For quite some time, Dustin and I had been trying to find the best way to carry our GoPros safely on hikes and dangerous adventures. Even though there are many options out there, they don’t exactly fit our needs. We wanted to find something that is not only secure, hand-free, and affordable but also provides quick-access to the cameras. Quick-access is the biggest item on our list. All the camera mounts or holsters we came across are stationary. We want to be able to take the GoPro on and off quickly to capture multiple angles. After one late-night scrolling through Amazon, Dustin came across the Spider Tool Holster. Since we’ve been using Spider Holster products already, one of which is the Spider Backpacker Kit, we wanted to give Spider Tool Holster a try. After a year of using it, we want to introduce you to this super cool camera gear hack, the Spider Tool Holster, the cheap, hands-free, secure, and quick-access way to carry your GoPros and action cameras.
The Price
One of the best things about this Camera Gear Hack is that the Spider Tool Holster is quite affordable. It only costs $20 on most websites. For that much, we definitely could afford a few since we usually bring at least 2 or 3 cameras with us on adventures.
The Installation
The installation for the Spider Tool Holster is super easy. You’ll need a selfie or GoPro stick to make this work, any of them would be fine. However, the shorter sticks work the best. You will have it against your chest so you won’t want to stick to be in your face. The Spider Tool Holster Set comes with a holster, tool grip, and a small zip tie. The tool grip goes around the GoPro stick. It has a small pin on it that will be used to attach the stick to the holster. If you want to add extra security, you can use the provided zip tie to secure the tool grip onto the GoPro or selfie stick. There is a small hole at the bottom of the pin where you can thread it through. For almost a year, we haven’t found the need to use the zip tie at all.
As for the holster, it can go on a belt or any bag that has a gear loop. Although this makes it super easy to switch the holster from one bag to another, this means that the bag that you want to use has to have a gear loop. My canyoneering bag doesn’t have any gear loop so I had to sew one on.
The Design
Weight
Since this little camera gear hack is actually a holster meant for power tools, you won’t be able to use it on a professional camera. It doesn’t come with a camera plate. Also, the camera plates that Spider Holster sells won’t work for this because the pin is a lot smaller and will pop out. If you have the Spider Backpacker Kit, the holster clip part is not interchangeable either because it is just slightly different.
As far as weight goes, Spider Holster doesn’t state a specific weight limit. However, since it’s meant for the average handheld battery-operated hand tool, an action camera on a selfie is definitely will weigh a lot less. The actual holster part is also super light. It weighs only 1.7 oz. This means that you can comfortably carry your action camera all day.
Self-locking System and Quick Access
The design for the Spider Tool Holster is similar to the Spider Backpacker. The pin on the tool grip slides into the slot on the holster. The holster has a self-locking system that locks and secures your GoPro stick whenever it is holstered. To release, you just have to pull the level up as you pull the stick out of the slot. It also has an option to keep it unlocked all the times. All you have to do is pull the lever on the side all the way up until it stays in the upward position. However, we don’t recommend doing this since you might forget when you’re climbing or doing crazy acrobatic moves. This design gives us a hand-free way to carry the GoPro, yet, also allows us to access it quickly so we don’t miss any critical moments or cool angles.
The Tool Grip
As far as the tool grips go, they can stretch to fit over any GoPro or selfie stick. They are also made from durable silicone, infused with elastic materials. This allows the tool grips to stay flexible, but still maintain a stronghold on the sticks. The inside of the tool grip has little rubber dots that help keep it from sliding. Also, the velcro on the Spider Tool Holster is very strong. We had a hard time pulling it apart once we put it on the stick. This is very comforting to know because it means that once it is on, it won’t come off easily. The velcro has a cut-out in the middle so that you can wrap it around the pin. This pin sticks out a bit. It can be a bit annoying, however, it’s not that bad once you’ve gotten used to it
The Back Side
The back of the Spider Tool Holster is made out of metal. The design is similar to a money clip. It has a notch at the bottom of the clip, which helps it from sliding off the strap too easily. We used it in different scenarios, including being upside down, and we had no problem with it staying in place. The only issue with this design is that your bag needs a gear loop or something for it to clip in to, but it makes it super easy to switch from bag to bag.
The Verdict
As we stated earlier, it has been almost a year since we use this camera gear hack. We love the Spider Tool Holster. It is everything that we were looking for. This little holster has been with us through all the crazy hikes, canyoneering trips as well as other crazy adventures. Not only it is affordable, but it is also lightweight, secure, and provides us with a hand-free, quick access way to carry our GoPros and other action cameras. We hope that this camera gear hack helps you if you’re looking for something similar.
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