MeFOTO GlobeTrotter £180/$199

The biggest MeFOTO is still quite small

The GlobeTrotter is the most heavy-duty in MeFOTO’s ‘Classic’ range of tripods. It has plenty of colour options and there’s a carbon choice that sheds 400g in weight. The aluminium kit tips the scales at 2.1kg, yet has the largest overall load rating in the group, at 12kg.

The tripod folds down to 41cm, making it the secondsmallest. Despite the thinnest leg sections having a diameter of just 15mm, the tripod remains supremely strong and rigid even at its maximum height of 165cm. So it feels worthy of its heavily respectable load rating.

Following current fashion, one of the legs can be removed and used in conjunction with the centre column as a monopod. There’s no pivot function nor a secondary short centre column supplied with the tripod. On the plus side, you do get a set of interchangeable metal spikes and rubber pads, along with a high-quality padded soft case.

Performance

The nicely engineered ball head has independent friction control and a pan-only release. It’s almost identical to the impressive Benro B1 head in looks and performance. Twistaction leg section clamps are quick to release and tighten, which is just as well because there are 12 of them in total.

Overall, the GlobeTrotter is a smart buy for anyone who wants a ‘full-sized’ tripod but also want something that’ll pack away for when they need to move.

KEY Features 1. The high-quality head looks almost identical to the Benro B1, and performs just as well. 2. Leg angle locks enable two positions to be used, rather than the usual three. 3. Interchangeable rubber pads and metal spikes are supplied,...