The Kinesis X-Harness is a designed specifically for carrying a heavy DSLR and lens on your chest in the ready to shoot mode WITHOUT the typical neck or shoulder strain associated with a traditional camera strap. It will also attach to a holster which contains a DSLR.

Professional audio technicians have known for years that the only way to carry a heavy recorder and mixer on location is with an x-style harness that crosses in the back. Chest-mounted baby carriers utilize this same carrying method. We have blended these two designs and improved on this classic design by adding a unique feature...two internal staves to transfer the bulk of the weight AWAY from your neck and shoulders.

• Specifically designed for shooters that are hand holding heavy film or digital SLR cameras with big glass (PJs or wedding photogs)
• Harness front has a pair of internal HDPE staves, which effectively transfers some of the load to the torso, making this harness unbelievably comfortable with a large digital SLR and a 2.8 zoom lens
• Works with or without a waist belt (see note below on belts)
• Add H152 torso strap for extreme situations (i.e. rock climbing where you might be hanging up-side-down or at odd angles)
• Attached high on each side of the harness are two removable and independently adjustable 20mm-wide straps — one set of quick-release buckles for attaching direclty to a camera body*. The other pair of straps has snap-hooks for attaching to a C-Series holster case or most any case with D-Rings.
• Sway-free strap is included — keeps camera or holster case from swinging about (similar to the H152 strap)
• All compression and attachment straps (except sternum/chest strap) can be removed for a cleaner profile
• Converts to suspenders
  > Add a H163 to convert the harness to a 3-point suspender.
  > The optional H167 converts the harness to a 4-point suspender (NOT recommended when carrying a DSLR on your chest)
  > Attach a tripod bag or small hydration pack while in this mode -- an extra set of pig tails is provided for this purpose).
• One size fits most
• Not suitable for converting a long lens case into a backpack (choose H245 or H250 + H130 instead)
• The interior fabric is made from 75mm-wide lightly padded highly breathable 3mm three-dimensional spacer fabric (see photo in right-hand column). Exterior is smooth coated 200D nylon oxford cloth (the same fabric used to line most of our pouches).
• Over the shoulder area has an additional foam padding (6mm closed-cell foam)

For most photographers purchasing the H717, we also recommend the H675 PJ Camera Strap. Read on...
This harness can be used in four methods.
1. Combination Use with Kinesis neck strap: If you want to carry a camera on the H717 and also switch back & forth between the H717 harness and a neck strap, then you must have a system with quick-release buckles to quickly facilitate the changeover. Purchase a H717 X-Harness as well as a H675 PJ Camera Strap. (The H675 includes an H435 camera-side adapter.) This will replace your existing neck strap as it does not have quick-release buckle system. Add a pair of H435 adapters for additional bodies.
2. Combination Use w/ Op/Tech, UPstrap or Tamrac neck straps: If you are already using a Op/Tech, UPstrap or Tamrac neck strap system with sewn-in quick-release buckles, order the H717a, H717b or H717c model and you’re good to go. You can also purchase additional Op/Tech or Tamrac compatible camera body adapters from us (see related products above). We do not sell complete Op/Tech or UPstrap neck straps, nor do we offer UPstrap camera body adapters.
3. Camera to Harness Only: If you want to carry a camera attached directly to the X-Harness but not use a neck strap (or use your camera detached from the harness for use on a tripod), then purchase the H717 X-Harness and a H435 Camera Adapter for each body. The H435 adapter will replace your existing neck strap.
4. Holster Case Only: If you want to carry a holster case on the H717 harness, there are no additional adapters required. The H717 has snaphooks for attaching to pair of D-Rings found on holster cases and many other pouches. The lower part of the harness has a pair of straps for attaching to the lower part of a holster case, preventing the bottom of the case from swinging out and about.

Waist Belt: The H717 works independent of a waist belt. A belt will not help support it, but if you want more capacity you may add a waist belt like the B107, B108 etc. If you want additional support for a Kinesis wasitbelt (i.e. suspenders) then consider the H163 adapter which attaches to the H717.

Weight: 451 g (16 oz.)
One size fits most.
Fits people from about 155cm to 195cm (5'0" to 6'5") tall and chest size from about 66-122cm (26-48", possibly up to 50" chest).

Many photographers already have a non-OEM (Canon, Nikon etc.) neck strap on their camera. We offer the following connection systems for the following brands of camera neck straps:

Kinesis Quick-release System — H717 + H675 Combination
This mates with other Kinesis products including the H435, H245, H250 and Y303.
Uses Duraflex® Stealth 20mm buckles with two female buckles attached to the camera.
Breaking strength of each buckle is approx. 64 kg (140 lbs.)
The “standard” H717 includes H437 male strap/buckle set and H436 strap/snap-hook buckle set.

Op/Tech Classic or Pro — H717a
Duraflex® Mojave 20mm buckles with a male and female attached to the camera.
Breaking strength of each buckle is approx. 50 kg (110 lbs.)
The H717a includes H437 & H439 strap/buckles.

Tamrac — H717b
Duraflex® Mojave 20mm buckles with two male buckles attached to the camera.
Breaking strength of each buckle is approx. 50 kg (110 lbs.)
The H717b includes the H437 & H442 strap/buckles.

UPstrap — H717c
Nexus® mil-spec 25mm buckles with two female buckles attached to the camera. We are only offering the harness side buckles and not those attached to the camera. Be sure your UPstrap is the style with quick-release buckles.
Breaking strength of each buckle is approx. 135 kg (300 lbs.)
The H717c includes the H437 & H438 strap/buckles.

H717 fits female photog 5'0" weighing 105 lbs. (March 2008).