Peak Design, the well-known manufacturer of camera bags and straps – I have a couple of each – has launched a Kickstarter for an innovative new travel tripod. With a compact form factor, light weight – in either aluminum or carbon fiber – this tripod also features an innovative ball head and and single ring to adjust it, rather than the many knobs on most tripods.
The company says the device is about the size of a bottle of water; a pretty large bottle, but it certainly is smaller than your average tripod.
At $289 for the aluminum model (retail price will be $350) and $470 for the carbon fiber model (retail will be $600), this device is priced around the mid-range for quality tripods. The aluminum model is 1.56 kg and the carbon fiber is 1.27 kg; certainly not enough difference in weight to justify the price, for me, but if you really need to save every ounce possible, you’ll want the lighter version.
This may be the most successful Kickstarter ever, having blown away its initial $500,000 in the first day, and currently there is more than $5 million pledged. Peak Design has launched many new products in this way, and this is a reputable company, so there’s no worry about getting your tripod. I’ve ordered the aluminum model, and I look forward to getting it at the end of the year.