Posted by Todd Caudle on February 25, 2011 at 4:03 PM
Just thought I'd mention (in a new thread), since there have been questions recently, that I just took delivery of a new Feisol 3342 Rapid carbon fiber tripod today, and I am blown away by it! The thing stands plenty tall without a center column, it feels nice and sturdy, especially considering its weight -- and oh, about that weight? I swear, it feels like one of those 3 Musketeers candy bars from that commercial, where the lady opens a desk drawer and they go floating through the air. The sturdiness-to-weight ratio is impressive.
The Rapid designation is for their tripods with non-rotating legs, for which I paid almost a $90 premium ($388 total w/free ground shipping). I'm a longtime Bogen/Manfrotto tripod user, so I don't have experience with the Gitzo style of locking leg collars, but apparently with Feisol's less expensive non-Rapid line, the legs can turn when you lock or unlock the collar. Not so with the Rapid, and it's a piece of cake to lock or unlock both collars on a leg at once, making set-up and retraction, well, rapid!
I also like that the legs are completely reversible, meaning I can bend them all the way around so that my Kirk BH-3 ballhead is protected inside the padded legs and the tripod is only as long as the legs when closed, not legs plus ballhead.
So far, two thumbs up -- WAY up!
Posted by John Mumaw on February 25, 2011 at 6:09 PM
@Scott--
Ummmm....Kirk BH-3? Just guessin'.....
Thanks for the review, Todd.
I hesitate to recommend stuff to others 'cause I've been burned in the past, but have never felt hesitant toward recommending the Feisol Tournament tripods. 3 Musketeers weight, indeed! I almost wish it would crater so I could upgrade to the Rapid series. Looks like that will take many, many years now.
Just keep an eye on those feet!
Posted by Todd Caudle on February 25, 2011 at 6:40 PM
The feet? I guess I should get some black electrical tape and secure those bad boys on. I lost so many feet off my Manfrotto rig, I lost count! Somewhere there's a marsh/bog with a few in it.
Posted by Bret Edge on February 25, 2011 at 8:38 PM
Good review, Todd. If/when my two CF tripods fail I'll look into a Feisol. I've heard nothing but good things about them from several people.
Posted by Roger Rouch on February 25, 2011 at 9:55 PM
I think the same marsh has been devouring my Manfrotto CF feet. I'm probably down 6 or 8 of them. I finally got some rubber silicone and glued them on. Haven't lost one since. Hopefully I'll get a few more years out of it, but good to know there is a half-way reasonable replacement when the day comes.
I own too many tripods, and too many carbon-fiber tripods (four, now, amazingly -- Gitzo's smallest, Gitzo's largest, an old Hakuba, and now the Feisol). I have a 3342 Feisol that isn't the rapid model. I'm very happy with it, very impressed. Any photographer who backpacks or does serious hikes should look into one. I'm probably starting to sound like a hack for them, but I'm just happy to have found something that works. Not all heads will allow the legs to flip over; notably, my Acratech Ultimate ballhead doesn't allow it. I got used to the rotating legs in about three or four trips, and now I don't really notice it.
Just watch the feet/tips! I lost two before asking for replacements from Feisol and rubber-cementing the new ones on.
Posted by Stan Rose on February 26, 2011 at 4:28 AM
Congrats--my Manfrotto is in NJ right now hopefully being repaired
Just dont spend much time in the dunes with it--trust me the sand will eat those locks alive (as it destroyed my Slik CF)
Posted by Jack Garrett on February 26, 2011 at 10:16 AM
My friend Jason has this tripod and I've seen it...I could not believe how light it was! I especially love how you can pull the legs up around the head and it makes it even more compact. Nice choice Todd. As soon as i have enough cash, I'm gettin one of these bad boys!
Posted by John Mumaw on February 26, 2011 at 12:31 PM
Posted by Bill Bean on February 26, 2011 at 1:41 PM
From John's list I've got the Markins Q3 Emile head and it's been fantastic for me. The only knock I've had against it was that it was a bit too tiny to handle my 100-400 in less than optimum conditions. I match it with an Induro C-014 for my ideal travel/backpacking tripod.
I was recently shopping for a new head for my bigger tripod and was an eyelash away from popping for one of the Photoclam heads John mentions but I found such a screaming deal on an Induro BHD2 that I couldn't pass it up. I like the tension adjustment system of the Markins and Photoclam better but money talks so I bought the Induro
I've been using a Feisol CF tripod for a number of years (coupled with a BH-3 head), and have been very happy with it.
I just started to have some problems with one of the rubber feet coming off, but a little contact cement seems to have fixed the problem...
Discussion
10 repliesThe Rapid designation is for their tripods with non-rotating legs, for which I paid almost a $90 premium ($388 total w/free ground shipping). I'm a longtime Bogen/Manfrotto tripod user, so I don't have experience with the Gitzo style of locking leg collars, but apparently with Feisol's less expensive non-Rapid line, the legs can turn when you lock or unlock the collar. Not so with the Rapid, and it's a piece of cake to lock or unlock both collars on a leg at once, making set-up and retraction, well, rapid!
I also like that the legs are completely reversible, meaning I can bend them all the way around so that my Kirk BH-3 ballhead is protected inside the padded legs and the tripod is only as long as the legs when closed, not legs plus ballhead.
So far, two thumbs up -- WAY up!
Ummmm....Kirk BH-3? Just guessin'.....
Thanks for the review, Todd.
I hesitate to recommend stuff to others 'cause I've been burned in the past, but have never felt hesitant toward recommending the Feisol Tournament tripods. 3 Musketeers weight, indeed! I almost wish it would crater so I could upgrade to the Rapid series. Looks like that will take many, many years now.
Just keep an eye on those feet!
Just watch the feet/tips! I lost two before asking for replacements from Feisol and rubber-cementing the new ones on.
Just dont spend much time in the dunes with it--trust me the sand will eat those locks alive (as it destroyed my Slik CF)
Kirk BH-3 (what Todd uses).
PhotoClam PC 30N, PC 33N, PC 36 N (I use the 36N).
Markins Q ballheads
I was recently shopping for a new head for my bigger tripod and was an eyelash away from popping for one of the Photoclam heads John mentions but I found such a screaming deal on an Induro BHD2 that I couldn't pass it up. I like the tension adjustment system of the Markins and Photoclam better but money talks so I bought the Induro
I just started to have some problems with one of the rubber feet coming off, but a little contact cement seems to have fixed the problem...