Used Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod with Ball Head

2026-04-07T20:00:00

It's a decent enough tripod for a small mirrorless camera, but any larger frame or lens and it's simply too flimsy. It's very unstable when extended taller (the bottom legs are very thin) and if there is even a moderate wind you will get shake. Good travel lens for studio shoots or perfect weather but for the price there are better options.

KB

Originally posted at

2026-03-30T20:00:00

Finally a really well designed lightweight but sturdy tripod I can carry with me without needing major back surgery every time! Really please with this.

Heynsham

Originally posted at

2026-03-09T20:00:00

I recently started getting more serious about photography, so I decided to try the Peak Design Travel Tripod for my new camera. After using it on a recent Grand Canyon trip, I can honestly say it's one of the most thoughtfully designed tripods I've used. The first thing you notice is how compact it is when folded. Unlike most travel tripods that still feel bulky, this one packs down very slim and fits easily in or on a backpack. That alone makes it much more likely that I'll actually bring it with me. Setup is quick and intuitive. The legs deploy smoothly and lock firmly, and the integrated ball head is simple but very effective. It feels very sturdy and stable once set up, even when shooting longer exposures at night. The downside is the price, which is definitely higher than many travel tripods. But the design, portability, and overall quality make it feel worth it if you travel or hike with your camera. For someone who enjoys traveling, hiking to viewpoints, and experimenting with night photography, having a tripod that is lightweight yet sturdy makes a big difference. One thing to keep in mind is the lifetime warranty. It's great that they offer it, but you do need to register the product. The serial number required for registration is hidden under one of the tripod legs and can be a little hard to see. I noticed something similar with my Peak Design bag too. The serial number was tucked deep inside and easy to miss. Overall, I'm really happy with it and excited to keep using it on future trips.

boo25

Originally posted at

2026-02-09T19:00:00

So easy to use my four year old was literally able to use it after about two minutes of watching me do it.

Mdw

Originally posted at

2026-01-13T19:00:00

I bought this not too long ago, overall great design, compact and sturdy. Uncomplicated!!

Nancy

Originally posted at

2026-01-13T19:00:00

There are other tripods on the market that are of similar weight. This one's selling point is that it folds up compactly so its circumference is small. It does feel a little wobbly but, to be blunt, I have yet to use it after a few thousand miles of travel. MY BIGGER COMPLAINT it that the case it comes with is too tight to easily use. You habit to work to get it zipped back up. I can't imagine I am alone in this complaint.

gnew18

Originally posted at

2026-01-04T19:00:00

I like to keep this tripod in car, never know when will be needed.It is very stable tripod, I use GFX 50sII with heavy TS lens without any issues. This tripod works like much heavier tripods.

Norbert

Originally posted at

2025-12-22T19:00:00

I'm giving this five stars with the caveat that I've only had it a month, so I've only gotten to use it on one hike and for some back yard birding. The size is great - it fits in my 30L daypack or could be strapped to the side. Super easy to deploy and fold down. Holds a Nikon 180-600mm lens and feels sturdy with that setup. The weight is enough that it's a commitment to bring it hiking but very manageable if you expect to use it. If you can afford carbon fiber I'd recommend it, but I also am happy with the aluminum one personally. My feedback for future iterations: 1) I don't see myself using the cloth carrying case. I'd rather save on the sticker price and have it as an add-on. The size is a tiny bit too small - fiddly to take in or out. Spiked feet or ultralight kit would be more useful out of the box, and I'm considering those. 2) The hex tool clip is too easily lost. I'd rather it be in the center column or something. 3) I've found it can be a little time-consuming to frame a shot sometimes, particularly due to having to reattach the camera for certain shooting angles. This is my first tripod, so maybe that's a common problem, but perhaps there are possible improvements to the ball head.

AC

Originally posted at

2025-12-21T19:00:00

I am so happy that I bought this, aluminum is super sturdy and easy to transport.

csantare

Originally posted at

2025-12-20T19:00:00

Extremely well designed and manufactured. This is a great tripod. They have thought of everything: great design, deploys fast, closes fast, packing is very efficient due to the design and carrying case. The head is great design and eliminates the need for a bulky ball head. Very versatile since the center column can be easily removed. Initially I was skeptical about putting a heavy camera (Nikon Z9) with a large lens on the tripod, but it handles it extremely well. Definitely would buy this again, but it is well made so should not have to. Like there other products: thoughtfully designed, engineered and excellent manufacturing. You get what you pay for. Excellent value.

Allen

Originally posted at

2025-12-09T19:00:00

Having travel through a few countries with this, it's definitely compact and easy to travel with. Negatives: aside from the price, 1. The head definitely takes practice to get used to. 2. Not that great with heavier cameras, the legs bend a little when fully extended. Definitely not for wildlife/birding, esp if a gimbal is involved. 3. The rubber feet are not that grippy, and the spike feet costs extra for a tripod that is already $600. 4. The included phone mount is too wimpy to grip bigger phones for Astro/Night photography with a phone.

dixonl

Originally posted at

2025-12-07T19:00:00

My wife bought the travel tripod a year ago. It is a fantastic piece of equipment - highly functional, sturdy, beautiful build quality and attention to detail. There is only one thing better than the product itself: the Peak Design customer service. One of the tripod legs got damaged in an accident. It was purely our fault, but Peak Design still replaced it. This type of service is unique these days. It made me go back immediately and buy more PD products as Christmas presents for my friends and family. I never write reviews, but I felt I had to in this case - thank you Peak Design!

Kai

Originally posted at

2025-11-26T19:00:00

I brought this in 2021, I'm not happy with this tripod 1. The build quality is bad. Paint peel off found on cosmetic surfaces after unboxed. 2. When I use it with Z7 with 20mm F1.8 in Finland (2022) besides a lake taking photo for Aurora. It's not stable with my gear

Samuel

Originally posted at

2025-11-16T19:00:00

Super compact, super sturdy, super..... tripod.... Perfect for travel or light studio work. Totally awesome even with a large 600mm lens....

ZSP

Originally posted at

2025-11-05T19:00:00

Lightweight, elegant and easy and quick to use! This Tripod has accompanied me throughout many travels and countries and has never failed to get the job done!

UlTra U.

Originally posted at

2025-10-21T20:00:00

I recently purchased this travel tripod in carbon fiber. I love how compact and lightweight it is, yet still sturdy at full deployment length. Is it perfect? No, the tripod head needs to be extended to tilt, the legs don't slide out as smoothly to deploy as my other tripods. However, I picked this up for the travel form factor while still being able to do most things my larger tripod can do. I didn't deduct any stars because it does everything I wanted. I tried purchasing a lighter tripod but it ended up being of low quality and strength. Not something I'd be able to use for a long time to come, the PD is a long term tripod.

suman567

Originally posted at

2025-09-30T20:00:00

so light, so easy to use, even with an heavy Nikon D4 ! It's exactly the tripod you have to buy for traveling. It's a non invasive tripod, but once legs are fully developed, the height is OK for 99% of the uses. If you need more stability, you can fix your bag to the central column.

Deniz

Originally posted at

2025-09-15T20:00:00

We photograph the Northern Lights in Fairbanks, Alaska - often in -40° to -50°F temperatures, for hours at a time, and completely in the dark. In those conditions, gear can't just be "good" it has to work with you, intuitively and instantly. That's where the Peak Design tripod shines. The design is so refined, it feels second nature to use almost like your hands already know what to do. That kind of user-friendly engineering is priceless when you're racing the cold, the wind, and fleeting moments of aurora activity. Combine that with its durability, compact form, and fast setup, and you've got a piece of gear we trust night after night, season after season. We've tested countless tripods. This is the only one we recommend for field Arctic, and night conditions. Once you use it, you won't go back.

Alaska N.

Originally posted at

2025-09-09T20:00:00

Very pleased with this tripod, I took it apart straight away to get used to changing out the legs, it's quite simple. It's all very solid and i'm happy with how light it is.

David A.

Originally posted at

2025-08-30T20:00:00

This is the last tripod you will buy. I had come to terms with tripods falling short of my expectations, but out of the box you could tell this travel tripod was exceptionally well designed and sturdy. It genuinely made me excited to go out and take photos again. I rented a large telephoto lens and had a DSLR with a large battery pack, and the tripod securely held everything. Highly recommend.

Eve

Originally posted at

2025-08-25T20:00:00

I own an embarrassing amount of photo gear. I know when things are just... not quite right, but only after I try it for a while. So at most recent count I have 6 tripods. But I haven't bought any more after the Kickstarter wherein I bought this one. Not only do I take it just about everywhere, it fits great in the roll-aboard that is all I usually, it is also the tripod I use when shooting in my tiny studio. Space is at a premium, so having something that collapses down to nothing is perfection. I'd give it 10 stars if I had them.

AshtheMighty

Originally posted at

2025-08-17T20:00:00

I bought this 2 months ago, and I am sad that I did because it failed during an astrophotography shoot and damaged a $6000 lens. I would have likely not posted this rating had the support lived up to my expectations. However, more than 2 weeks after having contacted support, been told that everything is okay, then told that they're only replacing the defective leg, then told that the part is on back order with no ETA, then told that it's not on back order via email (9 days after my originally asking about the backorder issue), then told by automated email shortly after the support email telling me the part is still on backorder. Now I just want my money back. I can't trust putting an expensive lens on one of these tripods again. It was a Sony SEL50150 on a Son a7 RV body, and the tripod was set up with proper balance, etc. Very calm weather conditions - no wind or other issues. Was also set up on a flat concrete surface. One moment everything was perfect and the next moment, disaster. It was catastrophic failure at the top most collapse points. It's unclear whether the carbon fiber failed itself or whether the plastic sheath they have wrapped around the carbon tip failed, but the rest of the leg dropped to the ground and the camera wound up flipping over a railing before finally coming to a rest on a plant. It was one of the worst "OMG I can't believe this is happening right now" moments I've had in recent history. I will never buy a Peak Design tripod again. I am switching to Gitzo.

Fedya

Originally posted at

2025-08-05T20:00:00

I've had the Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod for about 4 years now, and it's been a joy to use. Solid, compact, and easy to set up. The integrated phone holder has been super useful in situations where I needed a stable phone shot - "Hey, I've got this!" - no shaky video. The phone holder eventually broke after years of use, but Peak Design replaced it under their lifetime warranty. Now my tripod feels brand new again. Amazing service!

Zkafe

Originally posted at

2025-07-26T20:00:00

Purchased for long exposure and landscape shots on travel. Easy to deploy and carry around.

caffeinated

Originally posted at

2025-07-15T20:00:00

I had a tendency to "collect" tripods. Buy one, try it awhile, then buy another because the prior one just wasn't right. The PD travel tripod has broken this cycle - once I got this I've never felt a need to buy another. The aluminum one is very sturdy, if the price was lower I might have bought the carbon fiber version to bring down the weight a bit. Most of my photography is with items low to the ground, so I've removed the center post, which lets me get right down to the ground with this. STURDY, and it fits very well in the side pocket of my PD backpack. The only issue that I had was with one of the plastic clips on a leg that I had to unclip multiple times to add the ultralight conversion kit feet - one of them broke after repeated use. HOWEVER, even though I've had this tripod for over 3 years, when I made a warranty claim to PD they sent me an entire replacement leg (including the clip), so all is good. What an amazing warranty! Great product.

CCRussell

Originally posted at

2025-07-13T20:00:00

Pros: Excellent Build quality. If you love fidget toys this tripod is very fun to open and close. Love how small it gets for packing inside a bag or water bottle pocket. It's so snag free, with just about everything becoming flush, even the center column knob is magnetically recessed and can be pulled out. As light as it gets and still folds up to such a tiny size. Cons: Critical flaw is the lack of panning. Upcoming Pro Tripod will have panning, but the head wont recess like this Travel Tripod, so it is naturally longer either way. The Ball head is a little on the weak side, there is a significant droop when shooting zoomed in. Combined with the fairly flimsy center column, it makes for a pretty wobbly set up. But again, the Pro Tripod solves all these problems. And yeah, the cost. But if you're into Peak Design, you're already signing up to pay a premium for their innovation and quality. Bottom Line: As small and light tripod as it gets for lighter duty work. Not for massive zoom lenses, but is the perfect size for carry on only travel.

Edwood

Originally posted at

2025-06-29T20:00:00

I've been using Peak Design products since December 2021 - including their travel tripod, clutches, and Capture Clip V3 - and they've accompanied me on countless landscape photography trips. The build quality and thoughtful design have always stood out, which is why I originally chose them. Recently, one of the leg release buttons on my tripod was damaged. I reached out to Peak Design's customer support, and they responded quickly and professionally. Within 7 days, they shipped the replacement part along with a clear, well-made maintenance video guide. The repair process was straightforward, and I was back on the road in no time. This experience reinforced why I invested in Peak Design in the first place: a company that not only creates niche, high-quality products tailored for creators but also stands firmly behind them with excellent customer service. Their approach - inspired by a kind of stoic, minimalist methodology - ensures their gear delivers maximum value and reliability relative to its cost. In my experience, Peak Design consistently offers one of the best value-to-performance ratios out there. For any serious or aspiring creator, their products and service are a top-class value add. Highly recommended.

Med

Originally posted at

2025-06-26T20:00:00

I purchased this tripod for my organization because I wanted something professional, portable, and easy to use. It has met all of our expectations. The team had no trouble learning how to operate it, thanks to its well-designed features and the user manual, which is clear and easy to follow. So far, we've only used its basic functions, but I'm looking forward to exploring its full potential and continuing to show the team what it can do.

Arturo

Originally posted at

2025-06-26T20:00:00

This tripod replaced one that required a large suitcase for traveling. It easily fits in a backpack, is brilliantly designed, and is light weight. When I had a small problem the response from Peak Design was immediate and uncomplicated. I had previously borrowed a small fold up tripod but it was cumbersome and awkward to use. When I found the Peak Design tripod it was the perfect solution.

Simmo

Originally posted at

2025-06-18T20:00:00

I never thought I would say that I like a tripod because I typically find them too cumbersome to deal with and I always end up leaving them home. I am VERY happy with this tripod and I never leave home to do photography without it (unless I'm doing ICM).

ren30

Originally posted at