Tripods for Hiking

[Michael Erlewine]

I am also trying to bring the weight down. I found if I took off my RSS L-bracket, it lightened the feel of the new camera, but although the stabilization is much improved, there is no substitute for a tripod, for some shots. I then tried to put on the base of the X2D2 a tiny square Arca-Swiss mount, which is less heavy than the L-bracket but of course there is no vertical mount, which is probably my favorite view. Another thing I am trying is to use a tripod and just balance the camera on that, vertical or horizontal, and that works pretty well.

I have a closet full of tripods collected over the many decades, always getting lighter and lighter if I can. The Gitzo QT 1545 T is about as light as I dare go and still have some stability.

I have found a new, inexpensive, very light, and powerful tripod that I am now using more and more. The HEIPI W28S. It is carbon fiber, very light, and has a remarkably useful 3-pillar head that detaches and becomes a ground tripod. Sounds stupid, but it is not. It is the most well-thought-out tripod I have ever seen and folds small and light. I have three RRS tripods including their ground tripod, but this works, folds small, and is easy to carry. $429.

https://heipivision.com/products/w28-tripod?variant=48199821820190&country=US&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21519141767&gbraid=0AAAAA-B6i_mw3fj0w8a-g_5DXQr_L3X9f&gclid=CjwKCAjwiNXFBhBKEiwAPSaPCetQ7kQrnpjOPPUSvBWbpoPg6lBiz7udzEhbWtSYOlV9ZsGHBACeQhoCTjEQAvD_BwE

[golunvolo]

It does look well thought out. I specially like the stable upside-down position.

   I haven´t found a light and stable one myself yet.

[Gil Aegerter]

I bought a Leofoto LS-254C years ago and liked it so much that I bought its little brother, the LS-224C, which has become my main backpacking tripod (even sometimes put my D850 on it if I'm not being too fussy, but most of the time, it's for a D5500). They take a little getting used to -- the leg angle is shallower than standard, and they're relatively short without a center column (and who uses those?). But they're light, especially the LS-224C with its tiny ballhead -- about 2 pounds, which makes the decision about whether to take it on a 50-mile backpacking trip a lot easier.

This new tripod looks pretty interesting, though.