Perfect Shot: 4 Best Travel Tripods For Your Next Adventure

By Clay Abney September 29, 2017

Pakpod Tripod Travel Tripod — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Memories are wonderful, but photographs are easier to share when you return from a magical trip. Nobody wants to lug a ton of camera gear around the world, so carrying the right piece of equipment can make the difference when pursuing the perfect shot. Travel tripods have evolved to be extremely compact and portable, making what was once left behind a necessity for adventure. Here are four great options for your next epic trip.

MeFoto Air Series, $125-$225

MeFOTO Air Tripods

MeFoto’s Air Series includes the BackPacker, RoadTripper, and GlobeTrotter travel tripods. The Backpacker is the most lightweight and compact of the three, clocking in at just two pounds. It’s ideal for smartphones, compact cameras, action cameras, and seal mirrorless cameras as it has a maximum load of just 8.8 pounds. The other tripods each weigh more and subsequently have a higher maximum load capacity. The removable telescoping center column converts to a selfie stick with included smartphone holder and Bluetooth remote. The HyperLock leg locking system ensures a super fast setup.

Vanguard VEO 2 235CB, $200

Vanguard VEO 2 235CB — Image used with permission by copyright holder

This carbon fiber travel tripod is lightweight and compact, and quickly deploys thanks to the. Thanks to the central column rotation and advanced 1/4 turn lock-unlock system, the tripod can be deployed in a matter of seconds. The multi-action ball head operates with three independent dedicated knobs for locking, panning, and friction control. It weighs only 2.6 pounds and can extended to over 57 inches. Spiked feet are sold separately, but ensure a secure position in outdoor environments.

Pakpod, $99

pakpod travel tripod — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Pakpod is a super portable tripod made of high impact acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and weighs 15.5 ounces. While it has a maximum height of just under 18 inches, the integrated stakes allow for stable mounting in a variety of environments. All three legs lock with a single twist, and there are multiple mounting points. The Pakpod even works great underwater with a stable, waterproof camera mount.

Sirui T-025X, $200

Sirui T-025X — Image used with permission by copyright holder

This ultra-compact carbon fiber tripod is just over 12 inches long when folded and extends to 54.5 inches, but only weighs only 2 pounds. The removable center column allows for table-top use, as well as macro and low angle shooting. Each leg has an automatic locking mechanism and there are three leg angle positions for uneven terrain.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Travel gear

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Clay Abney is a PR guru and freelance writer living in the wild and wonderful state of West Virginia, where he spends his…

Travel

Make travel easy: The best packing apps for every type of traveler

Packing is always the worst part of traveling. Find the best packing app to help you stay sane for your trip

Someone packing their suitcase for a trip.

Let's be real: Packing for a trip is tedious, stressful, and time-consuming. For most of us, it just plain sucks. If you’re not the sort of masochist traveler who actually enjoys packing, smartphone technology is here to help. There's an app for everything, and they have come up with the best packing apps so you don't have to cry while putting things randomly into your suitcase.

There's a huge selection of travel apps out there, including packing apps for every flavor of traveler. From control freaks to those who want a dead-simple wizard to hand-hold them through every step of the packing process, these mobile packing apps make the process as quick, painless, and even mindless as possible. These are the best packing apps for travelers who seriously hate to pack.

Travel

Will Sony’s portable PlayStation Portal be your new travel buddy?

Move over, Nintendo Switch?

Sony PlayStation Portal

If you want to travel and play video games remotely, you can connect your smartphone to your PS5 at home using the PS Remote Play app. However, there are two limitations to using your smartphone or tablet to stream your PlayStation games. For starters, most smartphones don’t have the ideal visuals to get the best performance out of PS5 games. But even if you own a smartphone with a display that exceeds expectations, you may find it inconvenient to use on-screen buttons.

Well, Sony has a solution for gamers who want a handheld gaming console that’s better than a smartphone — it’s called the PlayStation Portal remote player. It comes with an 8-inch LCD screen that can support 1080p at 60 frames per second. But the best part about it is that the LCD screen is sandwiched between a PS5 DualSense wireless controller. This means you can enjoy the full gaming pad experience, including the haptic feedback when you’re playing your PlayStation games remotely.

Travel

From 4×4 Jeeps to exotic sports cars, Turo is where to score your next rental car

Skip the traditional rental car counter on your next vacation, and find a car you actually want to drive

Toyota 4Runner Turo car rental parked on a dirt road in Utah.

Most travelers don't like renting a car. But it's a necessary evil to be able to get around while we're on vacation, visiting family halfway across the country, or needing a way to get from the conference to the hotel and back again on our latest work trip. Whatever the reason, the process is rarely fun. It's tedious, time-consuming, and usually involves a lot of legalese-laden paperwork most of us never read or understand. Something about not taking the car to Mexico or driving it into the ocean, I think?

Some big-name rental agencies caught onto this recently. Years ago, Hertz began offering special Hertz Collection vehicles, like its Premium Collection (which includes BMW convertibles, Infiniti sedans, and Mercedes SUVs) and the Adrenaline Collection (full of supercharged Mustangs and Camaros). But those are only available at limited airports, and the rental process is still a hassle and very expensive. Unless you're renting a fancy car for your wedding or another special occasion, the cost is probably a factor.