The ultimate CF travel tripods: Feisol 3441 versus Slik 614

[jjasc]

This is the first part in my comparison (and review of the Feisol 3441) between these two tripods. From my research, these were pretty much the "lightest" and most compact CF tripods I could find. You won't get a more compact and light CF tripod than these.

I had a new Slik 614 that I sold and "upgraded" to the new Feisol 3441 "traveler tripod".

The Slik 614 (for all the 7 days that I had it) was a great tripod. Light as a feather, very very stable with the lenses I used (10-22, sigma 70-300), and the tripod just "felt" like good quality.

I'm going to be doing an extensive tour of China in a few weeks (lots of traveling, walking, hiking, busing, etc) and I wanted an absolutely light as possible setup with the best set of features and the best price/performance ratio. All my gear will be fitting into a Slingshot 200 (I had a slingshot 100, but had to upgrade to a 200 to fit my new wideangle lee hood into the setup). From what I've been reading on the web, many people are impressed with Feisol tripods; some are even suggesting them over Gitzmo's! There was nothing "wrong" with the Slik 614, but I started lusting after some of the Feisol's features. And before I knew it, I had sold the Slik 614 and clicked the "Buy" button on the Feisol website.

I know Gitzmo are the top of the line and worth the cost, yada yada (I have to get this out of the way to stop the inevitable "get a traveler gitzmo" recommendations. I will if you spot me the extra 400 bucks :) ), but these tripods are far better, value wise. And, for what you get, they are very high quality.

Comparison of specs (red is the winner)

Weight
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The Feisol 3441 weighs 2lbs lbs
The Slik 614 weighs 1.89 lbs

Max Height
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The Feisol 3441 without the column is 53.5 inches. With colum extended, 73.2
The Slik 614 without the column is 49.4. With column extended, 61.2

Min Height
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The Feisol 3441 has a minimum Height of 13.8 inches
The Slik 614 has a minimum height of 4.3 inches

Fold Up Height
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The Fiesol 3441 folds up to 16.9 inches. Can also fold them back over ballhead.
The Slik 614 folds up to 17.9 inches. No special folding option.

Leg width
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The Feisol 3441 has a maximum tube diameter of 28mm
The Slik has a maximum tube diameter of 21mm. The last leg section has straw-sized leg thickness.

Supported Weight
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Feisol 3441 - 6kg. This is a big difference!
Slik 614 - 3kg

Weight Hook
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Feisol 3441: Yes. Also removable.
Slik 614: No.

Foam Padding
Feisol 3441: yes
Slik 614: No

Price
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Feisol 3441: $299 USD + 33 USD shipping (from taiwan). Optional Short Column + $25
Slik 614: $229

Other features
--------------
There are some other features worth mentioning. The Feisol is more "customizable." I ordered mine with an optional "short" column. During my trip, I want to lightest possible gear setup. I won't bring along the center column to save weight and increase stability, but I still want a weight hook for added stabilization. The short column extra option (another 25 bucks) gives you that option with the Feisol. IN the future, I think Feisol will make metal spikes you can screw into the tripod feet. That option is available with some of their other tripod models.

The Feisol center column (both regular one and the short one) are Carbon Fiber; this adds more stability (less vibration) to the tripod setup, especially when you have the column extended. The Slik 614 center column is aluminum, but you don't need to pay more for a shorter version. The Slik 614 column can unscrew into three pieces. You can use the top piece as short column.

The Slik 614 column is reversible. This is great for macro photography. Since I don't have the Feisol yet, I'm not sure if it has this feature.

The Feisol has higher quality CF. They recently changed their manufacturing process opting instead to use a higher quality, more rigid CF construction. I can comment on this more when I actually get the tripod. Accord to the manufacture, this "upgraded" CF is more stable.

The Feisol has a unique design that allows you to fold the legs (180 degrees) over the ballhead to keep the tripod height at only 16.9 inches even with a ballhead on. Note, the ballhead has to be a small one for you to use this feature.

The Feisol also comes with a MUCH better bag! The Slik bag looks and feels pretty budget.

Summary
Well, all in all, from the specs (and from what I hear) the Feisol 3441 is the superior tripod. For another 100g of weight, you can carry 6kg instead of 3 kg you get another 4 inches of height (no center column extended), better CF (more stability), a CF center column, larger diameter CF tubes (more rigid which means more stability), a weight hook(more stability for longer lenses), a more compact height (16.9 versus 17.9)--though the Slik's 17.9 fold up size is nothing to sneer at, and with a smaller ballhead, you can fold the legs back over compacting the size even more. You also get foam padding on the legs which can make a big difference when handling the tripod or carrying it around. You also pay another 100 bucks (and another 25 if you want the optional short column).

If you want a cheaper tripod that offers great value and performance with zooms up to the 70-200mm, the Slik 614 is great. If you want a stabler, higher weight carrying a couple more inches height, and more feature ladden tripod for the same weight, I think the Feisol 3441 is a better choice.

I'll continue this in a few days, after I get the Feisol!

Pictures of Feisol 3441 and Slik 614 tripods below

[adamp88]

Actually, the Slik 614 will only carry 3kg, so one more point to the Feisol.

[jjasc]

your right. that's a huge point too.

[Ultimate CC]

i love feisol products

[jjasc]

Got the Feisol last week. Super impressed with it.

Some initial impressions

The quality of the Feisol is superior to the Slik 614 in everyway. The whol tripod reeks of quality and looks expensive. The CF has a nice black laquer finish (you can`t see the CF seems like in some other tripods) and feels very solid to the touch. This extra layer (or two) of coating should help protect the CF from dings.

The only advantage the Slik has is that the tripod can sit a bit lower to the ground (by about 5 inches) when you set the tripod on its lowest setting.

One thing that especially stands out is the switches that you press to adjust the tripod leg angles are, on the Feisol, made of solid aluminum, not plastic like the Slik 614. The foam padding is nice and comforatable. This makes a big deal when you haul the tripod around in the bag. Nice and soft.

Tripod is LIGHT. I mean light. It's almost the same weight as the Slik. I opted to buy the optional (and extra) short column option with the Feisol which is basically a column that's about 2 inches long (the regular colum is about 12 inches and telescopes out to about 2 feet if needed) and wieghs about 30 grams as opposed to the 150 or so grams the normal length one. This short column basically allows you to use the tripod without a column (if you don't go with the short column option, you can't use the tripod without the center column!). You also can use the weight hook thing with the short column, which is nice. The Slik 614`s column breaks into peices and you can use a short peice for the center column if you want. It`s too bad that you have to buy a whole other option on the Feisol to achieve this, but you do get the weight hook option (Slik doesn`t have weight hook). The column (short and center) are both carbon fiber which makes a big deal with the weight. I think with the short column, the Feisol weighs about 1.7 lbs, which is pretty good considering how high the tripod stands (55 inches or so--I`m 5`8 and the tripod with no column extended comes to my chin. With ballhead and camera, it`s at eye level). The tripod is very stable so far. I will be testing it in the field with the Ultimage Ballhead next week. I will then write full review.

[Cathpah]

the other amazing travel tripod that exists is the one i own and have been backpacking with for the last 7 months...the gitzo 1158t (t as in traveller). It's damn light, super stable, and the center column extends up while the legs can flip up allowing it to fold down smaller than any other tripod with similar leg lengths. Gitzo has since introduced g-lock and somehow i think left this model out of the new upgrade, but if you can get your hands on one, in my opinion, it's the greatest travel tripod in existence. its tough to explain the legs flipping up thing, so google it and you'll know hat i mean.

[jjasc]

The Feisol does the same thing with the leg flip. You can rotate them upwards over the ballhead to decrease the size.

The gitzo is the best you can buy for sure, BUT it's also over twice the price of the Feisol. The feisol is 300 bucks. The Gitzo, over 600.

Considering that you get 80-90% of the quality and functionality of the Gitzo Travelor at 50% of the cost, the Fiesol 3441 is a better tripod imho.

The Feisol is also quite a bit lighter than the Gitzo, which is another factor one must take into consideration. Easier to carry is a big plus.

[Cathpah]

The Feisol does the same thing with the leg flip. You can rotate them upwards over the ballhead to decrease the size.

The gitzo is the best you can buy for sure, BUT it's also over twice the price of the Feisol. The feisol is 300 bucks. The Gitzo, over 600.

Considering that you get 80-90% of the quality and functionality of the Gitzo Travelor at 50% of the cost, the Fiesol 3441 is a better tripod imho.

The Feisol is also quite a bit lighter than the Gitzo, which is another factor one must take into consideration. Easier to carry is a big plus.

wow, didn't know that the legs could flip up as well. certainly makes feisol at least second place...and considering the price, maybe come in first.

thanks for the heads up.

[equetefue]

I love my feisol 3401... love it..

[EOSAddict]

Taking my Feisol 3402 to France this weekend, just hoping the Benro KS-1 I ordered arrives in time!

[jjasc]

I know Gitzo is the best (i.e. the BMW's of the tripod crop), but the Feisol is right on its heels.

Nearly everyone who gets Feisol is astounded by the quality and price of the Feisol tripods. I even read a review where a guy brought his $650 gitzo to a photography convention, saw and played around with someone's Feisol (3441 traveler), then promptly ditched his Gitzo for the Feisol.

If you absolutely must have the best, well Gitzo still holds that place (for now...but I strongly feel that Feisol is on the fast track to becoming equal to the Gitzo's), but Gitzo should rightly fear Feisol as they are an up and coming brand.

So if you want "the best" on a buget, Feisol is THE tripod brand to pick up. As much as everyone here loves to browbeat people into spending 600+ bucks on Gitzo legs, not everyone is in the economic position to drop that kinda dough on tripod legs. But 300 bucks on a "near-gitzo"? I think a good many people can swing that.

Certainly Gitzo is MUCH better than the other crop of CF tripods (Velbon, Slik, Huabaka(sp?), Bogen, etc).

[Cathpah]

I know Gitzo is the best (i.e. the BMW's of the tripod crop), but the Feisol is right on its heels.

Nearly everyone who gets Feisol is astounded by the quality and price of the Feisol tripods. I even read a review where a guy brought his $650 gitzo to a photography convention, saw and played around with someone's Feisol (3441 traveler), then promptly ditched his Gitzo for the Feisol.

If you absolutely must have the best, well Gitzo still holds that place (for now...but I strongly feel that Feisol is on the fast track to becoming equal to the Gitzo's), but Gitzo should rightly fear Feisol as they are an up and coming brand.

So if you want "the best" on a buget, Feisol is THE tripod brand to pick up. As much as everyone here loves to browbeat people into spending 600+ bucks on Gitzo legs, not everyone is in the economic position to drop that kinda dough on tripod legs. But 300 bucks on a "near-gitzo"? I think a good many people can swing that.

Certainly Gitzo is MUCH better than the other crop of CF tripods (Velbon, Slik, Huabaka(sp?), Bogen, etc).

haha...well if what you say is true, i would've gone feisol all the way had i known. I think good legs are a must...but you don't need to spend $600+ to get some good legs. my gitzo was just the best available option that i knew about, and i did quite a bit of research...

I like a good quality product, and prefer to only buy once...but if feisol can give gitzo a run for their money, then i'm all about it.

good find.

[jjasc]

Haha, true. At the very least, I hope Fesiol forces Gitzo to lower their prices--then the people who are dead set on Gitzo get a deal too ;p

[EOSAddict]

I think good legs are a must..

That's so true ;)