Looking for a travel/hiking tripod

Hey all, I currently have a Slik 700DX Pro tripod, which is really great for my 4x5 Pressman, supports it with no issue at all, but it weighs 7lbs. with the 3 way pan head and around 4.5lbs without it. I recently took it on a hike to The Wave and told myself I'm done with this and promise I'd get a lighter tripod.. It was a bad idea trying to hike into The Wave with a 7lbs tripod and 5 lbs camera and a gallon of water..

So.. I'm looking for
1. lightweight, under 3.5lbs
2. supports at least 5lbs.
3. extends to at least 53in. WITHOUT the center column raised.
4. would like to keep the cost under $150

Is there such a tripod? Or are my expectations too high?

Thanks.
-ZiYang
www.zylai.com

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Nice little outfit. The grip head isn't necessary and you can buy it cheaper w/o it.

Wolfeye said:

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Nice little outfit. The grip head isn't necessary and you can buy it cheaper w/o it.

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Skipped that one when looking at their website for some reason.. Thanks! Costco has it at $80 with just the ball head.

I'm not familiar with this particular tripod. But keep in mind that with every leg section the diameter of that section reduces and therefore (all things equal) becomes a bit less steady. This tripod has 4 sections as opposed to the typical 3 - of course the 4 sections make it more compact.

But if you do get it, come back with a report. Seems a good deal at Costco (I see it for $90 with shipping).

I actually own the tripod and the head. Here are some pics.

Carrying an RB67.


Fully extended. I am 6 foot 2 inches tall.


The kit


Closeup of ball head.

If that ballhead supports a RB securely, I'm impressed. How stable is it with the RB on top and the center post not extended?

Well, it's hard to judge stability. It's certainly not as sturdy as a professional heavyweight aluminum tripod. You could certainly knock it over. That said, it doesn't wobble excessively to me - your opinion may vary. There's a hook on the bottom of the center column so you can add weight if you want for increased stability. One item of note: the total spread of the tripod seems just a bit narrower than I would like for a heavy camera. That may be due to the relative narrowness of the bottom leg segment. It does seem to slightly, very slightly, bow outward with a heavy camera. I don't think it's a cause for concern with what I shoot but it may be an issue for others.

I don't think there's a better $100 or so tripod out there that weighs under 4 pounds and supports 13 pounds max.