Rico Saxophone Neck Strap - For Baritone Saxophone & Tenor Saxophone - Padded Sax Neck Strap - Metal Hook

I was hunting for a more comfortable strap for my tenor sax. It's about 16 pounds of brass that's weight is supported by the neck. I had two things to consider .1.I have worked for years at jobs that put my back to the test. Back and neck injuries can build over time.2. Saxophones are expensive! You need to take care of your sax if you want it last.Rico is one of my favorite companies to go for when it comes to sax accessories. Their reeds always prove themselves to be top notch. So I decided for the price their sax strap would be worth a shot. I am glad I gave them this shot.The first thing I noticed was the hook. Its a nice painted metal S style hook slightly twisted to keep the sax in place. At first I was not pleased with this. The hook is open and I questioned if it was as good as a snap style hook. Now that I have used it, I can see the quality of this choice. For the sax to slide off the curve of the hook, the entire instrument would have to physically move up a good degree and back even further. I can't think of a playing position of rest position where this could happen, not at least without the player noticing well before the sax came free.Next I noticed the suspension system between the sax and the neck padding. It consisted of cords that run through the stop that lets you set the length. These work great. The sax is held firm and they do not slip, even when taking the strap on and off. That was my one complaint about my previous strap, every time I took it off I would have to reset the strap length. Now I can easily take the strap on and off and then just pop it one again for the next time I play.Finally the padding. This is amazing. It's extremely comfortable. When I first put it on, I did not think so however. The pad felt overly stiff. After a few seconds I shifted my shoulders and shifted the strap a bit and it become much more comfortable. Now in the natural playing positions I feel much better. I hardly feel the strap is there, and no more pain after playing for hours at a time. The memory foam works great and setting to your shoulders and neck. It's much more relaxing and I even find it more comfortable to shift the saxophone if I have to to turn on a backing track or pick something up. Not bad for 16 pounds of metal on a couple of strings hanging from your neck.In the end I Have to say that the Rico sax strap lives up to the name that makes their reeds a must buy. If you have a sax or you are looking for a gift for someone who does, I can't recommend this strap enough. If not, then buy a sax and this strap along with it.

Way better than comparably priced models. Easy for students to adjust and doesn’t slip. Great choice for beginners

I bought this strap a few years ago hoping it would be a good alternative to the neoprene straps made by Neotech and Pro Tec. Here are my thoughts:Pros-1. The strap is very easy to adjust and doesn't get tangled or twisted since it uses strings instead of a webbing material.2. I bought the Soprano/Alto length, but can easily use it with both my alto and tenor saxes no problem. (I'm an average 5 ft. 7 in. adult. This may not be the case with everyone)3. The strap is sturdy and solid. When the sax is clipped on, it's not going anywhere, unless you remove it. There's no give or stretchiness to it at all.So are there any cons? Well this strap is made from a memory foam material as opposed to neoprene or leather, so it didn't initially feel as comfortable as my other straps I have as those generally conform to the shape your neck while playing. This means that it definitely feels different than other "padded" straps made from Neotech or Pro Tec etc. So at the end of the day, it comes down to which material you think is more comfortable. Personally, I find the neoprene and leather neck straps more comfortable, but you may feel differently. One last thing, I was surprised at how big this strap was. It's almost as big as the Neotech Soft Sax Strap. So would I buy it again? Probably not due to my personal taste in the way the material feels on my neck, but that doesn't mean it's not a great strap. If you don't like the way neoprene feels on your neck, this is definitely worth checking out.

Amazing cofertbull

Straps come in all sorts of designs which I boil down to materials, ergonomics, and adjustments. The Rico uses a chamois/velvet-like material against the neck or shirt depending on one's dress. This material is both soft, to avoid chaffing, and slip resistant. The inner layer consists of about a one-half inch of foam padding which cushions and spreads the weight of the instrument over a large area, i.e., it does not dig into the neck. The outer layer is a vented nylon mesh that allows the neck strap to breath. From the neck strap extends a singular, small nylon cord on each side. I particularly like this design because often, instrument straps continue unchanged from the neck to the hook with the same thickness/width of material - which I find too bulky. Where the Rico especially shines is its length-adjusting system. Most straps (instrument, camera, backpack, binocular, etc.) adjust their length by threading the strap through a series of buckles/clasps; there simply is no quick adjusting. The Rico, however, employs a pulley-like system that shortens or lengthens the strap by sliding the adjusting disc (for lack of a better word) up or down; it's that simple. So, you want to fine tune the length, a slight pull up or down on the disc while you are "wearing" the instrument and you're set. I especially like this feature because, although there is a defined, set position of the MPc (mouthpiece) relative to the mouth, assuming a given posture, I sometimes have the need to slightly raise or lower the instrument, e.g., when I am sitting v. standing. All things considered: a terrific strap.

Pro's thick padding, but not too bulky, easy slide and lock to adjust, cord does not stretch, plastic hook will not scratch instrument. Con's little too bulky when trying to fit in your case, too bulky to wear under a collar if you're playing on a gig. Bought a plain one to wear under collar.

Good support

Great strap, works well with bari, the padding helps to spread the weight, it is easy to adjust and hasn't slipped in use. I got the one with the plastic hook, and its seems fine.

Good simple and comfortable product. It has a fairly secure hook (S) connector though when sitting down I found it frequently fell off. However, these things are easily overcome and it is a very good strap.

I love this strap, it is comfortable, and versatile in terms of height. The memory foam is a great feature, and massively useful for me, because every time i put it on it just feels so nice!

Really comfortable, easy adjustment, looks professional. I used some black outer cable sheathing to firmly slide over the metal hook, helps protect the sax ring.

Connected to my Tenor Sax. Adjustable so was spot on.