Until the last couple tripods the units were cheap & barely functional. They all ended up in the landfill due to failure. Exposure to water, sand, salt air mist, mud eventually resulted in the leg section release levers/twist rings jamming or falling apart. Eventually picked up a decent Bogen. Fine for the 35mm gear, but bit oversize & too heavy ballhead for mu43 gear. So a few months ago purchased a very compact, light Benro cf tripod. Bit of a compromise. The light weight was appreciated on yesterdays outing. Pretty much either climbing or descending some too steep pitches. Tripod set up in shallow water, mud or sandy surfaces on a regular basis. Benro claims to have a wiper seal to keep moisture & soil out. Assuming these seals work, how effective are they as the temperature drops? Durability? Have yet to see any Benro twist-lock replacement parts. Are leg lock parts from the high end manufactures like Gitzo and RRS available?
Technically, that's what the Gitzo OceanTraveler is for, but at $1200, it's probably cheaper to throw out Benros every couple of years.
I'm using a Berlebach 2042 wooden tripod. Excellent vibration reduction and no problem when going in the (salty) water, mud, sand, .... Just rince with water from the tap and let dry .... But, heavy ... C U Rafael Tripods from Berlebach - The Genuine Alternative! Wooden Tripods Made in Germany
