Crafted in Crete
Images by
BILL ROSAUER
JONATHAN SLACK
& ASHWIN RAO
Camera straps are another one of those “Neat Things for your Leica” that many of us obsess over. Just like “Softies”, half cases, grips, “Thumbs Ups”, camera bags and other useful accessories, they provide a way for us to “accessorize” our Leicas and make them better suited to our individual style.
The story began in 2015 when Greek film director and photographer Evris Papanikolas needed a strap for his Leica. As Evris tells it, he took one of his dog’s leashes and convinced the owner of a local shoe repair shop to make some modifications to the leash to come up with his first camera strap. And the rest, as they say, is history. Since then, Evris has designed and introduced several unique straps under his brand: Tie Her Up. Evris explains that the word camera is a feminine noun in Greek, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Japanese, and that is the “Her” being referred to in his product’s name. Don’t be getting any other ideas! The straps are entirely made by hand with top quality Italian and Greek leather, hand stitched and assembled by two professionals in leather, being experienced belt and bag makers.
Evris’ most unique product is the Rock n Roll strap, reminiscent of the guitar straps used by Rock and Roll guitar players. Made entirely of leather, it is available in several different colors and finishes. It is also available in a limited edition M10 model in black with red accent. Each strap consists of 55 to 75 individual pieces and takes over an hour to construct. The Classic strap is straight forward simple elegance, hand cut from Cretan leather and stitched with waxed thread, with a comfortable 15 mm width. It is also available in an 11mm “slim” version. The Riviera is a bit more luxurious, with two exposed sides of top grain leather fully stitched along its length. The Nevada strap is made from a distressed brown, buttery soft leather similar to the Classic strap, and like the Classic is available in a standard and slim width. The Snake straps are made from top quality climbing rope and finished with stitched leather ends. All of the straps come in 100 and 125 cm lengths. The 100 cm length is best suited for over the shoulder or on your chest carry for an average sized person, while the 125 cm is best for across the body carry or someone with a larger frame. The Komboloi wrist straps are made with climbing rope and leather. There is also a Rock n Roll version of the wrist strap. All of Evris’ straps are presented in a simple, yet beautifully made linen folio. To top them all off, Evris makes an incredibly decadent Napa leather pouch to store and transport your camera in as well.
In use, the straps are a wonderful complement to the Leica M or Leica reflex user. The Classic and classic style leather straps are understated and elegant, beautifully made and the smell of the leather is intoxicating. Of course, like all fine leather, they will soften even more and improve with age. I have found that the Classic and Snake straps are best suited to Leica rangefinders or similar sized cameras. In use, you are reminded of the old classic Leica leather straps, but Evris’ straps are more comfortable being a bit wider and softer than the old Leica straps. They also don’t have the annoying rubber pad which so often irritated your neck and cracked with age. They give an impression of being much more durable than the old Leica straps and appear to be made of a much better grade of leather. The waxed thread used to secure the strap ends are a hall mark of Evris’ design simplicity, while at the same time providing rock solid retention of the split ring. The Rock n Roll straps are unique in that they provide a sort of built-in shock absorber with the interlocking loops of leather being able to give and stretch more than a solid leather strap does. Suitable for an M with a heavy lens, they are an even better choice for an SLR or DSLR setup. At the end of the day lugging around a heavy camera and lens combination, you’ll be happy you chose this one! The Snake straps are very comfortable in use and are suited to wrapping around your wrist or arm for special shooting situations. The Snake straps also have a bit of give to them, providing a bit of shock absorption as well. The Snake straps have nicely finished leather ends which won’t mar you camera above the strap lugs and are available in quite a number of interesting colors.
My good friends and Viewfinder contributors Ashwin Rao and Jonothan Slack are also enthusiastic Tie Her Up strap users. I have included some images of Ashwin and Jonathan’s personal Leicas with their own straps.
Ashwin provided me with his own take on the straps when I asked him to provide some images for this review:
“These Straps are simply some of the best options for Leica M system cameras. The Rock n’ Roll M10 strap has been a personal favorite, with its fashionable looks and comfortable fit. Their classic straps are just that: classic. Comfortable, functional, understated and yet bold. And their Riviera line is a bit more luxurious, bolder, yet still smartly classic. Subtle features, like lug rings that do not scrape the metal finish of the M10, and a proper choice of leather and colors, makes these some of the best straps available to M shooters today.”
Evris is a heck of a nice guy and a pleasure to deal with. He graciously supplied several of his products for me to try out for this review. He has a presence on Facebook with numerous glowing testimonials from his many satisfied users. His products are quickly making a name for themselves, but don’t let the name put you off ! Please visit his website at https.tieherup.eu to see the full range of his offerings and to place your order for his wonderful products.