Gear Review: MeFOTO RoadTrip Aluminum Travel Tripod Kit (Titanium)

[Note] I wrote a review, titled Longevity isn’t its strength to this tripod on B&H website yesterday (2/1/2018), and this is an edited version of that.

It’s been over 1 1/2 years since I first purchased this MeFOTO RoadTrip Aluminum Travel Tripod Kit (Titanium) (6/17/2016), so I’d like to share my thoughts here. The reason why I am giving it three stars out of five in is due to the fact that the problem that started happening for quite some time (about a year) is still occurring as I am writing this review (2/1/2018).

I had (AND still do have) a heavy duty Manfrotto MT055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber Tripod with 498RC2 Midi Ball Head Deluxe Kit, which is no longer available at B&H, but it was too heavy to lug around for long distance such as long hikes or backpacking, so I decided to purchase a lightweight tripod. And it appeared to be a good choice then, based on the research I did, watching a lot of YouTube tripod review videos and reading a lot of reviews on camera gear sites and blogs.

It is lightweight. So, you can take it with you on your long distance trips. I even took this on my 9-day wilderness backpacking trip in Sequoia and Kings National Park, let alone several 5-day backpacking trips. So, in terms of weight, there’s no complaining.

Of course, I want a lighter tripod, if possible, but based on what I have read so far basically it comes down to sturdiness. And the majority of complaining on those super light tripods is just that – they can’t be trusted. You don’t have to worry about this MeFOTO tripod’s sturdiness.

By the way, a few people pointed out that some tripods are just a bit short. This tripod isn’t necessarily too short, but if you are of my height (5′ 9 1/2), you will hunch a tad bit (without extending the upper part). But it isn’t too bad. If I didn’t want to hunch, my Manfrotto would’ve been perfect. But I can’t lug it around for too long. It’s the compromise that I have taken over height.

The major problem with this tripod that I am going to discuss, though, may not be just limited to this product. It’s the twist locks which have become an issue for me. And based on what I have read in the reviews, most of this twist lock mechanism based tripods seem to share the same issue. Unlike my old heavy duty tripod, eventually having fallen apart (it’s a review for another time), which had the flip lock mechanism (which never failed on me), the tripod do not stay tightened long enough. I can’t even count how many times the tripod lost balance while setting up because the locks went loose and one or two legs just dropped. I have lost count where I found myself checking and double checking if they still remained tightened.

Besides this issue, a minor issue with the tripod that I can pointed out is that one leg fell apart, and I ended up super gluing the inner plastic pieces inside the tube to put it back together.

In addition, I’ve noticed that the rubber on the locks come loose over time, meaning when you simply turn the lock to lock it in place, you realize that the rubber is slipping and turning instead of lock itself. I wonder if it is a common problem for the the twist lock mechanism.

I am going to purchase another tripod because I have another camera that I recently purchased. But for now, I am not going to consider any tripods with the same locking mechanism.

I understand that everybody uses it for difference purposes, like landscapes or portraits, etc. Let me know what your experience was like.

[UPDATE] While writing this edited version here, I realized that I should’ve included another aspect which I have always wished that this tripod could do, which is that it would have been really nice if the tripod could be lower a whole lot lower. Basically, even when the legs are spread as wide as they could, the extendable center tube for height gets in the way. It touches the ground and you simply can’t lower it as low as you want with this tripod.

Chasing Milky Way in Death Valley

Back in November, I made a short trip to Death Valley National Park. Primarily I wanted to visit the Racetrack, past Ubehebe Crater, which I couldn’t make it last time, due to the fact that I didn’t have a high clearance vehicle. Based on my experience now, it would’ve been just fine, but I am glad that I made the trip this time around, because I also included a camping night at Mahogany Flat Campground. And along the way, I took some photos at Wildrose Charcoal Kilns as well.

Note to myself. I don’t necessarily believe that things happen for a reason. However, I need not be too disappointed and/or stressed out by the fact that things don’t happen as I wished. It’ll eventually happen sooner, if it is what I want it to happen sooner, or later. Just make the best decision based on the circumstances.

Once I left Mahogany Flat, I headed to my next destination to spend the rest of the day and night – the Racetrack Playa. It had been on my bucket list forever, and I was finally getting there to do astrophotography at this mud cracks filled lake floor. The night was chilly and also windy, which pretty much allowed me to keep the entire lake to myself. Not a single soul was around, and I took my time to photograph the Milky Way and do star trails.

Date taken: 11/10/2017 – 11/12/2017

Location: Mahogany Flat Campground, Wildrose Charcoal Kilns and Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park

The sun was setting fast when I was still a few miles away from Mahogany Flat Campground. Night would fall soon. The sunset glow cast on the ridgeline caught my eye. I pulled over and got out of the car. No one was around. Completely deserted. No cars coming in either direction. Temperature was dropping fast as the light was fleeting. It was going to be chilly at the campground. Once the glow was completely faded, I got back in the car and left.

With my camera and tripod in hands, I sauntered off Mahogany Flat Campground, where I was camping. Found a clearing on the slope, but it was extremely windy. It would have made my stay unbearable without bundling myself up in my 15-degree sleeping bag. I held it tight while wondering how cold it would have been at the top of Telescope Peak, which was 3,000 feet higher. In the company of gorgeous Junipers, I sat down, pointed the camera at the Milky Way, risen over the mountain ridgeline, and pressed the remote shutter.

This particular Juniper, standing upright in the slanted slope, caught my eye. While composing a shot, I realized that the Andromeda Galaxy, aka M31, was shining above this handsome evergreen. Of course, it was! It was November! Super excited, once framing the conifer in the center with the painted rocks strewn all around it at the bottom and our neighboring galaxy at the top, I was more than ready to take the shot. Then, I gently pressed the remote shutter.

Morning arrived. I felt the crisp air filling my lungs at every breath. If the frost on the windshield was a clear indication, it was definitely a chilly night at 8000 feet in elevation. I got my camera ready before the fire pit and waited for the sun to rise above the ridge line. Probably around Dante’s View, I thought to myself. Soon it did and started casting gorgeous orange glow on the Junipers around me. I felt the warmth. Time to get moving.

The sun was still low enough when I pulled over at the iconic Wildrose Charcoal Kilns, which was on the way back from Mahogany Flat Campground. Considering its interesting historical background, it was relatively deserted. While recalling some cool shots of stars trailing above these kilns, I waited for the sun to rise over the ridge line. Definitely one more reason to return to capture my own star trails.

Once I left Mahogany Flat, I drove straight to the Racetrack, one of the most iconic landmarks in Death Valley, which I’d been wanting to visit for quite some time. My last attempt was over a year ago. Particularly known for its 1.5-inch-a-year sailing stones, this racetrack-shaped dry lakebed lay about 25 miles beyond Ubehebe Crater. Once night fell, thanks to, probably, the almost freezing temperature, no one was around. Literally, I had this enormous floor filled with mud cracks all to myself while the Milky Way was slowly moving across the heavenly body. I was a happy camper.

With the entire lake all to myself, I literally walked to every corner of this mud crack filled lake floor, as long as the Grandstand was in the frame. While composing a shot of the mound of this monolith with the Milky Way slowly traversing the stars-strewn sky, a vehicle with headlights on zoomed by the lake. Contrary to my initial thought about this unintended light painting work, I decided to stack it with other exposures. And the result was satisfactory.

After spending a good couple of hours in this lake floor with not a single soul around, I decided to try a selfie. If you have done this before, you know holding still for longer than 2 minutes, let alone 30 seconds, isn’t an easy thing to do, especially when it is quite cold. Once I framed the shot with myself clear of the Grandstand and the Milky Way over my head, I stepped onto my mark and pressed the remote shutter. It was one of the longest 146 seconds I could remember.

Throughout the night, I had been looking at Polaris to do star trails. While strolling around at the foot of the Grandstand, one of the mounds with a dome shape stood out for me. While trying to keep myself warm, I wondered about the star trails seen from Mars. The temperature at the Racetrack was about the average high temperature high (36F) in July in Gale Crater on Mars, where Curiosity, NASA’s Mar rover, roamed around. It was time to pack up my gear and say good night to the monolith.

On my way back from Death Valley, I started noticing beautiful light slowly forming far out west across the desert. I was traveling somewhere between Mojave and Rosamond. Then, it started glowing in orange, red and purple like crazy! It was happening so fat! I pulled over and grabbed my camera and tripod. While composing a shot, I kept wondering why wasn’t anyone stopping for this? I was sure everyone had a place to get to. But… Like they say, it isn’t about the destination but the journey… And I happily pressed the shutter button.

Sunset at Flat Rock Point

This is a 4-photo series that I was able to take photos of the gorgeous sunset at Flat Rock Point in Palos Verdes Estate, California. I was quite reluctant to go down to the beach because the sky had been quite depressing. And I almost didn’t go. But, a what-if got into my head and the rest is history. It was one of the most gorgeous sunsets that I witnessed as far as I could remember. The colors were simply gorgeous, and I even felt some kind of out of body experience while feeling the red glow cast onto myself. It was hard to describe in words.

Date taken: 12/10/2017
Location: Flat Rock Point, Palos Verdes Estate, California

The last stretch of the blazing sunset glow reached as far as my eyes could see. Everything that my eyes landed on turned red and pink. It was one of those sunsets burning so intense that you could almost feel the heat from it. So surreal that you could see the potent glow cast on yourself, as if it was an out of body experience. And there I stood, frozen and captivated by the ethereal colors.

The sky was literally on fire! While with my eyes transfixed at the burning stratosphere, I couldn’t believe how intense it was getting by the minute. The ocean soon got completely imbued with the red and orange glow. I couldn’t tell where the horizon was. I hiked above the sea of clouds at sunset numerous times. But this was the first time where I wondered if this was what flying above the clouds at sunset would be like.

As the sun started sinking below the horizon, the entire cloud-clad sky started burning, like raging wildfires. It was lighting up the world like crazy. Mesmerized, my gaze was completely transfixed at the flaming stratosphere! Then, came the waves! My legs got completely awashed! And I was palpitating with a wave of elation!

The sky in the west didn’t look promising. Not one bit. Seriously, it was rather depressing. I didn’t feel like heading to the beach. I told myself that it would be a waste of time. And part of me just wanted to keep reading the book that I has been reading. But a what-if got into my head. I drove to Flat Rock Point in PV. The waves were crashing as high as my height. Then, that what-if actually started happening. The sun dropped below the thick blanket of clouds and started dispersing the orange glow over the far end of the ocean.