20D is heavy and hand is sore!

You get used to it. I carried mine everywhere through India, mostly in hand, and eventually didn't notice it.

I owned the 300D with the battery grip and the E1 handstrap for 18 months and after 15K clicks, would not have considered shooting without either!!! However, my first shoot w\ the 300D was a Thunderbird Airshow using the Canon 100-400 and the BG, but no E1 handstrap (not in stock). After 6 hrs and 650 shots, my right hand Hurt!!

Got the E1 and did subsequent handheld bird flight shooting using the 100-400 (1 particular day, 9 hrs and 1150 shots) without Any fatigue in my right hand (my shoulders and back were a different story)!!!

I now have the 30D + BG + E1 Handstrap and find it is Extremely comfortable Handholding this setup with any of my lenses, in particular the 100-400L!!! FYI, I have larger hands and found the XT way too small for my grip, but then this is All a personal preference. I'd go to a dealer and try the BG and maybe the handstrap, that will tell you what you need to do!!

Good Luck!

Ted

Yup - I'm kinda old and creaky, but I keep shooting horse shows.
20D + 70/200f2.8 or 100/400f4.5 + grip + hand strap.

It's all in technique. Waiting for a shot to come up, I grip the 70/200 in my left hand and pointing the lens backward, rest it on my shoulder. Shot about to happen - lift and move your left hand and put camera in place in front of your eye. As this is happening, bring your shooting hand (right) up and slide it through grip strap. Takes a split second and you are ready for the action.
After a while it is so automatic that you won't even be concious of it.

Problem with a lot of people is that they keep the hand strap WAY to tight. Your fingers need room to move over the controls and your thumb and ball of the hand are gripping the back of the unit. Pick up your camera and look down to see how your hand is shaped and where your figers/thumb are placed for a shot. Adjust the strap so that if you need extra steadiness, just squeeze a bit and the back of your hand will put pressure on the inside of the strap.

Oh yeah - my hands get tired too. But, a good shoot is worth it anytime.

It's pretty much a matter of getting used to the weight. The 20D/grip/24-70 feels light to me, but then I've gotten used to multi-hour sessions hand-holding a 70-200 IS on the 20D, too. It's the back that complains before the hands.