The Cotton Carrier vest system has made it possible for me to hike and carry my Canon 7D and EOS L-series 100-400mm lens all day long without discomfort. I had tried every kind of "comfort" neck strap but always ached at the end of the day. I saw the advertisement in Outdoor Photographer and started researching to see if it was as good as I hoped. Everything I read about it at different sites was positive so I decided to give it a try. It worked beyond my wildest hopes and I would recommend it to anyone who carries their gear for hours at a time. This is an extremely comfortable way of distributing the weight of a camera body and large lens so that it does not dig into your neck and shoulders on all day hikes. Walking, biking, it all works. 

Two suggestions: The first time you try and lift your camera out of the chest receptacle be careful, I bopped myself in the nose. It really doesn't take that much effort to lift it out, just make sure the waist is properly adjusted. The other suggestion is if you are carrying your vest on the outside of your backpack, use the provided camera tether strap to secure it to the pack so it doesn't fall off. Also there are lots of companies that will stamp out custom dog tags. The elastic strips on the shoulder straps of the Cotton Carrier Vest system make the perfect place to keep your contact information should you ever misplace the vest. As always, I do not ask for or receive anything for my endorsements.