novo explora T10 £250/$320

This carbon contender is high and mighty for a travel tripod, but there’s no cheaper aluminium alternative

Unlike the Nest Traveller, the newer Novo tripod is only available in carbon fibre, so there’s no cut-price aluminium edition. Most of the leg sections are a millimetre thinner in diameter, and the combined weight of the legs and head is 50g less, at 1.8kg. The folded length is 3cm longer, matching the Kenro at 48cm, but the Novo has the tallest maximum operating height of all the tripods in the entire group, at 174cm. The maximum load rating is beefy too, at 15kg for both the legs and ball head.

Attractions also seen in some competitors include four sections for each leg, complete with twistaction clamps, three lockable leg angles, and one removable leg that can be used as a monopod. The tripod is supplied with interchangeable rubber feet and metal spikes, and comes complete with a smart padded soft case.

The ball head features an adjustable friction damper built into the main locking knob and two pan release locks, one at the base and another in the camera platform, both with scales marked in degrees. There’s a bubble level on the camera platform but, as with the MEFOTO head, it’s obscured during shooting by the Arca-swiss compatible quickrelease plate.

Performance

Compared with other tripods on test, the extra height is nice to have, especially as the Novo remains impressively rigid even at full extension of the legs and centre column. All movements are smooth, with a nicely fluid feel, and clamping actions are firm and stable. The additional locking leg angle is a bonus, compared with the somewhat similar Nest tripod.