Tripod Usage?

[Kayaker72]

for Pat with his combo at 7.7 lbs! Brant's tripod is just 2.2 lbs.

And Gitzo just released updates that are even lighter.

Of course, intended use is one of the first things to consider. I wanted a good trip that I could travel and hike with. I wanted it to fit into a couple of different suitcases. After much deliberation, I bought the GT1542T with no regrets. It does exactly what I wanted it too.

The larger/heavier tripods not only support heavier gear, but also give more stability. So, it is a trade off. At some point, I'll likely have a heavier set up as well. But that is a few years off.