Peak Design Travel Tripod (Aluminum) review

Peak Design's unconventional design has resulted in a very compact yet strong and stable travel tripod

5 Star Rating
Peak Design Travel Tripod (Aluminum)
(Image: © Angela Nicholson/Digital Camera World)

Digital Camera World Verdict

The Peak Design Travel Tripod is a tripod you won't mind carrying just in case you need it. It takes a little while to get used to the unconventional head design, but overall it works well, and it's capable of holding a heavy load still in a breeze. We love the carbon fibre version, but the aluminum one is only a little heavier and saves a heap of money.

Pros

  • +

    Extremely compact

  • +

    Stable for its size and weight

  • +

    Fast to deploy

Cons

  • -

    High price

  • -

    Centre column must be raised to allow head movement

  • -

    Supplied tool is easily lost

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Peak Design make two versions of the Travel Tripod, one made from carbon fibre (£599/$649.95) and the other, reviewed here, from aluminum. Aside from the pattern of the carbon fibre weave, the two tripods look identical and have the same maximum and minimum heights, but at 1.56kg, the aluminum version is 290g heavier than the carbon fibre version (see our separate review of the Peak Design Travel Tripod Carbon Fiber).

The Travel Tripod has 5-section legs that enable it to pack down to 39.1cm, but its narrow diameter of less than 8cm is what really impresses. Rather than round, the leg tubes are shaped to fit closely together around the centre column to reduce the packed diameter. 

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Angela Nicholson

Angela has been testing camera gear from all the major manufacturers since January 2004 and has been Amateur Photographer’s Technical Editor and Head of Testing for Future Publishing’s photography portfolio (Digital Camera MagazinePhotoPlus: The Canon MagazineN-PhotoPractical PhotoshopPhotography Week and Professional Photography magazines, as well as the Digital Camera World and TechRadar websites). She is the founder of SheClicks - a community group that encourages and supports female photographers.