How to Carry Tripod on Walkabout?

[Farkled]

How do you carry your tripod when doing a walkabout shoot?

In my case, there are three proto-typical walkabouts: the zoo, touristy areas, and semi-wild parks.

I have found that if I carry just the camera/lens over one shoulder and the tripod over the other, I can manage for short distances, but it's just too clumsy for all day. If I'm out in a park somewhere, I can just mount the camera to the tripod and shoulder the combo as if it were a rifle. Not quite as clumsy, but still only good for the short haul without many people. Adding my Lowepro 300 slingpack does not improve things.

My legset + ballhead weighs 7 lbs. Why? because I'm 6'4" and too fat to bend easily and often shoot in very windy areas and superlight stuff just blows over.

So, for those of you who routinely carry a tripod, how do you do it?

[BryanC]

For me, through trial and error, here's what has worked for me. I have a sling on my tripod that is long enough to not only go over a shoulder, but where my head goes through it, also. This way, the sling in front is over a shoulder and diagonal across my body, and the tripod is almost straight upright on my back. It becomes part of me then so to say, making my arms totally free. From that set up, depending on the situations, I have carried the camera in different ways. From it being in it's bag slung the same way but on the opposite side (but under the tripod strap), to having it mounted on the tripod. Sometimes having the legs collapsed, sometimes not. Again, depending on the situations. But, back to the main thing that has worked for me, is that way of slinging it. I hope this helps in some way...and you may discover something different that works better for you. and if you do, let us in on it...

[sk66]

Most I see shoulder the assembly. I often sling both the camera body and tripod(assembled) from one shoulder if I am moving and setting up frequently (each has it's own strap).
I also have a vest I just bought that will carry a tripod vertically in a pouch on the back. I've used that to carry several lenses, remote, flash, and tripod while hiking for 3-4 hrs.

[Jim Bryant]

I carry it in one of those Domke tripod bags. It just slings over my shoulder.

[mstark70]

Just my 2 cents. A monopod works great and is a little lighter and less bulky. Just a suggestion.

[Jim Bryant]

Yea..I use my monopod as a hiking staff

Originally Posted by mstark70

Just my 2 cents. A monopod works great and is a little lighter and less bulky. Just a suggestion.

[BryanC]

Originally Posted by mstark70

Just my 2 cents. A monopod works great and is a little lighter and less bulky. Just a suggestion.

I have to think I was one of many thousands that used our tripod like a monopod before they became popular...

[kencaleno]

I cart my 3KG tripod in a kiddies golf club bag- Regards, Ken

[Swisstony10]

I use a small (cheap) lightweight tripod, which sits nicely on the bottom of my camera rucksack hanging from a couple of straps. When I'm on walkabout, the camera hangs from some straps which attach to the shoulder straps of the rucksack, thus distributing all the weight evenly instead of having it across the back of my neck.

I can fairly quickly whip the bag off and unhitch the tripod when I want to use it, and if I think I'm going to use it for a while, I'll collapse the tripod between shots and carry it around with the camera still attached for shortish periods of time, before stowing it back on the bottom of the rucksack.

I need to get a sturdier and heavier tripod though, and when I do, I'll probably either carry on using the lightweight tripod, or relegate that to an indoor flash stand, and use the monopod, which is always nice and handy...

[Bluenoser]

I have one of those tripod carrying bags which I used for quite a while, but found it to be too bulky. One day while we were heading over to the local fireworks show with our small fold up lawn chairs in their portable carrying bags, it suddenly hit me. This bag the chair is in is light, compact, perfect size, and has a shoulder sling. The price of these lawnchair/carry bag complete is usually under $30 at Canadian Tire so I picked another one up and now tote my tripod around the woods in that bag.

Works like a charm