Quote Originally Posted by Mpieris View Post
Thanks for the tip. Didn't realize this was not standard on the mountaineer. I noticed that the explorer version is 1 lb heavier than the mountaineer. Not having used a tripod before, I don't know what is more valuable - 1 lb weight savings or ability to set at any angle? I'm using it mostly as a travel tripod so I'm very sensitive to the weight. It gets tiring lugging all the gear around so anywhere that I can save on weight without a significant compromise, I'd like to.
That version is excellent for macro work; you can position your camera in some really odd positions. If all you need is three stable legs that are easy to carry one of the other versions might serve you better. I own a version of this tripod, and while for almost every application it works great, I have thought about buying another tripod to carry backpacking because of the weight. You lose some of the versatility, but if I were just planning on taking mostly landscape shots I could give the versatility up to save a pound or two.