimagines the flexible-tripod-plus-neck-strap combo that many people use to accessorize their cameras, combining the erstwhile two accessories into one. It does that by combining jointed sections on one end with a padded neck strap at the other end, with the former allowing to be used as a flexible tripod and the latter letting it secure onto your body like a neck strap. Even better, the jointed sections come with three stiffness levels, so you can make it “loose” to behave like a strap, set it to “semi” to shape it similar to the legs of a Gorillapod, or assign it to “stiff” to lock all the joints in their current position.
This allows you to keep it loose while it hangs on your neck or across your body for handheld shooting, then immediately set it to “semi” for mounting on poles, branches, and similar structures before locking it in place by stiffening up all the joints. You can also shape it as a two-legged stand and lock it in place (you bend the joints in a kneeling posture), in case you actually need to set your camera down on a surface without a tripod in hand. Basically, the adjustable stiffness setting on the jointed sections make it an extremely versatile accessory.
The Frii Conda Strap has a locking wedge that you can use to quickly separate the two ends of the jointed sections, which, the outfit claims, makes it easier to mount it onto more complex structures. Basically, you wrap them individually, connect them once you’re done, and put the camera in place. The strap can also be lengthened or shortened using the same locking wedge, so you can make it just short enough to wear on your neck or long enough to fit sling-style across your body.
It comes in two models: standard and plus. The former is designed to handle small DLSRs, mirrorless, and compact cameras up to 2.4 pounds, while the latter is a beefier variant that’s strong enough to support full-frame cameras and large DSLRs. Other features include a dampened build (so it won’t bounce around while you’re walking), two strap textures (smooth on one side, rubberized grip on the other), adjustable tension, and a knurled screw that can be tightened using nothing more than a coin (no need for a hex that you’ll just lose along the way).
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Frii Conda Strap. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $97.