Accessories


Strap In: MindShift Gear’s New Tripod Suspension Kit Offers a New Transport System

April 4, 2017

By Theano Nikitas

How many times have you jerry-rigged a system to carry a tripod? It’s not bad when you tuck it away in a backpack pouch or attach it to the side, but MindShift Gear has come up with an interesting solution. The Tripod Suspension Kit not only provides a way to secure a tripod to your body and backpack, but it also allows you to have your tripod (and camera) ready to go when you’re moving from location to location and you want to shoot along the way.

Although I’m not 100 percent sold on this kit, it does offer an interesting option for alleviating the hassle of a) carrying a tripod balanced on your shoulder with its legs extended, b) having to set up the tripod every time you need to use it, and c) taking time to attach a camera to the tripod head.

You can see how to attach the tripod strap—which hangs from your neck, secured with clips—in the video below. Setup seems a little cumbersome, but once the straps are secured, it seems easy to detach/re-attach the tripod.

The kit components weigh about 3.5 ounces and can hold up to 20 pounds (like a pro body and 70-200mm lens). It’s compatible with the Rotation 180 Pro, r180 Panorama, r180 Horizon, BackLight 26L, FirstLight series and the UltraLight Dual 25L/36L backpacks.

Is it worth $48? Possibly. And while I don’t think it’s a great option for strenuous hikes, it might come in handy when changing locations during a wedding shoot (if you don’t have an assistant to schlep gear for you). Check out their site for more details.

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