I have an OpTech strap made out of what I suppose is neoprene and it is wide enough, plus it's contoured, such that it distributes the load across my shoulders and not my neck. It is a very comfortable strap. I have times where I'll wear it for hours with little if any discomfort.
I agree -- tripod sockets are designed (for the most part, IMHO) on the theory that the camera weight will be above the socket, the weight descending through the socket onto the tripod. There is no strain on the socket other than that which might occur with the tripod head is tilted up or down. Hanging a camera from the tripod socket is asking the socke to do something that it was not designed to do -- deal with the entire weight of the camera trying to pull the socket outwards. Now if the manufacturer affirmed that it had specifically designed the tripod socket for such conditions, then maybe...