I’m looking into getting a nicer tripod for taking photos while traveling (mountains, hiking, landscapes). I currently have Benro and Manfrotto aluminum tripods but they’re a bit heavy and not “nice”. Looking for something that isn’t too bulky or heavy that can go in or on a backpack. My biggest lens in the 70-200 GM2 and I might get a 100-400 at some point, so nothing too crazy big/heavy.
What I’m liking so far:
Gitzo Traveler and Mountaineer series 1 & 2
Peak Design Pro & Pro Lite
I’ve also glanced at RRS but those are a little more than I’d like to spend right now
What’s your experience with any of these tripods and do you have any other recommendations or comments? Thanks!
B&H had a special in February where this combo was $699.. Might be worth following the price. They usually have pretty good specials for Black/Ciber Friday.
Gitzo GK2542-82QD Mountaineer Series 2 Carbon Fiber Tripod with Center Ball Head & GHF3W 3-Way Fluid Head (Special 50th Anniversary Kit)
Duramaxjon wrote:
I’m looking into getting a nicer tripod for taking photos while traveling (mountains, hiking, landscapes). I currently have Benro and Manfrotto aluminum tripods but they’re a bit heavy and not “nice”. Looking for something that isn’t too bulky or heavy that can go in or on a backpack. My biggest lens in the 70-200 GM2 and I might get a 100-400 at some point, so nothing too crazy big/heavy.
What I’m liking so far:
Gitzo Traveler and Mountaineer series 1 & 2
Peak Design Pro & Pro Lite
I’ve also glanced at RRS but those are a little more than I’d like to spend right now
What’s your experience with any of these tripods and do you have any other recommendations or comments? Thanks!...Show more →
One of my tripods — the one I’ll take into the backcountry or that I’ll travel with on the occasions when I carry my larger camera system — is one of the series 2 Mountaineers from Gitzo. (I always forget the number, but it is the “long” model with four leg sections.) It doesn’t fit “in” my backpack, but I can pretty easily strap it to the outside of my backpack, usually with some kind of protection over the (Acratech Ultimate) ballhead. The tripod is remarkable solid for a series 2 model.
I do not own one of the PD tripods, but I own other of their products and I’m close enough to one of their retail stores that I occasionally go in to play with the gear in person. I’ve looked at all of the models of their tripods, and I’m not really convinced. Yes, they have some innovative design concepts that make the thing a bit more compact when stowed, but it doesn’t impress me as being as solid as the more traditional brands. In particular I’m not a big fan of their heads — which, for example, can’t fully tilt when the center column is all the way down becasue the head runs out of room. That center column also doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence. What can I say — some people apparently love them!
I also own RRs gear. My “big tripod” is a honking big Series 3 model and is super solid. But it is too heavy for what you have in mind. (I have one “nit” with their tripods — they don’t have a lock screw to secure the head to the top plate. It isn’t a major thing, but that head can work loose if you aren’t attentive.
I also own an older and much smaller Induro (which is pretty much the same as Benro) “travel tripod.” It is quite light and quite short, but I’ll pack it for “emergency” use while traveling. These aren’t bad tripods at all, in fact the one I have is pretty solid for such a lightweight thing. I used to have one of Induro’s heavier tripods (maybe a C-414 or similar?) which wasn’t bad, but it developed problems sooner than I would have liked — loose leg attachment points that could no longer be screwed down enough to be tight, etc.
I recently switched from the Gitzo Traveler series 1 to a Peak Design Pro Lite. Love it, and wouldn’t go back to my Gitzo. The PD is about the same size and weight, but more compact and much sturdier. Actually love the head on the Pro where I wasn’t happy with the PD Travel head.
I actually bought both the Lite and Tall to act as my travel and heavy duty tripods.
Duramaxjon wrote:
What I’m liking so far:
Gitzo Traveler and Mountaineer series 1 & 2
I slogged through this evaluation a few months ago when B&H was running several Gitzo daily deals. My Gitzo Series 2 (224 Reporter) from 1980 will never die but has a traditional alu construction that is both heavy and impossibly prone to vibration. While vibration can be ignored with wide-angle lenses, zero wind situations, strobe setups or high shutter speeds, I am often outside that shooting envelope.
Finally decided on the Series 2 Traveler (GT2545T) for that balance between weight, folded length, max height, and stability. The GH1382QD Series 1 is a perfect match and, in particular, allows the legs to fold backward and tuck against the contours of the ball head. This is my choice for casual use and for travelling about. If I need extra stability (e.g. stacking with a supertele or T/S) then I can pull out the Series 4 Systematic.
Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod, not perfect but definitely better than my previous Benro travel tripod.
My only gripe is the built-in head, which for me is a pain to use; it always seemed to get stuck. Eventually I ditched it for a compact ball head using their universal head adapter. The center column is removable, so yes, you can get the tripod near ground level. You can also reverse the center column, allowing you to shoot the camera upside down.
My other tripod, a Gitzo 3 series, is my workhorse for heavy and critical work—definitely not a travel-friendly tripod.
Look at FLM. Specifically the CP-30 S4 II. That model has become my travel/hiking sticks of choice.
I shoot landscapes so my lenses and bodies reflect that and led to my decision to buy FLM.
FTR, I tried other tripods in travel class and opted for FLM because of build quality & stiffness. Had the Leofoto 284 and sold it. The leg angles made the tripod "tippy" between legs. Secondly, given the weight of my gear I didn't like how the tripod felt when under load. The weight just seemed a tad much for that legset.
Why FLM? The CP-30 is sort of a hybrid class tripod. At 30mm the legset is larger that the biggest travel tripod class legs (28mm), but it's also smaller than a series 3 tripod.
The FLM handles weight much much much better than the Leofoto. D850 & Sigma ART 40 are rock solid on top of the CP-30 legs. Even in light wind the CP-30 handles the weight with relative ease.
Size: Sans head the tripod packs down to under 19“. So it fits in any carry-on.
Weight: 2.8lbs (leofoto 284 = 2.5lbs)
Matched with an Acratech GXP ball head the entire kit weights 3.8lbs and can handle anything you throw at it up to 70-200 2.8.
Thanks for the comments everyone! I decided to go with a Gitzo Traveler GT2545T with GH1382QD ball head. It’s 17.5” folded up, weighs 4 pounds, and should be sturdy enough for how I’m going to use it. I didn’t get a 1 series Gitzo because the small size/weight difference from the series 2 isn’t worth the tradeoff in strength to me.
I was strongly considering the Peak Design Pro or Pro Lite but the legs still look a little flimsy in videos and I’m not a fan of having to raise the center to properly use the ball head
Duramaxjon wrote:
Thanks for the comments everyone! I decided to go with a Gitzo Traveler GT2545T with GH1382QD ball head. It’s 17.5” folded up, weighs 4 pounds, and should be sturdy enough for how I’m going to use it. I didn’t get a 1 series Gitzo because the small size/weight difference from the series 2 isn’t worth the tradeoff in strength to me.
I was strongly considering the Peak Design Pro or Pro Lite but the legs still look a little flimsy in videos and I’m not a fan of having to raise the center to properly use the ball head
I got the GT2545T with head and the GM2542 monoplod deal in Q1. The Gitzo heads are a bit weird but designed for the T tripods. It all seems pretty solid.
EB-1 wrote:
I got the GT2545T with head and the GM2542 monoplod deal in Q1. The Gitzo heads are a bit weird but designed for the T tripods. It all seems pretty solid.
EBH
That’s the same deal I just got. I don’t know if it’s actually on sale or if it’s a perpetual sale to make you feel better about the price haha. I was searching around to see if there’s any other ball head that still allows the legs to fully fold up but I couldn’t figure anything out. The RRS BH30 and Acratech GXP look like nice options
Some of the Travelers are perpetually on sale, but this 50th century kit was about $180 less than it is now. They probably had a huge pile of that kit custom packaged by Gitzo for 2023.
I tried my Markins Q3T (the Q3 made for Gitzo Travelers) and it doesn't reverse without the legs sticking out a bit wider than I like. It's not worth it to me to try other heads. the Gitzo head seems decent with an R5 II and 100-500, assuming IS is on.
I have a couple of legs that are smaller than my RRS TFC-24L with an Arca Swiss P0 head, but I almost always take the 24L over those. (The smaller ones are the RRS TQC/TFC-14 and the Gitzo GK100TUS).
EB-1 wrote:
I don't prefer the P0 or similar pan-on-the-level heads, but am curious does it fit with the Traveler style legs folded?
EBH
I'll try to check when I have a chance, but I'm 90%+ sure it will be too big. I'm the exact opposite, after trying the P0 I had no desire to go back to a conventional ballhead. I even picked up the P1+ to put on my more "overkill" setup.
