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10 Best Travel Tripods in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks
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Travel tripods are there to help us take better photos while being on the road. They have to be smaller, lighter, and more convenient to use than regular tripods. Of course, they also have to be adjustable, versatile, easy to set up, and strong enough to hold your camera kit.
With so many different travel tripods on the market, it can be challenging to find the perfect fit for you. Since these are not regular tripods, you will have to compromise on some of the features, although there are still great options to choose from. It’s best to define which elements are crucial for you and choose a travel tripod that will suit your needs.
We have gathered some fantastic travel tripod options with great reviews, so check out our list below to find the best option for your needs.
We have chosen the Vanguard VEO 3GO 204CB Travel Tripod VEO3GO204CB as the best overall travel tripod. This product is at the top of our list because it offers some fantastic features for a low price. The tripod is compact, lightweight, and easily portable. It has a compact ball head that can hold camera capacities up to 6.6 pounds. It’s only 13.6 inches long when folded, making it easy to pack and carry wherever you are traveling. The design of this tripod allows you to shoot macro shots and low angles, and the three legs provide maximum stability regardless of the terrain. Also, you can convert it into a selfie stick, monopod, or vlogging stick!
The tripod is easy to disassemble, so you’ll be able to clean it easily. The manufacturer thought about all the details, so the T-45 ball head is easy to lock due to the ergonomic locking knob. It also contains a smartphone connector for smartphones up to 3.4 inches wide, and it has a Bluetooth remote shutter trigger. When you consider these benefits with an affordable price, it’s easy to see why this is our top choice overall.
Pros
Easy to clean
Affordable
It has a smartphone connector
Light and stable
Cons
Not the best option for heavy cameras
2. Vanguard VEO 3GO 204AB Travel Tripod VEO3GO204AB – Best Value
The Vanguard VEO 3GO 204AB Travel Tripod VEO3GO204AB is the best travel tripod for the money. It’s exceptionally affordable while offering some great features for the price. This tripod is another lightweight, compact travel tripod, and it can hold up cameras to 6.6 pounds. Due to its small size, you can easily pack it in a backpack while traveling.
It’s great for outdoor shots during any weather, so you can use it even when it’s windy. This tripod also offers a smartphone connector with a Bluetooth shutter, and it can hold phones up to 3.4 inches wide, so it should fit your phone without any issues.
The Vanguard VEO 3GO 265HCB Travel Tripod VEO3GO265HCB is our premium choice travel tripod. It’s a bit pricey, but with all the benefits it brings, it had to take our premium choice position. It’s lightweight but strong, and it can hold equipment up to 22 pounds. Since it’s made of carbon fiber, it can withstand any weather, so you can shoot amazing pics even when it’s windy or rainy outside. Like other Vanguard travel tripods, this one can also fold into a vlogging stick, selfie stick, or a monopod.
The BH-102 head contains an ergonomic locking knob that helps you to lock the head easily, and the tripod also includes a pan-lock to set the level and take panoramic shots quickly. This is another travel tripod with a smartphone connector for phones up to 3.4 inches wide and a Bluetooth remote shutter that will allow you to take pics without touching the phone.
The Vanguard VESTA FB 235AB Travel Tripod Vesta FB235AB is another excellent tripod made from aluminum. It’s compact and lightweight, although heavier and more expensive than some other travel tripods on our list. The load capacity of this tripod is 9.9 pounds, so you can use it for DSLR /mirrorless camera kits that are not too heavy. The tripod has three legs that are easy to set up, and it also comes with an adaptor for low angles to shoot low near the ground.
It also includes a pan lock that will allow you to create smooth panorama shots without unscrewing the ball head. The ball head is a VESTA T-51, and it has a large locking knob that you can quickly tighten or loosen to your preference.
The Vanguard VEO 3GO 235CB Travel Tripod VEO3GO235CB is the perfect travel tripod for people looking for something affordable, sturdy, and small. This tripod is an excellent combination of a lightweight product with good load capacity. The legs are easy to place, and the tripod will be reliable even when shooting during lousy weather. It’s well suited for hiking and traveling, so you shouldn’t have any issues carrying it in your backpack.
The kit also provides a smartphone connector, an ergonomic locking knob, and an extra pan-knob for great 360 shots. You can use it as a monopod, and honestly, it’s a very good product compared to other tripods in that price range.
The Vanguard VEO 3GO 265HAB Travel Tripod VEO3GO265HAB is another decent travel tripod made from aluminum. It’s optimized to carry a load up to 22 pounds while still being lightweight and portable. It offers versatile solutions for photographers since you can use it for macro shots, low-angle pics, and panoramic photos.
Like other Vanguard travel tripods, you can also convert this travel tripod into a vlogging/selfie stick or a monopod. It’s got a smartphone holder for phones not wider than 3.4 inches. It’s suitable for any terrain and can withstand most weather complications such as snow and rain. This travel tripod is relatively stable, and it comes with a bag to easily carry it while traveling.
The Vanguard VESTA FB 204AB Travel Tripod Vesta FB204AB is not the best travel tripod on the market, but it’s satisfactory when you look at the price and the benefits it provides. This tripod is made from aluminum, and it can hold cameras up to 6.6 pounds, so it’s suitable for light cameras only.
The tripod is quite solid and easy to set up, making it convenient when you’re on the go. It can hold most mirrorless cameras without any issues while still being portable and not too heavy. The kit comes with an adaptor for low angles, so you’ll be able to shoot some fascinating pics low on the ground.
The BONFOTO B690A Camera Tripod for Travel is compact and has good portability, although it’s heavier than most travel tripods on the list. It has a decent load capacity of 18 pounds, so you can use heavier cameras to take outdoor shots. The tripod has a precise ball head that will allow you to take photos from any angle you choose. Although it’s made from aluminum, it’s well built, so it’s sturdy and will enable you to set it up even on uneven terrain.
Still, since it’s pretty lightweight, it can be hard to use during wind and rain, as it can easily get knocked down.
The Manfrotto Befree Travel Tripod has also made it on our list of best travel tripods this year. The price and quality don’t line up well since it’s pretty expensive while not as good as some other travel tripods on the list, but it still does the job. The legs and the video head are not manufactured the best way they could have been, but they still offer variety to take good shots.
It offers good stability, although the mounting system is challenging, which is inconvenient when you’re on the go. Although it can withstand load capacity up to 8.8 pounds, it’s not great with heavier cameras, as it can malfunction.
The Manfrotto Befree Advanced Travel Tripod is an advanced option of the travel tripod above, but you can use it while traveling. It’s a bit cheaper than its non-advanced version which seems strange as high-quality products are typically more expensive than their unadvanced models. It is easy to set up, sturdy and lightweight, but it tends to be bouncy and shaky when set up and can be difficult to maneuver.
Also, the plastic tightener just doesn’t provide the reliability that a travel tripod should have. The specs state that it can withhold cameras up to 19.8 pounds, but it seems that it’s actually better for lighter cameras.
Pros
Not too expensive
Lightweight
Easy to set up
Cons
Shaky and bouncy
Not reliable
Difficult to maneuver
Not good for the provided load capacity
Buyers Guide – Choosing the Best Travel Tripod
Before you purchase a travel tripod, there are specific parameters and features you should figure out to find the perfect travel tripod for you. As you probably already know, travel tripods are more lightweight and compact than regular tripods, making them more breakable and not convenient for heavy equipment.
Still, when you’re traveling, hiking, or just on the road, you need something that’s light and that can easily fit into your backpack, so travel tripods are great for that.
Image Credit: Aliko Sunawang, Pixabay
Things to consider before purchasing a travel tripod
Travel tripods come in various sizes, prices, and materials, so deciding which one you should buy can be challenging. The best travel tripod for you will depend on your budget, needs, and camera. The most important things you should pay attention to before making the purchase are:
Size/height. The size of the travel tripod should be the first thing to consider before making the purchase. You need to know how extendable the tripod is and how compact it will be when folded. The tripod should be high enough that you don’t have to hunch while you use it, while it should also be small enough when folded to pack and carry it comfortably.
The weight of the tripod is another thing you should keep in mind, as you don’t want something weighty, especially if you plan to travel frequently and long-distance. Most people go for travel tripods under 3 pounds to carry them on a day-to-day basis.
Most travel tripods are made of carbon fiber or aluminum. The material will determine how strong and durable will the travel tripod be. Carbon fiber is typically more durable than aluminum, but it’s also more expensive. If you have a higher budget, our suggestion is to choose a carbon fiber travel tripod, but aluminum travel tripods should work as well if your budget is currently lower. The material will determine how strong and durable will the travel tripod be.
Load capacity. The load capacity is another crucial factor, as you need to find something that will be able to hold your camera kit.
Travel tripods commonly cost less than regular tripods, and they can cost anywhere from $50–$1,000. Honestly, there’s no need to spend tons of money on a travel tripod. Try to compare different manufacturers with their benefits, and you can select a cheaper model if it has the features that you’re looking for.
Conclusion
Once you’ve seen our reviews, the search for your next travel tripod should be a piece of cake! For the best overall travel tripod, we recommend the Vanguard Travel Tripod as it combines quality and sturdiness at an affordable price. If you’re looking for something cheaper, the best value travel tripod is Vanguard VEO 3GO 204AB Travel Tripod, which is inexpensive and has excellent features for the money.
Robert’s obsession with all things optical started early in life, when his optician father would bring home prototypes for Robert to play with. Nowadays, Robert is dedicated to helping others find the right optics for their needs. His hobbies include astronomy, astrophysics, and model building. Originally from Newark, NJ, he resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the nighttime skies are filled with glittering stars.
