This hunkering down period has been productive. I’ve been cleaning and organizing my gear. Found a polarizer that went missing some time ago and identified some things that aren’t useful anymore. Then I looked at my Sirui travel tripod and started wondering if there’s a better form factor (size and weight) for my needs; hiking and city trips. Is anyone using the Peak Design tripod? The design and size are extremely appealing. Price on the carbon version is not. But reviews have been favorable. What are you using? Any recommendations or comments?
MeFoto RoadTrip Carbon Fiber. Good all round tripod. The compactness of the Peak is appealing.
It’s compact at 15.5” and can fit into the side pocket of a backpack because of the leg design. Easy to pack in a suitcase. Tempting.
I had a Feisol travel tripod which was great but recently sold it and bought a Leofoto travel tripod which was in the $200 range. I am so impressed with it. Just a solid build and super light. Comes with a nice case and tools. Highly suggest looking at one of these.
While it’s not technically a travel tripod, the Feisol CT-3442 is a great option. You get a super light tripod at only 2.5 lbs (without a head) and it holds up to 55lbs. If you find a light head (I have an RRS BH-40) then you basically achieved the same weight as a MeFoto but with a much sturdier setup. The only thing is that it’s not quite as compact as the Mefoto or other options, but its not exactly bulky either.
I haven’t heard of Leofoto and will look into it. Thx!
Interesting suggestion. Feisol is a brand I haven’t looked at. The rrs bh-40 is the ball head I use on my Induro tripod. Staying under 3lbs is key for keeping my pack manageable for travel and long hikes. Thanks!
I have got one of the Peak Design Travel Tripods (carbon fibre version). It is an awesome tripod, and is literally half the height (collapsed) and weight of my RRS TVC-23. Extended, the PD has pretty much the same height as the RRS.
Now of course, this is because of the design of the legs and the integrated ball head design. It is very cool, and as one of the other posters said, the compact design means it fits easily in a side pocket of most backpacks.
So it is an awesome travel tripod (as the name suggests). It is also brilliant for bushwalking.
I would say that the flexibility comes at the cost of some stability. There are four leg sections, instead of three, and they are much thinner.
However, in reality this hasn’t been a problem for me yet.
If I were going somewhere known for being very windy (think Iceland), I’d be inclined to travel with the RRS. But for many locations, I’d consider trading off some stability. I can always hang my backpack under the tripod for additional stability.
Yes it is expensive, but as with most PD products, really well designed, constructed, and a lot of thought has been put into the product.
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Thanks for your review!
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