Best travel tripods 2023: Lightweight, compact and sturdy
The best travel tripods are a must in many amateur and professional settings because they provide stability when shooting in landscape and studio settings, improve low-light abilities, and enable you to capture steady images from unusual or abstract angles.
The best tripods for traveling combine the stability, toughness, adaptability, and versatility of standard tripods with the added need of being lightweight and compact. They can therefore be carried for more extended periods because they fold down to a smaller size that makes them easier to carry, either in your camera bag or small enough to fit into your carry-on luggage. There are some differences in terms of height and maximum payloads, but generally, these days, the improvement in carbon fiber and light aluminum materials has contributed to travel tripods being some of the best tripods out there.
In this guide, we’ll look at the advantages and disadvantages of various tripod types, offer buying tips, and highlight some of the trade-offs you might have to make when choosing a compact, lightweight setup. In the meantime, though, if you’re not sure travel tripods are right for you, check out our guide to the best tripods for astrophotography. Or if you want to, have a look at the best cameras for photos and videos, best cameras for astrophotography or the best lenses for astrophotography to get all the kit you need to accompany your new tripod.
Best travel tripods deal {month 2023
Best travel tripods 2023
Best travel tripods 2023 ranked
Peak Design provides some excellent, thoughtful and well-designed products aimed at photographers on the go, and the Peak Design Travel Tripod (opens in new tab) is no exception. When we reviewed the Peak Design Travel Tripod, we thought it was excellently designed and came in a very neat little package. Measuring 14.5 inches long when folded, we could easily fit it into our cabin bags and rucksacks as well as strap it to the outside. When fully extended, it reaches 60 inches tall — not the tallest tripod on the market, but it’s certainly sufficient for most situations. Plus, you’re not going to find a travel tripod that reaches the heights that standard tripods do.
They’ve even included a phone mount inside the package due to the rise of smartphone photography and social media content creation, but we were a little disappointed by the high cost, particularly of the carbon fiber (opens in new tab) version. However, the aluminum variant is available for almost half the price which will more than do the job.
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 (opens in new tab) is one of the best tripods we’ve given a closer look at. It combines portability with stability and a stylish design which would make it a great option for traveling or studio work.
The braided material used to construct the carbon tubes increases stiffness, and at normal operating heights, the FRHN24C performs as well as some other non-travel-oriented tripods. It reaches 169cm (66.3 inches) when the four leg sections are fully extended, and packs down to just over 25 inches long. This tripod is in a higher price range than some of the others on this list, but it would be a well-designed investment for many travel-oriented professional photographers.
We couldn’t write the best travel tripods guide without including a tripod series that is literally called ‘Travel Angel’ — and we think the Benro Travel Angel 9X CF Series Tripod (opens in new tab) fits the bill perfectly.
Although pricey, Benro is known for its high-quality products and we think this tripod is one that would see you through for decades. It isn’t the lightest tripod on this list at 3.99 lbs, but it has a maximum payload of 22 lbs (10kg) which is decent and would certainly suit serious photographers. It can extend to 66.92 inches (170cm) which is the tallest on this list and folds down to 17.3 inches (43cm) when collapsed. The legs are constructed from nine layers of carbon fiber, giving you enough sturdiness to hold heavy loads without weighing you down when carrying it.
The Vanguard VEO 3 GO 204CB tripod (opens in new tab) 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 and hold a load capacity of 6.6 lbs, then folds down to 13.6 inches, which is impressive. We think this would make it a great tripod for traveling or hiking to dark locations to get that dark sky shot you’ve been dreaming of. It’s not the tallest tripod on offer, but as this guide is focused more on traveling, we think that the weight and its folded size are what makes this tripod worth considering.
It’s 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 convert to a monopod or selfie stick, making it a worthy contender for social media content creators and vloggers.
Manfrotto provides an excellent range of tripods well suited to photographers of all disciplines, and we think the Befree 3 Way Advanced Tripod (opens in new tab) is an excellent all-around option. It’s not too expensive but has enough versatility to keep both photographers and filmmakers happy, thanks to its excellent three-way fluid head. To ensure the camera moves smoothly, the three-way ball head also uses a hydraulic dampening system.
The tripod has four leg sections and measures 59 inches when fully extended, and packs down to 15.7 inches when folded. It weighs 3.28 lbs which would make it great for travel, plus it comes in its own shoulder bag with a padded strap.
When we reviewed the Manfrotto Befree tripod, we noticed that a couple of design quirks meant that we had to remove the camera from the plate to get to the battery and card doors, which was inconvenient. But, for the minimal financial outlay, this is a travel tripod that’s worthy of recommendation.
JOBY has a well-known and ever-expanding line of affordable, lightweight, and easy-to-use everyday tripods aimed at beginner and entry-level users looking for something to get started with. But the JOBY GorillaPod 3K Pro (opens in new tab) isn’t your typical tripod. It doesn’t extend, and it doesn’t fold down. The beauty of the JOBY GorillaPod is its flexible legs that can bend, twist and grip onto almost anything — making it a fantastic option for vloggers and content creators.
The maximum payload is minimal, so there’s no point attaching a heavy pro kit to it. Although, in our review of the JOBY Gorilla Pod 3K Pro Kit, we were able to attach a DSLR camera with a big telephoto lens to it without any issues. The legs can sometimes be a bit stiff and fiddly to fix into position, but, they need to have a certain amount of stiffness to be able to hold up to 3kg in weight when wrapped around different objects. For the content creator or photographer looking to make stable visuals, there’s no reason not to recommend this option — especially for the money.
Gitzo has taken a premium, aesthetically conscious approach to travel tripods and other camera accessories with the Legende series. We really like the look of the Legende Traveller Tripod Kit, which operates as nicely as it looks, with ultra-smooth knobs, dials and adjustments that have been well-engineered.
The attention to detail is excellent, with nice little features such as the specially designed matte silver aluminum Center Ball Head and the leather strap adding to the discerning feel. It reaches a maximum height of 65 inches with the central column and folds down to a compact collapsed length of 16.9 inches. It has four leg sections and can carry loads of up to 17.6 lbs.
We think this is a pretty good tripod to use if you have the money, but our one complaint is that many other tripods on the market and even on this list can accomplish the same task for a lot less money.
This 6-in-1 tripod from Benro really can do it all — it can act as a tripod, monopod, boom pole, selfie stick, high hat and tabletop tripod. With a carrying capacity of 8 kg, this option from Benro holds less weight and is a more compact and less pro-style setup, but that doesn’t mean it can’t compete with some of the other travel tripods on the market. It features five leg sections that can extend up to 60 inches (155cm), which is impressive — the central column also has two sections. It weighs just 3.6 lbs and collapses down to 15.4 inches.
We really enjoy the tripod’s graduated panning scale, which lets you keep the tripod level while panning or photographing panoramas of the landscape. We think the twist locks work well, but set-up time can be a bit longer if you have to go through and twist or unscrew each one. That being said, we think you’ll get on with it well, and it’s a hassle-free option that is kinder on the bank balance for hobbyist travel photographers.
3-Legged Thing started as a grassroots business in the UK. The company’s founder, Danny Lenihan, developed extremely adaptable, lightweight tripods and other equipment using his photography and lighting expertise.
Compact and made out of magnesium alloy, their Punks range is most suited to travel because they’re so ultralight and ultra-compact. Amazingly, they can still support 30 lbs of weight, which is over 8 times their own weight of 3.95 lbs. The 3 Legged Thing Punks Corey 2.0 Tripod can extend to 54.3 inches and folds down to 14.2 inches, making it suitable for packing into your carry-on luggage when flying. You can even change the feet and convert them into low-level or tabletop tripods, or detach the legs altogether and turn it into a monopod or selfie stick.
Although we appreciated the tripods’ bright colors, bold design, and overall functionality, some seasoned amateurs or experts might be looking for more bells and whistles, such as more intricate head systems.
Best travel tripods: What to look for
Travel tripods are not all created equally, and in this round-up, we’ve highlighted a few of the best options for different types of equipment, cameras and loads that take into account different photographers’ requirements.
With most travel tripods, there’s always a balance to be struck, and increased portability frequently comes at the expense of the restricted maximum payloads. More money means a higher maximum load, but if you want to travel with professional-grade cameras and lenses, be prepared to pay more and choose slightly heavier gear.
Most of the budget or ultra-lightweight options also have phone mounts too, which is a useful addition for travelers or content creators that need to take images on the go. With the advance in camera technology when it comes to producing high-grade kit that doesn’t weigh much, most of the mid-range or even budget travel tripods will be
If you’re trekking or want to set up your camera on uneven ground, it’s worth testing out tripods that have multiple leg angles and the ability to adjust quickly. For astrophotography or photography that requires long exposures, look for carbon-fiber tripods that have an extra bit of security and sturdiness to prevent the kit from shaking in poor weather or wind. Personal preference is always important, so we’d always recommend testing out any tripods you’re thinking about buying before purchasing to ensure it’s the right fit for you.
How we test the best travel tripods
To guarantee you’re getting honest, up-to-date recommendations on the best travel tripods to buy here at Space.com we make sure to put every travel tripod through a rigorous review to fully test each product. Each travel tripod is reviewed based on a multitude of aspects, from its construction and design, to how well it functions and its performance in the field.
Each travel tripod is carefully tested by our expert staff or knowledgeable freelance contributors who know their subject areas in depth. This ensures fair reviewing is backed by personal, hands-on experience with each travel tripod and is judged based on its price point, class and destined use.
We look at how easy each travel tripod is to operate, whether it contains the latest up-to-date material technology, and also make suggestions if a particular travel tripod would benefit from any additional equipment to give you the best user experience possible.
With complete editorial independence, Space.com are here to ensure you get the best buying advice on travel tripods, whether you should purchase a travel tripod or not, making our buying guides and reviews reliable and transparent.
