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BEST Travel Tripod of 2025: SHOWDOWN!

David Zhou

52,863 views

In just a few days, Annette and I are off to Poland and Switzerland—and I need to decide which travel tripod earns a spot in my bag. So I put 8 tripods head-to-head in a massive comparison, testing 29 different data points like setup speed, stability, weight, ballhead performance, height range, and bonus features. I’ll be awarding Best Value, Best Stability, Best Versatility, Best Portability, and of course… Best Overall.

Whether you're a photographer, filmmaker, or casual traveler, this breakdown should help you find the right tripod for your needs. And if you want to geek out on the full spreadsheet, it's linked below.

🛒 Best Overall Travel Tripod ↴
Ulanzi Falcam TreeRoot Lite: https://geni.us/best-travel-tripod

🛒 Best Value Travel Tripod ↴
Sirui Traveler 7C: https://geni.us/best-value-tripod
(And get 5% off on Amazon with code: SIRUI5OFF)

🛒 Best Stability Travel Tripod ↴
Peak Design Pro: https://geni.us/pd-pro-tripods-ks

🛒 Best Versatility Travel Tripod ↴
Ulanzi GlideGo: https://geni.us/most-versatile-tripod
OR SmallRig Portable Carbon Fiber Tripod: https://geni.us/most-versatile-tripod2

🛒 Best Portability Travel Tripod ↴
Peak Design Travel Tripod: https://geni.us/most-portable-tripod

🛒 The other 2 tripods ↴
Neewer LiteTrip Travel Tripod: https://geni.us/neewer-litetrip
SmallRig Aluminum Travel Tripod: https://geni.us/smallrig-ap-02

📊 Want to decide for yourself? Here's the spreadsheet → https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

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📜 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦
0:00 - Introduction
0:38 - Testing Methodology
0:55 - Meet the Contenders (Alphabetical Order)
1:34 - Testing All Tripods
5:03 - Best Value Tripod
5:57 - Best Stability Tripod
6:49 - Best Versatility Tripod
8:24 - Best Portability Tripod
9:04 - Best Overall Tripod
11:11 - Conclusion

20 Comments

@DavidZhou Creator 1 year ago Pinned

What's your go-to tripod?

@JakeKassan1 1 year ago

Im only 2 minutes into the video and already wanted to say thank you for making this video.

@Yipleeeyy 5 months ago

Bruh the effort you put in this video is crazy! Thankyou so much 🔥🙌

@christineallado 11 months ago

Wow I have the sirui and didn't realise I got the best value one til now. Been using it since last Oct and I'm darn happy with it! Thank you for doing this comparison!

@ThePhotographerGuy 3 months ago

Super Helpful. Thanks David!

@jo-anneouellette366 7 months ago

Great analysis with so many important data points. Also thank you for sharing your spreadsheet!

@ulanzi 1 year ago

Thanks David! Wish you and Annette a pleasant journey! 🥳

@jonbontabas 8 months ago

So much value in this video. Thank you!

@JonathanPajakLensCulture 1 year ago

This is an insane breakdown of tripods, thank you for your hours of time haha

@MediaByMatias 9 months ago

Ulanzi go looks so good but the stability of peak design and size it’s hard to argue with

@blitzen2724 9 months ago

Such amazing editing and camera shots

@alexandermoursiotis1465 1 year ago

Fantastic video!!! Great breakdown in a quick way ,for me the best overall would be the glide go but the tree root is my second best 😊keep up the good work just subscribed 👍🏼

@PiotrOpoka-t7j 8 months ago (edited)

Gretings from Poland :-)

@小結-vibetech-summy 9 months ago (edited)

01:35 - Testing begins with operational range: maximum, extended, retracted, minimum, and low mode heights.
01:53 - Ball head testing covers precision, rigidity, panning, tilting, and native vertical shooting capabilities.
02:13 - Portability and speed are assessed: weight, folded height, leg sections, locking mechanisms, and deployment speed.
03:34 - Stability is tested by measuring wobble in the center column and flex in the legs.
03:58 - Bonus features examined include underslung mode, Allen keys, monopod conversion, and top-down capability.
04:23 - All-terrain features like screw-on, spiked, and integrated feet are evaluated.
04:53 - Camera mounting mechanisms are noted: plate styles and locking types (knob, collar, button).
05:06 - Award: Best Value Tripod goes to the Sirui Traveler 7C for its features and low price.
05:59 - Award: Best Stability goes to the Peak Design Pro tripod for its robust construction and minimal flex.
06:50 - Award: Best Versatility goes to the Ulanzi Glide Go Travel for its extreme height and unique orientations.
08:04 - Runner-up for Best Versatility is the Small Rig portable carbon fiber tripod.
08:29 - Award: Best Portability goes to the Peak Design Travel Tripod for its compact form factor.
09:05 - Award: Best Overall Travel Tripod for 2025 is the Ulanzi Falcam TreeRoot Lite.
10:04 - Minor drawbacks of the best overall tripod: above-average ball head precision and weight capacity.
10:33 - The best tripod is the one you actually use; this one was consistently chosen for its smooth operation.

( Chapters generated with https://vibetech.tw/summy )

@majaraztawicka5510 10 months ago

Hello from Poland, greate video, my choice PD, it is awesome

@NexStageChannel 1 year ago

Looking forward to the Glide Go review. I primarily shoot video so the video head is mission critical!

@joon0 5 months ago

You really need to try the Fotopro X-Aircross 3 Lite (make sure it's the lite, and not the video options either, as it has the best (most compact but still functional) head included)

@dontworry6672 1 year ago

just found your channel, i love the pacing!

@ThatKidFromTheTown 8 months ago

Left but came back to click on your link for the 7c. Hope you get paid for it!

@glenberman873 6 months ago

I’m surprised you didn’t include the Heipi 3-in1 travel tripod. I’ve used it on multiple intl trips & find its stability & versatility are unmatched as compared to the Peak Design & well priced.