Selecting a tripod is crucial for capturing sharp images. The best travel tripods need to be small when folded so that you can pack them into a bag or hook them onto one. They should also be light enough to carry them around all day, whether you're exploring city streets or hiking over mountains. When my trusty aluminum tripod gave out after nine years of faithful service, I opted to stick with a dependable brand: Benro. Due to my back issues, I opted for a slightly lighter carbon fiber tripod and chose the smaller Benro B0 ballhead (I previously used the B2 for a long time). Sounds perfect, right? Well, here's the catch... I love to hike, which means I spend some of my time running. Unfortunately, running with this tripod is a bit cumbersome. As a result, I was in the market for a secondary "trail-sized" tripod. There are many options on the market that are incredibly lightweight, compact, and suitable for small camera gear and lenses (typically CMOS sensor type of cameras, not full-frame lenses). I used to own a Sirius tripod, but my bulky camera couldn't use the ballhead for portrait mode without a hefty L bracket (which is usually quite heavy). So, without an L bracket, you could use the ballhead to shoot portrait IF your camera and lenses are small. However, as I shoot with a Sony A7 IV and mostly a 16-35 lens, that option is not available to me. I even tried the heavily advertised K&F tripod, but unfortunately, it didn't work out (plus, the tripod is incredibly sturdy). So I'm still searching for the best, most lightweight sturdy trail-compatible tripod. Any recommendations ?
