There is no dearth of travel tripods today. If you want a lightweight and portable travel tripod that is convenient to roam around in, a carbon fiber travel tripod fits your need. Apart from being lightweight and portable, they are stable and durable. And that’s the reason, we have curated a list of the best carbon fiber tripods.
Like most travel tripods, you can fold and stuff them into your camera bag or backpack. More importantly, they are stable and let you frame the shot for a perfect capture.
So without further ado, let’s check some of the strong carbon fiber camera and phone tripods. But first,
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1. AOKA Lightweight Compact Carbon Fiber Tripod
- Folded height: 9.65-inches | Stretching height: 15.7-inches
- Weight: 0.97 lb | Payload: 6.6 lb
The AOKA travel tripod is a compact, lightweight budget travel tripod designed for both cameras and smartphones. It’s affordable and bundles essential features like a 360-degree ball head and anti-slip nails & feet. And when folded, it measures 7.48-inches, which makes it convenient to tuck in your bag.
While it’s lightweight at just 0.97 lb, it can hold its weight, whether it’s a mirrorless camera or a smartphone. A user has pointed out that they could mount their Sony Alpha 7 series camera with a lens without the tripod toppling over or sagging. And this is a huge plus. At the same time, the fluid head makes way for a smooth pan, and several users have verified this in their reviews.
In short, this AOKA tripod is reliable and versatile. It has excellent build quality, despite the low price tag. This build quality has won the hearts of quite a few users. It has its limitations. For one, it’s not fit for headshots because of its limited height.
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2. BONFOTO B690C Lightweight Carbon Fiber Tripod
- Folded height: 15.3-inches | Stretching height: 59-inches
- Weight: 3.22 lb | Payload: 26.5 lb
Another budget carbon fiber tripod is the BONFOTO B690C. This one comes with essential features like hand grips at the top, anti-slip feet, a lock for the arms, and a 3-way head. With it, you can pan 360 degrees and lift the camera vertically by 90 degrees. More importantly, thanks to the stretching height of 59-inches, you can capture headshots and landscapes with ease.
And if we go by the company’s claims, you can do the assembly and disassembly pretty quickly. As noted earlier, this BONFOTO tripod addresses one of the big limitations of the AOKA tripod — height. It has a height of 59-inches when extended, making it versatile.
While some have reported the tripod to be a little unstable, opening the legs does the trick. Further, it has an excellent build, and several users have verified this in their reviews. At the same time, it can take its share of weight. For instance, one of the users has mounted their DSLR Canon 5D Mk IV with a 24-105 lens without any issues.
One of the limitations of this BONFOTO tripod is that the anti-slip nail (at the end of the legs) is not covered. And this can be an issue in placing it on cemented floors. Further, it can end up scratching other items on your bag.
That said, the BONFOTO tripod is stable and lightweight and is one of the affordable carbon fiber travel tripods. It has a folded length of just 15.3-inches which is the cherry on top.
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3. Benro Slim Travel Kit (FSL09CN00)
- Folded height: 12.4-inches | Stretching height: 57.1-inches
- Weight: 2.35 lb | Payload: 8.81 lb
- Bubble level: Yes
Benro is a good name in the tripod space, and the Benro Slim Travel Kit falls in the affordable section. And the color scheme helps it stand out. If the look of your camera accessories is a priority, this needs to be on your list. The ball head is smooth, and you shouldn’t have any issues with your camera drifting.
It’s designed for traveling. When folded, it measures 12.9-inches, and you can extend the height to 57.1-inches. Each leg can be individually positioned to get the shot of your choice.
The locks are easy to handle. They are grippy and unfolding the tripod is a walk in the park. A user mentions that you can lift the locks and release the leg sections quickly, paving the way for a quick setup. Moreover, it can hold its share of weight. One of the users has pointed out that they could carry their Pentax K-70 DSLR camera with a 55-300 mm zoom lens without any issues.
While the Benro Slim Travel Kit has a decent build for the price, it can shake during windy conditions, especially when all the sections are extended. Unlike the ones above, the ends aren’t pointed to ground the tripod. Nevertheless, it’s a solid tripod and can hold its own both during outdoor and indoor shots.
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What We Don’t Like
4. Vanguard VEO 2 235CB Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod
- Folded height: 15.87-inches | Stretching height: 57-inches
- Weight: 2.6 lb | Payload: 13.2 lb
- Bubble level: Yes
The Veo 2 235CB is a little more expensive than its counterparts above. However, it checks all the right boxes for a travel tripod. For one, it’s lightweight and compact and can take on payloads of up to 13.2 lbs. More importantly, it has a premium look and bundles a center column.
The center column makes this carbon fiber travel tripod versatile. For one, you can easily adjust the height without disrupting the legs. Secondly, if you want to try macro photography, you can reverse or tilt the center column.
It’s a premium travel tripod and looks its part. Here, the legs are of carbon fiber and fold upright, making it easy to stow and travel. The call rotates 360 degrees, and you can lift your camera by 90 degrees.
The Vanguard Veo 2 235CB travel tripod is well-loved by reviewers and users. Most of them have sung high praises for the premium looks and the material used. The folks at Camera Jabber opine that they could easily use the tripod along with their Sony Alpha 7 Mark III camera and Sony 100-300mm f/4, Sony 12-24mm camera lens without facing issues with weight. Plus, the tripod’s locks twist easily, making raising or lowering the height very convenient.
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5. Gitzo Lightweight Traveler Series 1 (GT1555TUS)
- Folded height: 14-inches | Stretching height: 54.3-inches
- Weight: 2.3 lb | Payload: 22 lb
- Bubble level: N/A
The Gitzo Lightweight Traveler Series 1 tripod brings the best of two worlds. It has a center column and includes a shoulder strap at the side. The latter gives it a true travel tripod label since it is convenient to carry. Additionally, the speckled look at the top helps it stand apart.
Like the one above, it also comes with reverse-folding legs. When folded, it has a height of a mere 14-inches, while it can extend to approximately 54.3 inches.
This Gitzo travel tripod also features G-Locks, which ensures you can unlock all the leg extensions together, thus saving you precious time in the long run. At the same time, you can remove the feet of this travel tripod to replace them with spikes. This helps if you plan on shooting in areas that have soil or dirt. And when needed, you can swap them out for padded feet.
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What We Don’t Like
6. Peak Design Travel Tripod
- Folded height: 15.5-inches | Stretching height: 60-inches
- Weight: 2.84 lb | Payload: 20 lb
- Bubble level: N/A
- Number of leg sections: 5
The Peak Design Travel Tripod is one of the more expensive travel tripods on this list. Despite the lightweight design and thin legs, it’s one of the more rigid and stable tripods. Secondly, it packs practical features like a detachable weight hook, a low-profile ball head, and a clever design. It folds neatly and fits easily into backpack pockets. Now that’s something.
The best part is that all the legs have quick-release levers placed next to each other (when folded). As such, it is very convenient to unlock and extend all the sections at once. You can also achieve a minimum height of just 5.5-inches by unscrewing the center column.
As mentioned above, this tripod is rigid and very stable. The folks at Digital Camera World suggest that this carbon fiber tripod is as steady as a rock. At the same time, the ball head has a rotating collar as a lock, and it does a very good job of locking the camera in place. There’s no drifting or sagging of the camera. And the weight hook at the bottom is the cherry on top.
If you want the best compact travel tripod for your money and do not want to compromise on the quality of the lightweight factor, then the Peak Design travel tripod is your best bet.
What We Like
What We Don’t Like
FAQs about Carbon Fiber Tripods for Travel
If you do not want your tripod weighing down your backpack, then a carbon fiber tripod is the best option since they are lightweight and durable. The rigidity of the material translates into a stable tripod. And despite their low body weight, they can carry cameras up to 15.4 lb.
One of the reasons that carbon fiber tripods are more expensive than their aluminum counterparts is because the base material — carbon — is costly compared to steel and aluminum.
Happy Traveling
These were some of the best carbon fiber travel tripods that you can buy. If you are learning the tricks of the trade, then the ones like the BONFOTO B690C are a good buy. But if you want the best deal for your money, then the Vanguard VEO 2 235CB is an excellent pick.
Last updated on 29 June, 2023
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
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