Gear Review: Cotton Carrier Camera Vest

[Essential Accessory]

Never miss a shot with this quick-draw vest system. A chest mount (with optional hipbelt attachment) clips to your camera, allowing for hands-free hiking and easy access. “It has literally changed the game of adventure photography for me,” says our staff photographer, who carried it for 15 hours while shooting a moutain race in the Sierra Nevada.

In the field, photographers loved that they didn’t have to stop subjects or ask them to repeat actions or poses—cameras were clicking in a matter of seconds. It took a little tinkering to get the system dialed, but once we did the one-size-fits-all unit (really—from 5’8’’ to 6’7’’) was crazy-comforable on testers on Rocky Mountain National Park hikes and Wyoming hut trips. $150 (one camera option); 1 lb. 0.5 oz.; cottoncarrier.com