"3 Legged Thing" compared to Gitzo?

One of my favorite pieces of photo gear is my tripod and ball head. No kidding.
But now I'm going on a trip and really need something smaller and lighter to fit in my suitcase easily and carry around.
I started doing a little shopping online and discovered the brand, "3 Legged Thing." Kind of a quirky name, but the more I look at it, the more intrigued I am. Gotta love the feature with the leg becoming a monopod, too!
Has anyone had any experience with one of their tripod? And are they comparable to the Gitzo Traveler which is what I? Just wondering if I can get any feedback or opinions on 3 Legged before I go ahead with my original plan and get the Gitzo.
(I'm looking at the model called X2.1 Eddie Evolution 2 Carbon Fiber Tripod.)

Only heard of that brand once. Don't do it. Read here.

tvphotog wrote in post #17027624
Only heard of that brand once. Don't do it. Read here.

I searched through that thread and don't see anything about 3 Legged brand tripods. To what are you referring?

3 LT compared to Gitzo - err no.
3LT tripods are assembled in the UK so I would love to support them! They are fantastically versatile tripods that do virtually everything you cold want a tripod to do, with the exception of supporting a camera.
I have tried a few models and they were pretty good until you needed to raise them to a reasonable height. The problem (in my opinion) is that they are very short unless you raise the center column - which is not a good thing.
I had a look at the model you quoted, not one that I have personally used, but it is expensive, looks a touch flimsy and cost more than I paid for any of my 4 Gitzo's.
Naturally I do not know your specific requirements , but looking at your gear list, I would suggest that you have a look at a Gitzo 2 series Mountaineer or Traveler (depending on your needs), or perhaps the RRS equivalents if you live in the US.
Sorry to say that I have not been impressed with the 3LT tripods, though I am sure others will disagree, I found them to be inadequate for real world use.

Thanks for your observations, John.
And I appreciate your suggestion. Funny thing is, I've only looked (online) at the 1 series traveler, but the 2 series looks like a good idea.

I'd get a RRS pod over a gitzo, especially if you really like pods.

Hardcore wrote in post #17027775
I'd get a RRS pod over a gitzo, especially if you really like pods.

What is the benefit of RRS tripods over Gitzo?
I like (and use) their products, but I've never seen one of their tripods.

sml wrote in post #17027804
What is the benefit of RRS tripods over Gitzo?
I like (and use) their products, but I've never seen one of their tripods.

there are innumerable discussions about this topic here. I would search RRS tripods to see them. Unfortunately, it's like opening a can of worms.

sml wrote in post #17027633
I searched through that thread and don't see anything about 3 Legged brand tripods. To what are you reerring?

What I'm saying is to stick with tried and true tripod makers. Gitzo is excellent for larger heavier duty tripods made of carbon fiber. However Feisol travel tripods are in my opinion superior to Gitzo for a travel tripod. I would defer to others to review the tripod you're interested as such has been done in the entry above.

sml wrote in post #17027804
What is the benefit of RRS tripods over Gitzo?
I like (and use) their products, but I've never seen one of their tripods.

they're both high-end brands and make excellent products. biggest advantage of RRS is that they have great customer service while gitzo is polar opposite--the most horrific customers service imagineable, especially for a brand so high-end. RRS tripods are also made in America. there are also some small functional differences, like the tripod leg angle tabs stay unlocked until the last stop, where they automatically lock on the RRS. that's a trick feature, but I will say that on my tripod the tab springs inside broke, but RRS rushed me replacement parts (gitzo would take 20-30+ phone calls and 2 months. really. I've tried.)

Thanks for all the feedback and comments so far.
Still thinkin' about this...
The RRS sounds appealing, but it's also twice as much as the 3 Legged and much more than the series 1 Gitzo I was thinking about.
No need to throw Feisol into the mix. I'm trying to narrow down on options rather than spread out.
And I'm also thinking I probably don't "need" the RRS or (similar) Gitzo series 2 since I have a Gitzo 3542 for when I need a bigger and sturdier tripod. My purpose for this tripod is to be a travel friendly unit...one that will fit in a suitcase easily, etc. And the smaller capacity tripods (15-17 pounds) will likely "do" for the gear I will have.
Hmmm....I'm still intrigued by the 3 Legged. Might just go ahead and take a chance. The specs look so appealing.
Or just go with the 1-series Gitzo.

I feel the gitzos are way-way overprised.

As for the 3LT, I have one, altough it only arrived a week ago, but I was very impressed.
Was not able to do a big trip with it, but it certenly feels much more stable than anything I used before.
(Tough I never used a Gitzo, and am nto willing to use one)

The 3LT is stable with my 5DMk II, and the 70-200 IS II on it.
Their customer service is also very good, as far as I can tell, from the 2 e-mails, and 1 phone call I made.

I've had a 3LT Brian Evo 2 tripod for a little over a year. Frankly, I purchased it on a whim, but it has worked out fine as a compact travel tripod. I read generally positive reviews on the tripod before I bought it and I've personally not experienced any problems, camera shake or blurry photos that could be blamed on the tripod, even when the center column is extended. That said, I also haven't used it in challenging situations, such as trying to set-up shots in the ocean, running streams, or very windy conditions. Nor do I use it with anything longer/larger than my 70-200mm lens. When possible, I do try to avoid extending the center column, especially when using it with a heavier lens.

What mainly attracted me to the 3LT was the fact that the folded length and packing diameter were smaller than my Feisol tripod, and in a pinch, I can also use one of the legs as a monopod. Also, I thought it looked pretty cool.

Would I rather have a Gitzo or RRS? Sure - from what I've seen, the quality, particularly with the RRS tripods, is undeniable better. But I'd also have to pay 2-3 times more and I'm just not able to justify the additional cost. For what I shoot and the lenses I currently have, the 3LT currently works fine as a travel tripod. If I want a bit more stability and have room in my bag, I'll go with my Feisol (which is also a great tripod). Of course, if the 3LT tripod somehow fails or breaks in a few more years of use, I may change my mind. But if that happens, I'll also have the justification I need to get myself an RRS

Hope that helps.

Agreed. I've got a Mk1 Brian tripod and whilst it's light and cost effective [which makes it great for hauling up and down places] it's not a sturdy as my 190xprob. I've compared it with Gitzo's at various places and they are more sturdy, but at a price.

As usual, you pays your money, you takes your choice.

if you're looking at 3LT, then look into mefoto and sirui too.

i sold my RRS, while solid and perfect, was too bulky and heavy for travel and hiking.
i went with a mefoto globetrotter and happy with it, fairly small and light (3lbs with ballhead) and one of the legs can be used as monopod.
the only cons with these small travel tripod is that their legs may be in 4-5 sections making setting/tearing it down longer than a 2-3 section tripod.

other than that I like my globetrotter and it hold my MF and 4x5 camera like a champ