Camera Float 1-Pack, 2-Pack or Hand Strap: Which One When?

By Henrik Andersson, founder of Nordic Flash. Published November 12, 2026

A turquoise Nordic Flash float holding an action camera at the water's surface

Use a camera float 1-pack or a camera float 2-pack in the water, and a hand strap on land. Each camera float is a floating wrist strap for your camera: a float you wear on your wrist, with the camera attached. The 2-pack gives you two of those floats, each a foam loop with a quick-release cord that clips to the camera, and you can clip both cords to one camera for added security. The hand strap is a lanyard. It keeps a camera or phone on your wrist, but it doesn't float.

Key takeaways

Hand straps are for land. They don't float.
The camera float 1-pack is one float on an adjustable strap, for one device on one wrist.
The camera float 2-pack is two wrist-worn floats. You can connect both to one camera for added security.
The hand straps use the same quick-release as our camera floats, so switching is quick.

Where will you use the camera?

Choose oneIn or on the waterOn land or on snowSome of both

Take a float, not just a hand strap

Hand straps are lanyards. They do not keep a camera at the surface. Use a camera float, and weigh the setup against 7 oz (200 g) per float.

Camera float 2-pack

A hand strap is the right carry

The quick-release hand straps are 10.6 by 0.4 inches, for cameras and phones on land. They will not float a camera that falls in the water.

Hand strap 5-pack

Pack both. They do different jobs.

Use the float in the water and the hand strap on land or snow. You can also leave a strap on the camera and add a float when you get to the water.

A float with a camera in water on the left, and a hand strap on a camera on land on the right.

What does each one do?

Feature	Camera float 1-pack	Camera float 2-pack	Hand strap, 5-pack
Floats?	Floats	Yes, up to 7 oz (200 g) per float	No, it is a lanyard
In the pack	1 float	2 floats with quick-release cords	5 straps
Best for	One camera, phone pouch or small waterproof camera in the water	Cameras and phone cases in the water; both floats on one camera for added security	Keeping a camera or phone on your wrist on land
Worn	On the wrist, adjustable, fits all wrist sizes	On the wrist; the cord clips to the camera through a mounting finger or lanyard loop	On the wrist; adjustable loop, 10.6 x 0.4 inches; check the size if you have larger hands
Colors	Seven	Six color pairs	Black

All facts in the table come from our product pages and Amazon listings.

Which one for the water?

The camera float 1-pack or the camera float 2-pack. Action cameras and phones sink, as our guide to keeping a GoPro from sinking explains, so a water setup needs something that floats.

Both are worn on the wrist, so the difference is the pack size and what you can do with two floats.

Camera float 1-pack: one float on an adjustable strap, for one device on one wrist. It works with an action camera, a waterproof phone pouch or a small waterproof camera.
Camera float 2-pack: two floats, each with a quick-release cord that clips to the camera. You can connect both floats to one camera for added security. Each float is made to float up to 7 oz (200 g), so weigh your setup first.

Our snorkeling checklist and pool filming guide show both in use.

A camera on dry ground with a thin quick-release hand strap looped from it.

Which one for land days?

The hand strap. It's a thin quick-release lanyard that fits any device with a loop or hole for a thin cord, so it works for point-and-shoot cameras, phones in a case, small flashlights and game handhelds, as well as cameras on land, on the boat deck or at the beach. The loop is adjustable and 10.6 inches long; if you have larger hands, check that length before you order. The 5-pack gives you one for each camera, phone or family member.

Don't take the hand strap into the water as your only backup. It keeps the device on your wrist, but if it comes off, nothing holds the device up.

One camera with a foam float and a separate wrist lanyard attached.

Can you use them together?

Yes, as long as each one does its own job:

Camera float 1-pack plus a 2-pack float: two separate backups in the water.
Two floats on one camera: the 2-pack lets you connect both for added security.
Hand strap on land, float in the water: both use quick-release attachments, so you can switch when you reach the water.
Adhesive mount plus float: if you mount a camera on a kayak or helmet, pair it with a float when you film on the water. Our adhesive mounts are available while stock lasts.

Gear for this

Frequently asked questions

Do camera hand straps float?

Ours don't. The Nordic Flash hand straps are lanyards, not floats. In the water, use the camera float 1-pack or the camera float 2-pack.

What is the difference between the camera float 1-pack and the 2-pack?

Pack size, and what two floats let you do. Both are worn on the wrist. The 1-pack is one float on an adjustable strap. The 2-pack is two floats with quick-release cords, and you can connect both to one camera for added security.

Will the hand strap fit my phone?

It fits any device with a loop or hole for a thin cord. For most phones, that means a case with a lanyard hole.

Will the hand strap fit large hands?

It is an adjustable wrist loop, 10.6 inches long. If you have larger hands, check that length before you order.

Can I use a camera float 2-pack and a camera float 1-pack together?

Yes. They work as two separate backups in the water.

Which one should I get for snorkeling?

The camera float 1-pack or the camera float 2-pack. The hand straps are for land and don't float.

Sources

Product facts: our camera float 1-pack, camera float 2-pack and hand strap 5-pack pages, which follow the current Amazon listings.