Lightweight tripod for hiking trips

[jon_baker2]

<p>Hi All,<br>

I'm in the market for a new lightweight tripod after my last one broke and my DSLR fell in a river! When hiking I either use my 5D mkII with a contax 35-70mm on a nodal ninja or my Fuji GX617 with a 90mm lens.<br>

What tripods would people recommend? Also what lightweight ballheads would people recommend for when I'm not using a pano head?<br>

I've considered the following:<br>

Manfrotto 190CXPRO4<br>

Giottos MT8240B<br>

But I can't decide whether to stretch my budget to a Gitzo. I'd really like the TVC-33 Versa but that is getting studipdly expensive.<br>

Cheers<br>

Jon</p>

[trevor_martin]

<p>

 

<p>I have the 190CXPro4 and think it is a fantastic tripod for hiking. It seems very sturdy, and has a hook on which you can add a weight bag for more stability. I also found the horizontal arm to be much more useful than I ever imagined. My one beef with the tripod is the lack of spikes built into the it's feet. If you want spikes you have to buy new feet, the set for the 190cxpro4 costs $45. I don't need spikes very often and haven't bought the add-ons, but there have been times when I thought they would have been useful.</p>

<p>I use a photoclam ballhead, the PC-36NS. I think it is a fantastic lightweight ballhead, certainly the best I have ever used, it's very smooth, locks tights and seems solidly built. </p>

 

</p>

[acbeddoe]

<p>I second the Manfrotto. I carried it on hikes in the Tetons last year.</p>

[anthony_zipple]

<p>I have never regretted the extra cash for Gitzo. A 2541 is a very solid but still very hiking friendly set-up. I like it a lot as a general use pod for day hikes. A 1541T is a pound lighter, more compact, but less solid. It will handle your 5D well. I use it with an RRS 30 head and it manages a 5D and a 100-400 L zoom. I have no experience with a Fuji 67.</p>

[joobass]

<p>I'd go for a Gitzo Tripod. They are light weight and very sturdy.<br>

Few days ago I was looking for a new tripod to replace my old gitzo G2228, it was a good and strong tripod but was very heavy(Almost 3Kg). I tried take a look at a Chinese make called Sirui which was very light and almos half the price of a Gitzo, but I didn't want to expirement with my money so I decide to go were a Gitzo again.<br>

I bought GT1541T(0.97Kg) and GT1531(1.15Kg) they are both very light and sturdy(each can hold about 8Kg each). both of them put togather are less heavier than my G2228 tripod.</p>

[jon_baker2]

<p>I've discovered Feisol so am no tempted by the CT 3442 or CT 3441SB<br>

They seem to get decent reviews, are lighter and more sturdy than Manfrotto and not at the Gitzo price</p>

<p> </p>

[toby_swank]

<p>I spent several $100 on cheap tripods and ballheads, each time buying the next step up, hoping to avoid the Gitzo CF price tag. I finally gave in and bought a 2541 Mountaineer and wish I could've been up sold from day one. For backpacking, travel, and everyday use, I've been very happy with it. I looked a lot of ballheads too and ended up with the Markins Q3. The Acratech and RRS were really appealing too, but the Markins seemed a little smaller overall and is very simple to use without messing with the knobs. The head and tripod weigh 4 pounds together and I've used them with a D700 and lenses up to 70-200 2.8 without any issues. I probably wouldn't leave the tripod unattended and fully extended with that lens on it though!</p>

[peter_n1664876959]

<p>Gitzo 1541T tripod and Markins Q3T ballhead. Make sure you get the v.2 of the Markins Q3T head as it has been redesigned to fit the GT-1541T perfectly when folded.</p>