Leofoto LS-284C travel tripod

Leofoto is a name that I've seen come up quite often in forums and reviews.  So when I decided to get a compact travel tripod for hiking, I researched the Leofoto LS-284C.  I compared it against several brands and in the end, decided it had the best bang for buck, being at most one-third the price of the equivalent Really Right Stuff but nearly as stiff according to the Center Column.  It's actually #2 in the travel tripod stiffness ranking, behind RRS and just above Gitzo.  Impressive!

It arrived in a nicely made, padded case.  The case has enough room for a head mounted as well as the tripod itself, which is a nice touch.  I wish the case had webbing to make it easier to attach to a backpack.

The tripod came with spikes for certain terrain, and they happen to fit many other tripods via standard 3/8" threads.  To use them, remove the rubber feet on each leg and screw in the spikes.  Try not to stab anyone.

It came with a carabiner to hang your bag for extra stability, which you have to screw in yourself.  I used a little loctite to hold it in place.

There was a nice multi-tool included as well, but the parts have a hard time reaching some of the tripod screws, so I assume it is a generic tool.  It's a cool idea but not actually useful as designed.  You'll need to keep your existing hex wrenches handy.

The build quality on the LS-284C appears to be as good as anything I've seen from any other maker, including my own Gitzo and a friend's RRS. I've read of quality control issues in a couple of Leofoto tripods but mine works beautifully.

The LS-284C has 4 leg sections.  The leg locks take an easy quarter turn or so to loosen and retighten.

Fully extended on a flat surface, the tripod is only about 4' tall.

The legs spread independently which is useful for uneven terrain. It can spread wide and go to nearly ground level.  The leg stops are spring loaded and easy to use.  Just pull them out and they lock open so you can widen the legs and get lower. When you move the leg out to the widest setting, they automatically snap back into position, and snap to the next stops as you close the leg back up.

As low as it can go

Stop pulled out, ready to adjust.

It did not come with a center column.  For my intended use of shooting landscapes while hiking, I didn't need one.

The apex is quite small at about 47mm in diameter.  My FLM CB-48F head is just a little too big for it.  It works fine, but I ended up with a smaller ballhead.  The apex is so small that with the hook hanging and the legs at the narrowest angle, my pack won't hang directly on the hook.

My only real gripe is something I read about from several other reviewers... the legs feel a bit narrow on the tallest setting.  So the first thing I did was take the legs off and void my warranty by filing the stops.  This widened the stance a bit, making it more stable, at the cost of a little less maximum height.

The tripod is very light, and compared to my bigger Gitzo, feels weightless.  Put a small, lightweight (but sturdy!) head on top and you have a winner for hikes.   Given how light it is, I pay close attention when it is windy.  I don't quite trust it in wind as much as my 3-series Gitzo (which was nearly blown over in a very strong wind just once - I caught it).  I will hang my backpack from the apex once I extend the hook.  And maybe I'll widen the stance just a little more.

It was a very good purchase.  If you need a solid travel tripod, take a look.