Best travel tripods 2023: Lightweight and compact tripods ahead of Black Friday

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 travel tripods we recommend in 2023

Best travel tripod overall

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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

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Best for height

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

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Best for serious travel photographers

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

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Best lightweight option

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