My Peak Design Travel Tripod arrived in December 2019! After ordering it in May I’ve been anxiously awaiting its arrival. I’ve been lucky enough to have already taken it on a few photo adventures. So far, I’ve been impressed with its unique, space-saving design, compact size, and excellent build quality and functionality at a reasonable price ($350 for aluminum version I purchased and $600 for carbon fiber).
Peak Design set out to completely re-design the travel tripod concept from scratch and their unique design has solved the typical travel tripod issues – too short, too wobbly, and too lightweight.
- Even though it compacts down to only 15.5”, the Peak Design Travel Tripod is surprisingly tall at 60”, which is comfortable height for most users – especially given the tilt-screens of today’s dSLR’s and mirror-less cameras.
- The tripod has excellent build quality with a strong and sturdy feel, despite its compact size. It’s unique design results in no empty space between the legs and head, reducing its overall footprint when retracted, and results in a great balance between compact, lightweight, strong, and durable.
- The legs are strong and stiff with lever locks that are strong, tight, and a breeze to use. The legs and locks retract flush, maintaining the low profile and compact design. The center column is sturdy and stable and also stores a helpful gadget for attaching a smart phone to the tripod.
- Unlike other tripods there is no need for a separate ball head as Peak Design integrated the ball head into the center column of its Travel Tripod. The ball head is ARCA-Swiss compatible, allows for a range of adjustments and fine-tuning, and the clamp is strong and able to securely hold a full size dslr or smaller, mirror-less cameras equally well.
- Key Specifications:
- Maximum Height – 60”
- Minimum Height – 5.5”
- Length (retracted) – 15.5”
- Weight – 3.44 lbs. aluminum and 2.81 lbs. carbon fiber
- Maximum Load Capacity – 20 lbs.
- Price – $350 for aluminum and $600 for carbon fiber
Overall, the Peak Design Travel Tripod is an amazing and easy to use design providing excellent quality and performance in a compact and lightweight package. The tripod does an excellent job of holding a range of camera sizes perfectly still for sharp images and provides a far superior shooting experience than other cheaper travel tripods.
