I bought this tripod two years ago to take with me on some international research. For three months I traveled throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and this tripod held up every step of the way. I primarily used this tripod for filming and light photography. Rig weight was around 4 lbs. I am leaving to continue my research soon, and this tripod will be in my carry-on bag yet again. I have broken this review down by section.PORTABILITY: 4/5ProsThis tripod folds up tight enough to easily fit inside most camera backpack tripod slings, and it easily fits within most carry-on bags (it's seen its fair share of airports with no problems). The tripod feels professional but is discreet enough to give some peace of mind while travelling. In most cases, I felt comfortable walking through the streets of a foreign country with this thing hanging off my backpack. Kinda gives off that "super devoted tourist" vibe rather than "Oh he looks professional does he have a license to film here?" vibe.Cons:This tripod is quite heavy. Weighing in at almost 2.5 lbs, I definitely noticed the tripod's weight after a long day of filming / shooting. It's so beefy that it ended up tearing my cheap backpack's tripod sling toward the end of my 3 month trip. The weight did help the tripod perform better in high wind conditions, though, and of course the weight contributes to the overall durability of the tripod, which is very high.VERSATILITY: 5/5Few cons here. Thanks to the independently locking leg system, which is achieved via a ratcheting mechanism that locks the legs at various angles, the tripod can help you stabilize your rig on almost any surface. From the mountains of Japan to the uneven limestone streets of Jerusalem, this tripod kept me stable. The adjustable center post is helpful in getting low shots. The included bubble level and ball-joint head really help with this.DESIGN: 4/5This tripod definitely feels meaty, sometimes to a fault. Nevertheless, while the rest of the tripod feels incredibly solid, the spring-loaded levers that lock the legs into place feel a bit fragile by comparison. This said, mine are still holding up after two years of off and on use, so perhaps the fragility is just cosmetic.BEST USE:I used this tripod mostly for filming with light photography applications. The ball-joint head was great for setting up shots quickly. This on-the-fly readiness definitely helped me snag some once-in-a-lifetime shots. At the same time, ball joint heads are not the best when it comes to pan and tilt shots that are common in filmmaking. I found that the consistent resistance offered by the head actually helped with pan shots, and I achieved some pretty smooth pans with this unexpected feature. Tilt shots were a nightmare, though.Luckily, the ball head can be screwed off and replaced by a "fluid head" of your choice, if filming is your goal.The tripod is stable enough to support long exposure photography in low wind conditions. I was able to do some VERY minor astrophotography with this tripod in calm conditions.VERDICT - A Fantastic Travel Tripod, and Not Just "For the Price"This is a great travel-oriented tripod whose durability, versatility, and adaptable design (removable ball joint head) offset the cons of its hefty weight and minor design gripes. If you need a durable, portable tripod capable of multidisciplinary shooting, look no further.