Your Travel Buddy

After 4-years of development, the Peak Design Travel Tripod is finally out! Here’s why I think it’s the best lightweight tripod for travel & backpacking adventures.

If you’re a frequent traveler like me, or enjoy hiking out into the backcountry with your camera, finding a great lightweight travel tripod can be a difficult task.

You want it to be sturdy of course — but small, lightweight, and easy to pack too.

I’ve owned many travel tripods over the years, but Peak Design’s new Travel Tripod is the closest I’ve found to perfection — lightweight, compact, and an innovative design makes it the best lightweight tripod on the market right now.

If you’re looking for a high-quality tripod for travel & backpacking, it’s a great choice!

Below I’ll give you a rundown of its features, the how to use it, and some of the reasons it’s become one of my favorite pieces of photography gear.

Peak Design Travel Tripod Review

Focus Stacking with the Travel Tripod — Focus Stacking in the Unita Mountains

The Travel Tripod is available in two versions and price points — aluminum ($350) and carbon fiber ($600). I own and have been using the carbon fiber version since July, and it became a mainstay in my travel photography kit.

I’d say I pack it on 75% of my photography trips these days, due to its compact nature. It’s really easy to travel with compared to other tripods!

Tripod Specs & Features

Weight (Carbon Fiber Version): 2.81 lbs (1.27 kg)
Weight (Aluminum Version): 3.44 lbs (1.56 kg)
Maximum Height: 60″ (152 cm)
Minimum Height: 5.5″ (10 cm)
Folded Length: 15.2″ (39 cm)
Load Capacity: 20 lbs (9.1 kg)
Tripod Leg Sections: 5

The Ultimate Travel Tripod

Peak Design Tripod Folded — Packs Down Super Small!

My favorite feature of the Peak Design Travel Tripod is just how small & sleek the tripod is when fully collapsed — there is no wasted empty space!

I don’t know how they did it, but the tripod’s folded diameter is very small, so it can fit into a water bottle pocket on the side of a backpack (or even INSIDE a backpack).

The tripod’s legs have five sections with a lever lock for each. Its maximum height is 60” inches (152.4 cm) with the center column raised. This is actually very tall!

Because I’m six feet tall, with most travel tripods I have to bend over quite a bit to look into my camera, but not this one. Which is pretty amazing with how small it packs down!

Travel Tripod Size — Peak Design Size Comparison (center)

Its minimum height with the collapsed legs extended wide (“low mode”) is 5.5” (14 cm). In “table top mode” the maximum height is 22.5” (57.2 cm) with the center column raised and 13.125″ (35.9 cm) with the center column down.

Lightweight Yet Stable

As for weight capacity, it easily carries most cameras and lenses. Including a 70-200mm telephoto lens. It’s incredibly sturdy even with the tripod leg sections fully extended.

In fact, this is what’s most surprising about the tripod. Many lightweight travel tripods with several leg sections can be wobbly and unstable in the wind — this one is not!

Peak Design’s special omni-directional ball head is another great feature. It is ARCA SWISS compatible and has a standard camera plate, an adjustment ring, locking ring, quick release, and a bubble level.

It also features two removable pins that make it L-bracket compatible. The ball head is detachable from the center column as well (I’ll talk more about this below).

The Travel Tripod In Action

Setting up the Peak Design travel tripod is simple. The cam levers are easy to open and lock very securely so there’s little chance of them opening accidentally.

The tripod won’t slip on most surfaces thanks to its rubberized feet (if you shoot in icy or snowy conditions and want more grip, Peak Design sells a spiked-feet set for $25).

A small adjustment knob controls the raising and lowering of the center column. The adjustment ring is smooth and easy to operate. A locking ring prevents the quick release from being used accidentally.

There is a detachable hook on the bottom end of the center column that you can hang your bag on for even more stability.

Removable Center Column

The ball head is detachable from the center column. This allows the tripod to go into “low mode” (5.5” or 14 cm from the ground), which is perfect for wide angle, macro, or creative shots.

It also gives you the option of using Peak Design’s universal head adapter, which you use to attach a third-party tripod head, like one with video pan & tilt controls.

You can also make the tripod weigh even less! The company sells ultralight conversion kit, which consists of three special feet that transforms it into a table-top tripod. Perfect if you are trying to save weight on a long-distance backpacking trip!

Other Cool Peak Design Features

Tripod Smartphone Mount — Handy Smartphone Mount Included!

Hex Wrench Tool

The tripod has a hex wrench tool mounted to a removable leg clip holder, plus a bushing removal tool (used for maintenance and stored in a hidden pocket in the tripod case).

Keep the hex wrench tool with you at all times! You need it to attach the plate to the camera, remove the two pins on the ball head plate, and remove the ball head from the center column.

Secret Mobile Phone Mount

The travel tripod comes with a a very cool mobile phone mount, stored in the bottom of the center column above the detachable hook (a magnet keeps it from falling out when you remove the hook!).

It snaps easily onto the ball head and grips phones securely.

I find its great for shooting Instagram Stories of yourself on the go, and for Instagram or Facebook Live posts. No need to lug around a separate iPhone tripod mount!

A Few Downsides…

Despite all of the great features of the Peak Design travel tripod, it does have a few minor disadvantages. One is that the legs only have two leg angles — tall or very low, there’s no middle angle. Many tripods usually have 3 angles.

Another issue is the lack of a video panning knob. You can still turn the ball head horizontally with your hand, but unless you have very steady hands, it won’t be super smooth. For video work you might want a dedicated video head.

The hex wrench tool is easy to lose. I’ve already lost my tool once, so now I just keep it in my camera bag rather than attached to the tripod.

Finally, the awesomeness of this travel tripod comes at a price. The aluminum model is $350 while the carbon fiber model costs $600. Not the most expensive tripods out there, but not really cheap either.

My Favorite Travel Tripod Right Now

The Peak Design Travel Tripod is a great product. Its compact size and low weight make it ideal for traveling, backpacking, and every-day photography.

It’s stable, well designed, and securely supports the vast majority of cameras, even your smartphone. And if you have a favorite ball head, simply swap it in using the ball head adapter.

While not cheap, it’s an outstanding lightweight tripod overall. It will keep your camera secure and your back happy while traveling and hiking! ★

Buy The Peak Design Tripod Here →

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Wednesday, September 16, 2020

How To Save Money On Flights With Mistake Fares (Pro Tip!)

Find Mistake Fares for Cheap Flights — Secret Flying Tip: Book Mistake Fares

Flying Travel Tips

Want to save money on flights? Professional travelers have a secret trick called “mistake fares” which helps them find amazing airline deals that other people miss.

Although less common, error and mistake fares on flights do happen on a regular basis. If you know how to track and spot them, you can snag some of the cheapest flights possible.

In this guide I’ll show you how to make use mistake fares to save hundreds of dollars on your next airline ticket!

What Are Error & Mistake Fares?

From time to time, airlines and travel sites make mistakes when listing their fares, and advertise a flight for significantly less money than intended.

If you can catch their mistake on time and book a flight, they are obliged to honor that posted price, and you can save hundreds of dollars on a flight.

For example, a flight from New York to Paris might be listed by mistake for only $100, a huge error from the normal price of about $1000 for a round trip ticket.

Error and mistake fares can occur for a number of reasons:

Human Error – The saying goes, “Everyone makes mistakes.” Well, that’s just as true in the travel industry. Like the case with that flight from Paris, the administrator likely forgot to add a 0 to the price tag.
Technology Glitches – These days, airlines use complex algorithms to automatically generate flight rates. Technology issues can lead to errors on their websites, resulting in mistake fares.
Miscommunication – Communication problems between the airline and third-party sellers, such as comparison sites, can result in flight errors, like incorrect fares.
Foreign Currency Conversion – Airlines may post rates in the incorrect currency, which result in error fares. Paying 1000 Indian Rupees for a flight definitely is a fraction of the cost for paying 1000 US Dollars, for instance.
Route Fees – Depending on the flight itinerary, airlines may need to include fees in their fares, such as fuel surcharges. Rerouting or forgetting to include these fees can cause a ticket price to drop by mistake.

How To Find Airline Mistake Fares?

Mistake Fare Flight Alerts — Finding Mistake Fares & Discount Flights

Error and mistake fares, while uncommon and unpredictable, still happen regularly enough to keep an eye out for them.

Special tracking sites can do this for you automatically — so you don’t have to check flight prices manually (which would be crazy time-consuming).

You can sign up for mistake fare newsletters or follow the social media profiles of these tracker sites to get price alerts as soon as mistake fares happen.

Or, just check their website on a regular basis before planning a trip.

Taking advantage of mistake fares works best if you’re flexible with WHERE you want to go on vacation.

For example, if you wanted to visit Venice, but find an awesome mistake fare deal for Iceland that would save you $500, are you willing to update your travel plans?

Best Mistake Fare Tracking Sites

Secret Flying

Secret Flying offers a free service to find flight and hotel deals. The Error Fare section lists current mistake fares for impressive savings. For example, a recent round-trip flight from Budapest, Hungary to Sao Paulo, Brazil mistakenly dropped to only 173 EUR.

Scott’s Cheap Flights

Scott’s Cheap Flights seeks out rare price drops and alerts you immediately. Those who travel often may want to invest in the Premium Subscription , which costs $49 per year, with special deals reserved for paying members only (I am one, and it’s great!).

Fly4Free

Fly4Free regularly updates their page with the latest mistake fares on flights. Subscribe to their daily newsletter for updates, so you don’t miss a good deal while it lasts.

TheFlightDeal

TheFlightDeal searches the web for some of the best deals on flights and other travel costs. Sign up for their newsletter to get mistake fares sent straight to your inbox, along with deals on credit card offers, hotels, and car rentals.

Airfare Watchdog

Airfare Watchdog will automatically send you alerts on the lowest flight prices and travel news. You can set up notifications linked to your favorite destinations by airport. On the website, search for deals on your next dream destination or browse through their list of current mistake fares.

Skyscanner

Skyscanner, my favorite flight comparison site, lists some of the lowest deals on flights. If you set up price alerts for your intended travel itinerary, Skyscanner will send notifications so you get good deals on flights and potential mistake fares.

Tips for Booking “Mistake Fare” Flights

Did you find a mistake fare for a fraction of the normal cost? Awesome. To lock in your lower rates, I suggest a few of the following tips:

Book Directly With The Airline

When you book with a third-party website, that travel site sends the booking to the airline for confirmation. Flight confirmation from the airline can take up to 24-hours, enough time for airlines to correct the mistake fare.

Booking directly with the airline cuts out the middleman and gives you a better chance of snagging that mistake fare flight deal.

Also, keep in mind that in the United States, passengers get a 24-hour cancellation period when booking directly with an airline. That gives you a little flexibility in case you change your mind about a flight.

Wait Before Booking Additional Travel Plans

Once you book your mistake fare, I suggest waiting a couple of weeks before booking any hotels or car rentals at the destination. You need to make sure that your sweet flight deal gets approved.

You’ll receive an e-ticket number or 6-digit PNR code for your reservation.

Once you receive this confirmation, airlines are pretty much required to honor their ticket price, even if posted by mistake. Otherwise, they could suffer bad press and negative customer reviews.

Flying Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive!

Error and mistake fares stand out as just one of the many ways to save money traveling. After 10 years exploring the world, I’ve discovered many ways to save on everything from hotels to day to day expenses.

My Favorite Travel Tips

If you want to save more money on your next travel adventure, make sure to read my free ultimate guide to travel tips for beginners.

➜ Click Here For My Best Travel tips

Travel Planning Resources

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip.

Book Your Flight

Ready to fly? Here’s how I find the cheapest airline flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find a deal.

Cheap Accommodation

Learn how I save money booking hotels & vacation apartments.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read why you should always carry travel insurance.

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

How to Budget for a Trip as a Couple

Monday, September 28, 2020

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Thursday, September 24, 2020

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Wednesday, September 23, 2020

The Best Places to Travel in the United States Right Now

Monday, September 21, 2020

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Banff National Park in the Winter

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Peak Design Travel Tripod: The Ultimate Photography Tool?

Photography Gear Review