Cotton Carrier G3 Harness Review: A great vest-style camera harness for active photographers

by Jeremy Gray

posted Saturday, September 23, 2017 at 7:30 AM EDT

Makers of numerous camera carrying solutions, Cotton, has recently released a new version of their Cotton Carrier Harness, the CCS G3. I have been able to try out the harness (which is essentially an adjustable vest) and it's proven to be a great option for photographers on the move.

Putting on the harness is a breeze. You unbuckle it and then, at least the first time, perhaps loosen up the straps and then slide it on, buckling it and adjusting the straps. It's easy to get a snug fit. It is a one-size design and I expect that the CCS G3 Harness should fit most people. To adjust the length of the harness, there are adjustable Velcro shoulder straps on the interior in addition to the external adjustable straps and buckles. The harness is quite light when nothing is attached and is very easy to put on after you've sized it to your body. I found that it was occasionally a little difficult to have the harness completely centered on my body, but it's nothing a few quick minor adjustments can't fix.

The Cotton Carrier G3 harness can comfortably carry a gripped DSLR with a long lens (in this case, a Sigma 100-400mm lens) on the front. With the optional second camera holster, you can see a Sony A7 II with a Laowa 15mm f/2 lens.

The CCS G3 comes in two versions, one with just the central camera (or binocular) mounting point and a version (the one I tested) which has a second "side holster" you can attach to the side "speed straps" which holds a second camera or lens. The "harness-2" version also comes with a second mountable camera hub. Speaking of the camera hub, it's a small lightweight circular device which mounts to your camera or lens via the tripod socket. You use an included Allen wrench (hex wrench) to attach it and there are arrows to help you line the mounting device up correctly. You can keep the wrench in a small built-in pocket underneath the central harness receiver.

Sliding your camera in and out of the harness receiver is very simple and it's a rugged design. I felt safe with my gear hanging off the vest, but as extra security, there are also included camera tethers you can use to attach the vest to your camera in case you drop your gear. When using a camera with a longer lens, there's a lens stabilization strap which goes across the front of the vest too, which is great when you're moving around. It worked well when I used the harness while kayaking as it kept the camera and lens from bouncing around while paddling.

The back of the harness has a stretchy mesh compartment for storage.

Another neat feature is that there is a medium-sized storage area on the back in the form of a stretch woven pocket. For smaller items, such as your phone, wallet, keys, etc., there's an inside pocket right in the front of the vest, behind the camera receiver. This is very useful for storing small items.

Overall, for active photographers who want to be able to keep their hands free yet still have fast access to their gear, the Cotton Carrier camera harness G3 is a great option.

You can purchase a Cotton Carrier CCS G3 Harness for $120 for the one-camera version and $160 for the two-camera version. The harness comes with a three-year warranty as well.