Ultralight tripods?

Are there any tripods on the market that are truly both ultralight and functional? I know that there are many carbon fiber versions of traditional tripods, but I’m looking for something that is REALLY simple and lightweight for mountaineering trips where every ounce counts. I’m not looking for one of those little tripods that fits in the palm of your hand and can only take pictures from about 6 inches off of the ground. I’m looking for something that allows for the photographer to take pictures from eye level, is very compact and light-weight, and has some adjustability. I’m planning some multi-day alpine climbs in Canada and there’s just no way that I can bring my current tripod given its size and weight (Feisol carbon fiber + Kirk BH-3). I’m willing to sacrifice some durability and stability. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Scott, Check out the Velbon Ultra MAXiSF Compact Tripod with PH-343 Ball Head & Case ($119.00 at Adorama). It weighs 1.6 pounds with head and is amazingly stable for it's size/weight. I have the older version of this and have used it for many years without a single issue. Super tripods for reducing weight on those long hikes!

Three other options.

Gitzo's 0540 and 1540 are both high quality tripods suited for your task. The 1540 is the tallest of all these options and the only one that is eye level for me with the center column down.

Velbon's 535 or 545 are lightweight/compact (new models). Darren Kilgore has the 530 or 540 with the Acratech Ultimate head. I have the Velbon 630 with an Acratech head. I like this tripod.

Slik makes a little bitty CF tripod. I think Mark Hudon in PNW regional group uses it for backpacking. He has said that it is very light and usable for him.

For heads there are a few options.
The Kirk BH3 you already have, RRS BH-25, Any of Acratech's heads and the Markins Q3. RRS BH-25 is the lightest, but does not have a panning base. For a few grams more, the Markins and Acratech add a panning base, which I think its a worthwhile weight penalty.

That's the run down on the research I've done.

I bought a Slik carbon fiber tripod (I think it's the 614) so that I could carry two tripods + two cameras for taking night shots. It's definitely not nearly as stable as my heavier Gitzo carbon fiber, but w/out much wind and with cable release with legs extended, I get sharp images with 30 sec exposures. I wouldn't use the center post, so max height is about 4'. I bought a really small, basic ball head to go with this (forget the name). It's about 2 lbs. total. Don't know how it would compare to the MAXiSF.

Given the price and weight, the Velbon Ultra Maxi SF is winning in my mind (so far). For those of you who have it, are you using some sort of QR plate? It would be a pain to have to screw the camera onto the tripod for every use. Also, does anyone know who carries this model. I can't find a single place that has them in stock.

I just screw my camera onto the Velbon. Adorama also has a few other models in this line of tripods that weigh just a bit more. You could probably just leave the tripod mounted to the camera if you use some sort of protective cloth wrap. The tripod folds up extremely small.

Thanks Tony. The problem is that I would keep it strapped to the ouside of my pack, so I can't leave my camera on the tripod. I'll check out some of the other similar models. Otherwise, I suppose I could could put my BH-3 on this tripod since I already have the QR plate for it...but the extra weight might defeat the original purpose.

My lightweight setup is the Feisol CT-3442 (w/no center column) and the Markins Q3 Traveler ballhead (found in the 'Color & Options' dropdown window) for a combined weight of 3.1 lbs. and zero compromise.
One feature that I really like is the ability of the tripod to fold back over itself, enclosing and protecting the ballhead, and keeping the length down to 19 inches.

Scott, regarding your QR question, Kirk sells just the clamps (I imagine other mfgs do too) and you can simply screw that to the ballhead on the Velbon and have full Arca compatibility. Kirk sells discontinued models of the clamps on eBay. I got mine for around $40.
BTW, I use a Sunpak 3300 Pro-B with the Kirk clamp and it works well as a light weight hiking setup. The ballhead itself is a POS but it gets the job done and is stable in most conditions.

I've been reading great things about John's setup, and thats the route i've decided to go. I hope Santa Claus brings me both :)
Kurt

Whatever tripod you choose, be sure to use a little "hammock" to throw some rocks, water bottles, etc. into to stabilize the tripod. Hang it from all 3 legs at the top telescoping joints. I got one of these free with my nice little Velbon CF that I bought in Shanghai, but I foolishly didn't use it for a few years. Now that I am using it, I see visible improvement in edge sharpness of slow exposures.