Best camera strap options for Leica: leather or nylon?

Question

I’m trying to settle on a new strap for my Leica (M body) and I’m torn between leather and nylon. I shoot street and travel, so the camera is on my shoulder for hours, and my current strap feels slippery and starts to dig in after a while. Leather looks great and seems like it would match the Leica vibe, but I’m worried about it stretching over time or getting uncomfortable in hot weather. Nylon seems lighter and grippier, but I’m not sure about durability and how it wears against jackets. For everyday carry, which material has been better for you—leather or nylon, and why?

uyfnpexphf · Accepted Answer

Hmm, I’ve had a different experience than the “nylon 9/10” takes — if you’re safety-first, I’d actually suggest a *good* leather strap, but only the ones that are properly stitched/riveted and not just glued edge paint + vibes. Nylon/seatbelt webbing is strong, yeah, but the failure mode that scares me is the *hardware* (split rings, plastic adjusters, triglides) slowly walking loose, especially when you’re swinging the M on/off all day.

Two quick tips that’ve saved my gear: (1) whatever strap you pick, run it through *rated* split rings and add a backup tether to the lug (I use OP/TECH USA System Connectors - Uni Loop as a cheap “oh crap” safety). (2) If you go leather, look for thick veg-tan with a wide shoulder pad so pressure stays low; I’ve been happy with Rock n Roll Straps Classic Series Leather Camera Strap — it doesn’t feel slippery and the stretch is basically nil once it’s broken in.

So yeah… nylon’s comfy, but I’d rather trust leather + simple metal hardware than webbing + a bunch of adjusty bits. good luck!

SUNWINrunda · Answer

> I shoot street and travel, so the camera is on my shoulder for hours… leather looks great… nylon seems lighter and grippier

Ok so for everyday carry, I’d go nylon/seatbelt webbing 9 times outta ten. It’s cheaper, lighter, doesn’t get gross in heat, and it won’t “grow” over time like some leathers unfortunately do. Cost-wise it’s also a better long-term deal—if it gets funky you replace it and move on, vs babying leather.

Practical tip: grab something wider (like 1.5") and with a bit of texture so it doesn’t slide on ur jacket. I’ve had good luck with Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap and OP/TECH USA Pro Strap. If you want Leica vibes, do a leather wrist strap + nylon shoulder strap combo. good luck!

narcologicheskaya_klinika_sskn · Answer

Oh man, been there. I ran a leather strap on my M for a while cuz it looked sooo right… but unfortunately it wasn’t as good as expected for all-day street. In heat it got kinda sticky, and the strap slowly “grew” (not dramatic, but enough that it hung lower over time). It also slid on slick jackets more than I wanted.

For your use (hours on shoulder), I’d suggest nylon—specifically a seatbelt-style webbing. It’s lighter, doesn’t absorb sweat, and the weave tends to grip clothing better so it doesn’t dig in as much. Durability’s been fine for me; the weak point is usually the hardware, so check stitching + keep split rings from rubbing the Leica lugs.

If you want the Leica vibe but comfort, a thin leather strap + shoulder pad combo can work… but yeah, I’m team nylon now lol. cheers