Best travel tripods 2023: Lightweight and compact tripods ahead of Black Friday
The best travel tripods let you set your equipment up more easily when you're on the go. We've reviewed the best ones ahead of the Black Friday sales.
1. The list in brief ↴
2. Best travel tripod overall
3. Best for height
4. Best for serious travel
5. Best lightweight option
6. Best for videographers
7. Best for content creators
8. Best stylish option
9. Best budget travel tripod
10. Best value for money
11. Best travel tripods FAQ
12. How we test
The best travel tripods can be a great solution for travel photographers or astrophotographers who need to transport a lot of kit to remote locations to avoid light pollution. They tend to be lighter than regular tripods, often being made from materials like carbon fiber instead of aluminum, and they fold down to a more compact size, allowing them to comply with TSA-approved carry-on luggage.
The drawback to this is that they sometimes have a more restricted payload than regular tripods, which can be an issue when it comes to the heavier kit used in astrophotography. Our expert reviewers have scoured the market for the best travel tripods, highlighting their pros and cons and explaining any trade-offs you may have to make, so that you can choose the best option to suit your current setup.
With Black Friday fast approaching on November 24, we're expecting some fantastic deals to come up, so this is an ideal time to invest in a travel tripod check our Black Friday hub for the best deals spotted. If you think you need something more heavy-duty, then we also have a guide to the best tripods overall, and if you need a better way to transport your kit, check out our list of the best camera backpacks. Those looking to pursue astrophotography may also wish to explore our guides to the best cameras and best lenses for astrophotography.
The quick list
Best overall
The Peak Design Travel Tripod is a novel travel tripod that is so narrow it can fit into cabin luggage. It is night-friendly and can support full-frame DSLRs and even smartphones.
Best for height
One of the best tripods we've seen, it comes with a detachable monopod and built-in phone mount. The carbon fiber tubes keep it relatively light.
Best for serious travel photographers
This Benro tripod will last for years to come. It's also the tallest tripod on our list — when fully extended, its maximum height is 66.92-inches (170 cm).
Best lightweight option
A very light and compact tripod which can fold down to 13.6 inches, small enough to put in your cabin bag. We like the smooth operating ball head too.
Best for videographers
The Manfrotto Befree Advanced Travel Tripod's aluminum rig is as light and as solid a travel tripod as you’re likely to find, making it great for full-frame astrophotography gear.
Best for content creators
The Joby GorillaPod 3K Pro Kit is a unique take on a tripod that can wrap around almost anything to hold 6.6 lbs (3 kg) worth of photography gear.
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Best stylish option
An excellent quality premium tripod that looks stunning and performs just as well, but it does come with a premium price tag.
Best budget option
A 6-in-1 option, the Benro MeFoto Road Trip Pro converts into a variety of styles to suit different styles of shooting. The legs utilize a twist and lock function.
Best value for money
The Punks Corey 2.0 is lightweight but it can support over 8x its own weight, and you can remove the legs to make it a monopod.
Best travel tripods we recommend in 2023
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Best travel tripod overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ If only the best will do: This is an exceptional, thoughtfully designed tripod for photographers on the move. We found it hard to fault.
❌ You need more height: You'll only be able to reach a height of 60-inches with this travel tripod.
🔎 Peak Design Travel Tripod An exceptionally narrow and compact design makes the Peak Design Travel Tripod a key piece of kit for traveling astrophotographers after something highly mobile and with a fast set-up and takedown. ★★★★½
The Peak Design Travel Tripod tops our list thanks to its sleek, narrow and compact design that still maintains impressive stability even with full-frame DSLR cameras. The three legs and ball head fold down to meet with no gaps, measuring just 3.125 inches in diameter and 15.4 inches in height when packed up. This means it fits easily away in luggage or camera bags, but it comes with its own soft padded case with a waterproof zip and carry handles as well.
We loved the speedy setup and takedown on this tripod, although we were slightly less fond of the camera attachment. The ball head (which is one of the most compact we've seen) comes with a tripod plate that attaches to your camera using a hex tool. Whilst this was incredibly stable for long hours when shooting star trails, we can't help but feel that a tool-free D-ring plate would have been easier.
A hook at the bottom of the center column twists to reveal a folded-up smartphone clamp, which we thought was a neat additional feature. The five leg sections allow it to reach 60 inches/152.4cm when fully unfurled, which might be a bit of a stoop for taller people but helps to save on weight.
You can buy this tripod in either an aluminum or carbon fiber version, but there's a steep jump in price to carbon fiber when the aluminum model is already a very light 3.44lbs/1.56kg, so we'd probably stick with the aluminum.
- Read our full Peak Design Travel Tripod review
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Narrow, space-saving design |
Performance | Speedy setup and takedown |
Functionality | Not as tall as some tripods |
Best for height
Benro Rhino FRHN24C+VX25 Head
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want one of the tallest travel tripods: This one reaches a maximum height of 66.3-inches.
✅ You want a detachable monopod: Monopods are better in certain situations, like sporting events where you have limited space. This model comes with a detachable one.
❌ You're sticking to a budget: This is another premium tripod, though it's a great long-term investment.
🔎 Benro Rhino FRHN24C+VX25 Head Although it's not cheap, for passionate photographers who need a lightweight, portable tripod capable of providing more height than most, this is a fantastic option. ★★★★½
The premium end of Benro's travel lineup is represented by the Rhino series, and with a detachable monopod, an included phone mount and carbon fiber tubes, the Benro Rhino FRHN24C tripod is one of the best tripods we've given a closer look at. Its sleek design, reliability and portability make it a fantastic choice for studio work or travel.
The braided material used to construct the carbon tubes increases stiffness, and at standard operating heights, the FRHN24C performs as well as some other non-travel-oriented tripods. When the four leg sections are completely extended, it measures 169cm (66.3-inches). It folds down to 19.3-inches, so it's also TSA-friendly and easy to carry around in a backpack or suitcase. You can also configure it into a monopod by removing one of the legs and attaching it to the removable center column, providing versatility for different photographic styles.
Although this tripod is more expensive than some of the others on the list, many professional travel photographers would find it to be a wise investment.
If this tripod piques your interest, keep your eyes peeled for our review of this model coming soon.
- Read more: Best camera backpacks
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Stylish carbon fiber construction |
Performance | Sturdy and strong |
Functionality | Converts to monopod |
Best for serious travel photographers
Benro Travel Angel 9X CF Series 2 Tripod
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want one of the tallest travel tripods: This one reaches a maximum height of 66.92-inches and is the tallest in this guide.
❌ You want something especially lightweight: At 1.81kg, this is one of the heavier tripods in this guide, though it's still not outrageous.
🔎 Benro Travel Angel 9X CF Series 2 Tripod While it's not the lightest tripod on this list, it's more suited to serious photographers with lots of heavy kit as it can hold up to 22 lbs (10kg). ★★★★½
While the name 'Travel Angel' might feel gimmicky, in this case we think it's entirely warranted. The Benro Travel Angel 9X CF Series tripod is a godsend for all travel photographers.
It's on the expensive end of the tripods included in this guide, but it's a premium product from a reliable, well-known brand, so if your budget stretches that far, we think it's worth it. Granted, it's not the lightest of travel tripods, coming in at 3.99 lbs (1.81kg), but it can handle an impressive 22 lbs (10kg) of weight. The tripod legs are made of nine layers of carbon fiber, which means it's sturdy enough to provide stability for heavier kit while remaining lightweight and portable.
This tripod is also the tallest of all the options we've listed, extending up to 66.92 inches (170 cm). However, as with other models on this list, the Benro Travel Angel can fold up to measure 17.3 inches (43 cm), so it can be packed away into most larger bags.
- Check out the Best cameras for low light photography
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Great quality build |
Performance | Substantial maximum payload |
Functionality | Wide height range |
Best lightweight option
Vanguard VEO 3 GO 204CB Carbon Fiber Tripod
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ Being lightweight is important: This tripod weighs less than 2 lbs but still has a maximum payload of 6.6 lbs. It folds down to 13.6-inches too.
✅ You want an affordable carbon fiber tripod: This tripod is excellent value for money and a great price for a carbon fiber model.
❌ You're looking for a lot of height: This one can extend to a height of 51.6-inches which may be a bit small for some.
🔎 Vanguard VEO 3 GO 204CB Carbon Fiber Tripod You won't find a travel tripod much lighter than this compact option from Vanguard. It would be ideal for those dark nights when you have to hike to get to your chosen location. ★★★★½
The Vanguard VEO 3 GO 204CB tripod is one of the lightest full-size tripods we've ever come across, and it's the lightest on this list by a long shot, weighing in at just 1.8 lbs. It can extend to a height of 51.6 inches, which is not the tallest of the tripods in this guide, and hold a load capacity of 6.6 lbs (just about 3 kg).
We think this tripod is an excellent choice for travel or hiking, especially when you're heading to remote places for those stunning dark sky shots you've always wanted. It can fold down to a length of 13.6 inches, which is impressive. While it may not be the tallest tripod available, its weight and compact folded size make it a compelling option. The ball-head is also really smooth to operate, which photographers on the move will appreciate, and the build quality is commendable.
Another thing to note is the Vanguard VEO 3 GO 204CB tripod is also really affordable, especially for a carbon fiber tripod. There is an aluminum version available, but it's actually not that much cheaper and you'll be bumping the weight up by a few ounces to 2.1 lbs. It can also be converted into a monopod or selfie stick, making it a solid choice for vloggers and social media content creators who use smartphones.
- Read more: Best mirrorless cameras
Attributes | Notes |
---|---|
Design | Very light and compact |
Performance | Smooth operating ball-head |
Functionality | Converts into monopod |