Slik Sprint Mini III Travel Tripod with SBH-100AC Arca-Type Ball Head

Call me crazy, but I want my travel tripod to actually be small. I love that this one is barely taller than a large laptop on its side, so it should fit easily in most backpacks. The included case feels sturdy but adds a fair amount of bulk, so I probably won't use it for anything besides storage. The tripod weighs just a little more than advertised at 2lbs, 1 oz according to my little postal scale. It doesn't sound like a lot on paper but it feels surprisingly solid in my hand. All the materials, all the moving parts and fasteners feel like good quality. My main body/lens combo weighs about 3lbs, which is well within the max rated load for this tripod, but there is some noticeable vibration if I tap the camera even gently when the tripod is fully extended to its max height. This quickly dissipates but is something to be aware of when working at max height. When possible, I think it's better to avoid using the extension arm, which makes the working height of this already-short tripod even shorter, but I still think it'll be fine for a lot of applications. The height tradeoff is worth it to me for the portable form factor. To maximize stability even more, like if it's windy out, I might try leaving the lowest of the 3 leg sections retracted when possible. By and large, I think the stability of this tripod is going to be adequate, and even quite good for its small size and weight. This is exactly what I was looking for in a travel tripod.