Peak Design Anchor Durability Question...

DNBush · Mar 7, 2025

For those of you who have been using this for a long time, how are they holding up?

My concern is that the metal slots on the Canon R bodies look to me like they might be just sharp enough to cause the anchor cord to fray and break.

Has this happened to anyone?

AwesomelyBad · Mar 7, 2025

DNBush said:
For those of you who have been using this for a long time, how are they holding up?

My concern is that the metal slots on the Canon R bodies look to me like they might be just sharp enough to cause the anchor cord to fray and break.

Has this happened to anyone?

I’ve been using peak design anchors on Canon bodies (which have had the same strap lug design for decades at this point) since 2015 without any signs of anchors fraying. Canon has one of the best style mount point for PD anchors as you don’t need an additional split ring.

Beyond that, PD anchors have built in fray indication; there’s bright yellow and red internal layers in the cord that will show if the outer sheath is wearing away. It’s worth checking any anchor system periodically for damage just to be safe.

Hsd1965 · Mar 7, 2025

I have the same experience. Been using the same anchors for several years and not any sign of wear.

drsnoopy · Mar 7, 2025

DNBush said:
For those of you who have been using this for a long time, how are they holding up?

My concern is that the metal slots on the Canon R bodies look to me like they might be just sharp enough to cause the anchor cord to fray and break.

Has this happened to anyone?

Also been using for years. No split rings to rub. The material is dyneema which is used for parachutes etc.

Zeee · Mar 7, 2025

Me as well. Since about 2017. I have spare anchors and have never had to use one. No sign of wear.

Just make sure you get version 4 anchors. I bought the strap and the anchors were version 3 but that was many years ago. I lost my strap in Europe and had to get something and all the store sold was PD straps. They had version 4 anchors so I bought those as well. I guess that was the transition period.

I was on another thread here talking discussing the anchors and I checked the PD website and they still sell V4 anchors after all these years. That tells me the design is solid. If there were issues they would have redesigned them.

I don’t know why but I had total confidence in them from day one and never had an issue. I carried my Canon bodies with the Canon 400 DO II. Carried my 100-400 II and since 2019 my 100-500.

I’ve used braided fishing line hundreds of times thinner and have cut myself trying to break it by hand. Off the top of my head I think the anchors are rated at 180 lbs.

l love the PD system. As stated they don’t scratch your gear as well.

--
I roll with pleasing colour

DNBush · Mar 7, 2025

Great news. Thanks all.

Otaraka · Mar 7, 2025

I did break the corner off one of the mounts once, but never have had a problem with fraying, let alone sudden fraying past the warning colours. As someone who can break almost anything, this is pretty good going.

PicPocket · Mar 7, 2025

DNBush said:
For those of you who have been using this for a long time, how are they holding up?

Very well

DNBush said:
My concern is that the metal slots on the Canon R bodies look to me like they might be just sharp enough to cause the anchor cord to fray and break.

This concern is misplaced. The slots are not sharp. They are fairly blunt and smooth making it easy for the loops to slide around without noticeable wear on any reasonable strap or loop material I have ever used. It would not make sense to make them sharp given they are supposed to be used with things like straps anyway

As others have stated, the freying warning on PD anchors is also a great feature as long as you look at them once in a while

JasonMulvern · Mar 8, 2025

I was about to post the same question, as I noticed some bad fraying yesterday. This is with about 2kg (R7 and 100-500) and on their own attachment, but only 6 months at most. Obviously I need to replace it. I think a lot of this is down to me allowing the strap to get twisted too often, I will be more careful. But they're not indestructible.

PicPocket · Mar 8, 2025

JasonMulvern said:
I was about to post the same question, as I noticed some bad fraying yesterday.

First, thanks for posting this. It shows the yellow and red layers of anchors' failure warning system and is a good demonstration of what tell tale signs are clearly visible before an actual failure may happen

Second, please replace this ASAP. It is not safe at all when the red layer starts to show up. You are on borrowed time already

I am hoping the yellow layer showed up for some time before the red one got exposed?

Zeee · Mar 8, 2025

Otaraka said:
I did break the corner off one of the mounts once, but never have had a problem with fraying, let alone sudden fraying past the warning colours. As someone who can break almost anything, this is pretty good going.

LOL. I’m really good at breaking things too.

Zeee · Mar 8, 2025

JasonMulvern said:
I was about to post the same question, as I noticed some bad fraying yesterday. This is with about 2kg (R7 and 100-500) and on their own attachment, but only 6 months at most. Obviously I need to replace it. I think a lot of this is down to me allowing the strap to get twisted too often, I will be more careful. But they're not indestructible.

I always insure they are not twisting multiple times. I keep the two cords strait and have never seen that. I also attached a RRS plate to the lens foot. I filed and sanded down the edges a bit to be sure.

JasonMulvern said:

--
I roll with pleasing colour

Zeee · Mar 8, 2025

PicPocket said:
DNBush said:

For those of you who have been using this for a long time, how are they holding up?

Click to expand...

Very well

PicPocket said:

My concern is that the metal slots on the Canon R bodies look to me like they might be just sharp enough to cause the anchor cord to fray and break.

Click to expand...

This concern is misplaced. The slots are not sharp. They are fairly blunt and smooth making it easy for the loops to slide around without noticeable wear on any reasonable strap or loop material I have ever used. It would not make sense to make them sharp given they are supposed to be used with things like straps anyway

As others have stated, the freying warning on PD anchors is also a great feature as long as you look at them once in a while

I inspect mine twice a year. I have it in my calendar as a reminder.

Zeee · Mar 8, 2025

PicPocket said:
JasonMulvern said:

I was about to post the same question, as I noticed some bad fraying yesterday.

Click to expand...

First, thanks for posting this. It shows the yellow and red layers of anchors' failure warning system and is a good demonstration of what tell tale signs are clearly visible before an actual failure may happen

Agreed. I’ve never seen that before myself.

PicPocket said:
Second, please replace this ASAP. It is not safe at all when the red layer starts to show up. You are on borrowed time already

I am hoping the yellow layer showed up for some time before the red one got exposed?

JasonMulvern · Mar 8, 2025

PicPocket said:
JasonMulvern said:

I was about to post the same question, as I noticed some bad fraying yesterday.

Click to expand...

First, thanks for posting this. It shows the yellow and red layers of anchors' failure warning system and is a good demonstration of what tell tale signs are clearly visible before an actual failure may happen

Second, please replace this ASAP. It is not safe at all when the red layer starts to show up. You are on borrowed time already

I am hoping the yellow layer showed up for some time before the red one got exposed?

Thanks. I replaced it after taking the photo.

It was the flash of yellow I noticed yesterday when hiking, so as said above it does prove the value of the yellow/red inner. I have to admit I never monitored it because I assumed they would go on forever (that's because I come from a little Nikon Z50 and kit lens which has no weight!). But I will look over it regularly now.

The other one on the same anchor point is not frayed at all, so this is something specific to the way I carry the camera by my waist in a particular orientation. Anyway, a known weak point now I can keep an eye on.

None of this detracts for me from the superb system this is, especially the strap which has both a slippery side and a grippy side, very useful depending on whether operating in walking or ninja mode

JasonMulvern · Mar 8, 2025

Here's a better view, though I feel ashamed for letting it get this bad and not noticing it!!

Zeee · Mar 8, 2025

JasonMulvern said:
Here's a better view, though I feel ashamed for letting it get this bad and not noticing it!!

I don’t know about the others I’m actually going to thank you for letting it get that bad. Tells us that even at that state it still supported your gear. Who knows for how long it may have but it did.

JasonMulvern said:

--
I roll with pleasing colour

Zeee · Mar 8, 2025

Mine after 5+ years. I never let them twist. I must have 6 spares I've never used.

There was a gap in the RRS plate but it was a little tight and I didn't want it pressing on the cable. I filed the gap bigger and smoothed it out. You can just see the aluminium showing on either side where I filed it.

--
I roll with pleasing colour

Zeee · Mar 8, 2025

Zeee said:
Mine after 5+ years. I never let them twist. I must have 6 spares I've never used.

There was a gap in the RRS plate but it was a little tight and I didn't want it pressing on the cable. I filed the gap bigger and smoothed it out. You can just see the aluminium showing on either side where I filed it.

I do see a wee bit of fraying just above the anchor. That's new sine January but I won'r be changing it. No need.

--
I roll with pleasing colour

jjbinx · Mar 8, 2025

Zeee said:
Zeee said:

Mine after 5+ years. I never let them twist. I must have 6 spares I've never used.

There was a gap in the RRS plate but it was a little tight and I didn't want it pressing on the cable. I filed the gap bigger and smoothed it out. You can just see the aluminium showing on either side where I filed it.

Click to expand...

I do see a wee bit of fraying just above the anchor. That's new sine January but I won'r be changing it. No need.

I would change it ASAP

mechanical fatigue can progress slowly or there can be a rapid progress to failure.
Hot weather, cold weather, humidity . . . static vs dynamic loading, rotation and then contra-rotation. Lots of factors going on there

I found this too

PSA: This is Why You Should Always Be Checking Your Camera Strap Anchors

Always (always always) check your camera's anchor points when you have your gear attached to a camera strap. As photographer Tamara Zawada recently

petapixel.com

jj

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