No, not at all. Both the shorter strap and the longer one are very sturdy. First I used the adjustable shoulder strap for shoulder carry, but then switched to the shorter hand carry strap and I found that for this bag, I do like the shorter one. I think the shorter strap adds more to the whole "camera bag" aesthetic. Also, the leather is shiny, and could be susceptible to scratches, but superficial scratches can be easily rubbed away.