Back in 2019, when I decided to get serious about photography, I told myself that a DSLR is something that I’ll replace with some regularity as technology evolves, but a really, really good tripod is something I can own and use for the rest of my life. That’s how I ended up with the carbon fiber version of the Peak Design Travel Tripod. It’s more tripod than I have any business owning, especially considering I no longer own a dedicated camera, but I still use it regularly with my iPhone 16 Pro.
Every time I use it, I’m struck by how well built it is. It supports up to 9 kg of camera gear and measures 150 cm with the legs fully extended, and there’s a hook for adding some extra weight beneath it in windy conditions. The ball design is quick and easy to operate, as are the sturdy flip locks on the legs. It comes with a mobile mount that can be used in landscape mode, cleverly hidden in the center column, but I usually rely on my Joby GripTight 360° phone bracket instead. In short, the Travel Tripod is a beautiful piece of gear that’s a joy to use.
The carbon fibre version of the tripod comes in at 1.27 kg, which makes it too heavy for me to bring it on multi-day hikes. For that, I turn to the 400 gram lighter Joby Compact Light Tripod, despite it being considerably shorter and flimsier. For day hikes or any photography where weight isn’t a huge consideration, I pick the Travel Tripod every time.
Will it last me for the rest of my life? The tripod itself and the accompanying carrying case still feel brand new after eight years of intermittent use, so I’d say the outlook on that is pretty good.
