D’Addario Woodwinds Saxophone Neck Strap - For Alto Saxophone & Soprano Saxophone - Padded Sax Neck Strap - Snap 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.

I started with the unpadded version of this strap and it works okay with my alto - most of the time. But I had a cervical fusion many years ago and there are days when even the lightweight alto hanging around my neck bothers me, so I added this padded version to my kit.The padding is very comfortable and you forget you are using the strap after a few minutes -- which to me is the ultimate compliment for any strap.The Rico straps work well and are easy to adjust one handed with the sax hanging on my neck. The padded version is a little hotter than the unpadded version, so for the outdoor summer concerts you might also consider the unpadded version.I like the nylon snap hook. It is very safe and secure, plus I don't think it will scratch up the finish on my horn as bad as a metal hook.

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.

I ordered this for my daughter to replace her 3 year old strap that broke. But I used to play sax too, so I had to try this out when it arrived. It is VERY comfortable to me...and adjusts with great ease.The strap is designed with two different surfaces on the cushioned part that goes against your neck...so you can flip it to the side you desire. One side is a very soft cloth that appears to be microfiber. The other side is an open mesh, so that it will breath while against you (I'm sure my daughter will appreciate that on our hot, humid days...especially at summer band camp). I have a wristwatch strap for my Luminox watch made from the exact same mesh. It is by far the most comfortable and breathable watch strap I've ever found...and it's extremely durable.The cord length adjuster is ingenious. After hooking onto the horn, you simply slide the adjuster up or down to the desired length.I cannot think of any way to improve this Rico strap without greatly increasing its cost.

I had just purchased the EWI Solo. If you don't know, it looks like a clarinet or soprano sax. As expected, the included strap was not comfortable at all. I started looking for a strap immediately.This strap is VERY comfortable, adjusts easily (but no worry about it moving while playing), and still has room in the adjustment to move closer or further if needed.

Perfect. We rented the instrument from school and the neck strap was digging into their neck. This came quickly and was exactly what they needed for marching season.