Peak Design Travel Tripod, Carbon Fiber, Compact Design, Quick Setup and Takedown, Pro-Level Stability, Ergonomic Ball Head, Compact and Portable Travel Tripod for Camera and Phone, 20 lb Capacity

This is my second Peak Design Travel Tripod. The first one was apparently so nice that an unnamed TSA agent decided it would be better off in his possession than mine. That said, it was such a well designed tripod that I was willing to purchase a replacement immediately, which says a lot considering the price of this thing. It's not cheap, but its worth the cost to me. First, it's important to understand what this thing really is. It's not the most stable tripod in the work. There are much heavier sturdier tripods that are great for studio work, or if you don't mind lugging something four times heavier around with you. However, I have yet to find anything even close to as sturdy as this item is that is as easy to carry with you, or that is so well designed. This extends all the way down to the travel case for the tripod, which is a little padded fabric sleeve that keeps the tripod protected without adding an ounce more weight than necessary, and has handy attachment points for clipping to whatever other gear you have. Collapsed, the tripod is small and maybe more importantly well balanced. Its not overly top heavy or awkward to carry. It fits in water bottle pockets on backpacks (top will extend out, of course, good to have a strap too). Personally I usually clip it to the bottom of whatever pack I'm using using the reinforced loops on the travel pouch. In use the tripod is great. Its sturdy and very adjustable. Stability is greatly enhanced by hanging your backpack or other item from the hook on the center post, but even without that I had no issues and I use some pretty big lenses. Again, there are sturdier tripods, but this is meant for travel and easy carry, and considering how light it is I'm very impressed with the stability. The swivel mount is also well designed, but be aware it's different from a typical ball-mount tripod head. It has a lot of adjustability, and I really like using it once I got comfortable with it. But I'm not sure it's quite as adjustable as my Sirui. It's possible to mount a third party head on this tripod, but that requires the Universal Head Adapter from Peak Design, an additional purchase. Finally, there are a few additional nice touches with this tripod. It has a built-in mobile phone adapter. Yes, I'm guessing most people buying this tripod have "real" cameras to use with it, but it's a nice touch, and there are some uses for being able to easily mount your phone at times. It also has built in storage for the only tool you need for adjustments, a little allen wrench. The head is reversable, so you can actually mount your camera between the legs to get a really low shot. All in all, it's the best portable tripod I've found, and I've looked around a lot.

Why did you pick this product vs others?: Looking for a lightweight telescope tripod that collapses to a length that will comfortably fit in a standard airline carry-on bag, i.e., not greater than 22 inches in length; with a good reputation. Length:​ Not greater than 22 inches collapsed. Adjustment ability: Needed to be expandable to be useful to a person 6 feet in height. Wanted one with folding leg locks rather than twisting leg locks. Sturdiness: Needed to be able to support a telescope weighing 2 kilograms or somewhat over 4 pounds. Tested the tripod in our local camera store but they only had a demonstration version, so purchased through Amazon. Arrived in a timely fashion intact in new condition. Setting it up was trivial -- the scope I have (Swarovski ATX 85mm) came with an inset screw that allowed matching the tripod head (3/8") to the scope mount (1/4"). As others have noted: the plate that attaches to the scope to mount to the tripod head needs to be screwed down tight but still tends to loosen over time; I finally got it screwed down tight enough that it remained adequately immobile. As others have noted: you want to keep that hex wrench they provide handy in case you do need to retighten -- it has a little mount on one of the tripod legs, but I found I kept knocking it off in moving the scope around and taking it in and out of the car, so I ended up carrying it in my pocket whenever we used the scope. The scope is adequately sturdy, even in a reasonable wind, but there is definitely some compromise that makes the scope so lightweight -- it feels like it wants to move a little, but it really sits pretty well, especially if you don't extend the centerpiece to its full height. I'm not sure I'd recommend this tripod for someone taller than 6 feet 6 inches or so unless they're comfortable crouching down a little, but for me (5 feet 10 inches-ish and shrinking) the height extent is just fine. You do need to be careful (as with folding leg logs on any tripod) to make sure you clamp them down securely when the legs are extended -- the tripod is so light that it's easy for it to tip over if the legs aren't locked down tight, taking your expensive optics with it. One issue we found, partly peculiar to our use, is that the supplied ball head takes both hands to adjust (simultaneously, really, including locking in place) and is not a particularly good match if you are tracking quickly or frequently moving objects. We use the scope/tripod system for bird watching, and those little stinkers do not like to sit still. As such, the three-dimensional adjustment is troublesome when what we really need is something more in the "pitch-and-rotate-in-plane" (or tilt-and-pan) mode. I contacted Peak Design with this issue and they were quick to reply with suggestions for improvement/replacement. We ended up getting their "universal adapter" (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084Q9PY4S?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title) and purchasing a tilt-and-pan head. Peak Design also pointed us to one of their videos for how to remove the existing ball head and install the new universal adapter and new head -- the video was excellent -- with clear instructions including visually walking through the process; when I did it everything worked as indicated. As others have also noted: the travel bag the tripod comes in is just a wee bit too short to be worthy of five stars; everything else is so well thought out and implemented that it's a bit puzzling that they didn't add that extra half-inch to the bag's length to make it easy to put everything in. Not enough to reduce the overall product score, but a definite shame that this aspect isn't as stellar as the rest. I've communicated with Peak Design a number of times (via their website and then email -- unfortunately I could not find a contact phone number), and their communications have been responsive, understandable, and supportive -- if you've struggled with customer support in modern times you'll appreciate how well they do it.

I have a tripod problem. Too many tripods in the stable over the years! Still in search of the perfect tripod. With low cost, low weight, compact for hiking, easy deployment, tall enough for near eye level work, and sturdy enough for a heavier setup. And more importantly, plate compatibility allowing easy transferability to alternate carry systems (strap clip, PD Capture). The Peak Designs team really did listen to photographers looking for a multi-purpose travel tripod. As a photographer who spends time hiking for picture taking opportunities, I have looked for the perfect travel tripod over the last decade. Surveying my current collection, including a Manfrotto MKC3-H01 travel tripod (now, MKCOMPACTACN-BK, with different proprietary hybrid head “joystick” grip ball head, and a different plate arrangement), a Velbon carbon fiber 630 with a Manfrotto 498 RC2 head, a Velbon DF-10ML (closely related to the EX Macro 3-section), and a small Neewer CK-30 compact tripod purchased for the Arca plate and ability for ground level macros. The PD aluminum tripod is not the lightest among them, and it is expensive --but it is one of the most thoughtful, compact, well-constructed, stable, and confidence inspiring tripods, with an advantage “in the field”. Features I like. Compact. In its carry state, a little taller than the size of a standard Nalgene water bottle. The legs, connection pieces, and clasps. I prefer the flip-out clasps for leg deployment over the screw types. For me, there is less fumbling around trying to find release and locking positions. The height is great, along with being able to position close to the ground. The ball head works well for me. The tightening mech on the ball works as expected, even with a Sony a7r-IV with a heavy Sony 200-600mm zoom. Positioning is easy and can be straight up or down. The Peak Design Capture clip uses the same Arca mount plate so you can easily go from carrying to tripod mount with no fumbling to change the mount plate. There is a locking mechanism that prevents accidental release of the plate. Tools attached to the tripod are a thoughtful addition. The carry bag is durable and apparently water proof. Things I don’t like. Price. Oh, the price is high for sure, even higher if you pick the lower weight carbon fiber version. Weight. It is not as light as my Manfrotto compact tripod, but not overly so. With anything like this, lower weight is always something I want. Is this tripod worth it? For those inclined to save money and look for a similar feature set, albeit not as complete? The Manfrotto travel tripod-- if you can find a head version that works for you (read through the comments on the different versions). IF Manfrotto had an Arca plate version, it would be a no brainer – significantly lower cost, lower weight, with just enough features, it would be a great choice. That said, I am keeping the Peak Designs tripod! For me, it is nearly perfect. If you can afford spending over $350 for a tripod, I do not think you would be disappointed.

I've been using the carbon fiber model of this tripod for about 2 years now. I got it shortly after crushing the leg of my old tripod in a car door. So I recognize that while this tripod sometimes makes me feel like an idiot, I also just may be an idiot. This tripod is light. I didn't think I'd use the shoulder bag, but I almost always pack it in the bag. It deploys super fast. Flip 3 clips and the legs fly out. Camera gets locked in immediately. It's really great. I've used this tripod in variety of spots and it's proven rugged. Everything from forests and mountains in Colorado, to beaches in Portugal. It's weathered a lot of terrain... and weather. The way the camera clips in feels secure. And it's easy to do, even in the dark. It's felt secure and mostly stable. Everything from a small (but still large) 50mm 1.2 to a fully extended 100-500mm. In high winds I get shake at 500mm when filming video... But that's expected. For photos it's been plenty stable. Ok so here is what I hate. I hate closing the clips to secure the legs. 2 out of 10 times I pinch the skin on my hand. The webbing between my thumb and fore finger. I feel like an idiot closing this thing. Because I know it's going to pinch. But I still rush it and feel like an idiot. The amount of mobility of the ballhead sucks when you go vertical. I know you can spin things around a certain way which gives you a full range of motion, but it sucks figuring it out in the dark when you're trying to grab a photo. The fix for this is to buy an L-Bracket for your camera (or use a long lens with a collar and rotate there). My issue is that Peak Design doesn't sell an L-Bracket. So I bought one from a very good company, but still have to alter it slightly and add another Peak Design clip to it so that it still works (with the shoulder strap latch thing). It sucks that the solution isn't all within the Peak family. It also sucks that the ballhead has that funny little hitch. And lastly, the little wrench/hex key holder. It's that little 2 hex key thing that costs $15. Buy extras. I have lost two already because my thumb sometimes hits the bottom of the holder which ejects the hex key from the holder. I'd knocked it out dozens of times, but lost it once on the floor of my studio, and again on the beach in Portugal. I'm holding out hope that the one in my studio is still findable. But the one in Portugal is a piece of treasure you can find if you go barefoot on Nazaré's North Beach. I have hopes that Peak can refine the design so it's not so easy to eject. It's another element that makes me feel like an idiot. And I want my tripod to comfort me and tell me I'm smart. Capable. Not a loser (of hex wrenches). Lastly the phone holder attachment is 100% unnecessary. But I'm still happy it's there. I've used it a grand total of 3 times. And when I did it was a handy solution.

I’m slowly building my photography interest and had a hard time deciding on a replacement travel tripod. This is my third travel tripod. Lost one and last one broke. I have a Canon R6Mii, and my two biggest lenses are the RF 24-105 and the RF 100-400 w/1.4 converter. I’ve attached two photos showing them. I waited to buy this after building up Amazon points and for the 2024 Black Friday deals. For the most part, I am really pleased with my decision. The tripod is very easy to use and only took me 20 minutes to thoroughly learn the ins and outs of how to use this. I love how compact it is and how it easily fits on the side of my camera backpack. Very lightweight. The bag it comes in is very nice to store this, but I don’t intend to use the bag much at all. I read where, if you buy the pointed feet, it won’t fit in the bag. I can clearly see why as the bag is snug with the rubber feet. For me, the only downside is when I am using my RF 100-400 lens. When I focus on something and tighten the ball head, the camera will sink (or droop) from my intended focal point. I have to visually “calculate” a higher point, tighten the ball head, and then see if the camera stops where I want it to. The few times I’ve used this tripod, I’m getting quite good at this. I’ve ordered an optional bracket that I hope offsets the center point of my set up and elimates the sinking effect. Although the adjustment ability is very easy to do, I’m bummed that I’m experiencing the droop factor. Logically I can see why, but I think my brain looked at the weight limit and never considered that most of the weight is off center. This tripod has a far superior design over my last two attempts, and with that, I’d say I’m getting a far better quality tripod. After going on a hike with a 1000 foot incline, the weight factor of the CF design was a smart choice. For my type and level of photography experience, this appears to be a good value, even at the full price.

So much neato stuff built into this travel tripod! I travel by motorcycle on camping/photography trips. Have another brand of travel tripod that I've used for several years. But when I saw this tripod and saw how small it is, I just had to pull the trigger and buy it for my next motorcycle camping photography trip. I just returned from the trip. I gotta tell you, this is the epitome of travel tripods. It really is only about 3-1/2" diameter and maybe 15" long. It packs in my saddlebag instead of having to be strapped to the motorcycle. And it's so easy to deploy! I can have it up with camera or spotting scope attached in just a minute. The lever-type binders for the legs make it so easy and quick. I deployed it several times where I might have hesitated or not deployed at all with my other tripod. The tripod is stable enough that I was able to train my 40X spotting scope on Saturn one evening, clearly seeing the rings and the space between the planet and rings. Of course, Saturn moved across the field of view with Earth rotation and without a little cross-hair spotting scope for the big one, it wasn't easy to keep Saturn centered. But that isn't because of the tripod. For wildlife viewing and photography, it was wonderful Who'd have thought about putting an iPhone mount in the center stem? It's there! Didn't need to buy one! The little tool kit kept falling out until I learned that it has a detent if I turn it the right direction before stowing. Then, it's firmly attached. I may buy some of the accessories that Peak Design offers. Gotta sell my other carbon fiber travel tripod first.

This tripod is expensive, but you get what you pay. Excellent travel tripod... Compact, lightweight, and versatile. I'm eager to take it for a ride on my trip in two weeks. I will update this post after that.

After doing my research, I purchased PD's travel tripod and was quickly disappointed. I was intrigued by its lightweight, compact size, and portability, but after field testing it on the first day, I returned it. The main issue was one of the leg's lower sections locked but slid upon weight added. (I guess I got a bad one.) I also had problems with the design of the area where the camera locks in and the wheel that adjusts the ball head is. They're very close together and in a dim-lit setting you might pick the wrong one - they're both black. The travel tripod claims to handle a weight of up to 20 pounds. Once you have the camera locked in and have a full-body camera with a telephoto lens it can quickly shift to the side - you should have your hand on the camera at all times! The ball head is plastic, feels cheap, and glides poorly. If you buy this, you should watch PD's 35-minute YouTube tutorial on it. It'll explain where the QR register code is hidden along with the serial number - hint, you have to disassemble some parts to expose it (yup!). PD will also try to up-sell you extra parts that should have come with it - an adapter to add a fluid head, clips and a strap for the carry bag, different bottom feet... easily over an extra $100 worth of add-ons. Oh, it comes with a hex tool you'll need to make adjustments, but it attaches to one of the legs, can come off, and be lost. I found the plastic hook in the center column to be a little small for holding a sandbag - it could crack. It also twists to reveal a clip in case you wanted to use the tripod for cell phone shots. Nice but unnecessary. They say it took them four years to design it but probably should have tested it more. For a $400 tripod, it should have fewer problems.