# Peak Design Donates 100% of Profits From its 4-Day Travel Tripod Launch for COVID-19 Response and Combating Climate Change



## Canon Rumors Guy (May 14, 2020)

> Peak Design, the worldwide leader in crowdfunding and everyday carry solutions, has announced it will donate 100% of profits from all Travel Tripods sold during the company’s highly anticipated launch, April 7, through April 10, 2020. Profits will include both sales of tripods through PeakDesign.com and through retailers worldwide. Funds generated by the launch will be donated to the CDC Foundation to support their efforts on the front-lines of COVID-19 response, and to Climate Neutral, an organization that helps businesses from all industries verifiably achieve carbon neutrality.
> *Check out the Peak Design Travel Tripod*
> Peak Design depends on a global network of partners to ensure their products are safely manufactured and delivered. The launch of the Travel Tripod is an opportunity for Peak Design to continue to financially support their colleagues while helping to address two global crises. “Now more than ever is the time for us to act on...



Continue reading...


----------



## cayenne (May 14, 2020)

_...sold during the company’s highly anticipated launch, April 7, through April 10, 2020._

Err....isn't this a little bit late, seeing that it is Mid - May right now....?


----------



## Etienne (May 14, 2020)

Combat climate change


----------



## magarity (May 14, 2020)

cayenne said:


> _...sold during the company’s highly anticipated launch, April 7, through April 10, 2020._
> 
> Err....isn't this a little bit late, seeing that it is Mid - May right now....?


No, it just means the had to consider very carefully if they can part with that money already earned and then try to fit the amount they were willing to donate to match some prior period for a tidy headline.


----------



## melgross (May 14, 2020)

Nice offer, though A bit late. But for three days? So they sell what, 30 tripods during that time? More a publicity stunt than anything else.


----------



## Joules (May 14, 2020)

What's worse?

Doing something good, but only a little bit.

Or

Doing nothing, and criticizing those who do something? 

The world, of course, isn't black and white like that. But in these times, I feel like we can appreciate everybody who puts their money out there.


----------



## David the street guy (May 14, 2020)

melgross said:


> Nice offer, though A bit late. But for three days? So they sell what, 30 tripods during that time? More a publicity stunt than anything else.



If you actually read the post you are responding to, you'll know they sold 2265 tripods during this period. That's a bit more than 30, I think.


----------



## Gti5notrkt (May 14, 2020)

$350 and $600 for the carbon option when it costs probably no more than $50 for 9 small 3k tubes is insane. Then again, they found 2200+ suckers to take the bait. SMH.


----------



## magarity (May 14, 2020)

Gti5notrkt said:


> $350 and $600 for the carbon option when it costs probably no more than $50 for 9 small 3k tubes is insane. Then again, they found 2200+ suckers to take the bait. SMH.


I don't know what their manufacturing costs are but comparing that basic number to the retail price never works and makes one sound like a coffee shop liberal arts grad student. As if the engineers designed it without drawing a salary, etc. If you take "it only costs that much to produce" to the extreme, might as well complain that since the airplane was going there anyway your ticket should only cost the 25 cents for the can of soda you got.


----------



## PGSanta (May 14, 2020)

magarity said:


> I don't know what their manufacturing costs are but comparing that basic number to the retail price never works and makes one sound like a coffee shop liberal arts grad student. As if the engineers designed it without drawing a salary, etc. If you take "it only costs that much to produce" to the extreme, might as well complain that since the airplane was going there anyway your ticket should only cost the 25 cents for the can of soda you got.



This. So much this. 

I mean, I will never spend that type of money on a tripod like that; not that I'm opposed to spending money on tripods (I have 2 Gitzos, and a RRS), but I'd never spend that type of money on that level of stability. The gimmick to me is the notion that a tripod like this is really suitable for very much. I travel with a RRS TVC-34 level of tripod, or nothing.


----------



## Frodo (May 14, 2020)

PGSanta said:


> The gimmick to me is the notion that a tripod like this is really suitable for very much. I travel with a RRS TVC-34 level of tripod, or nothing.


I recently went on a hike that involved carrying food for several days walking and involved crossing a couple of quite high passes. So weight was important. I took my Eos R and EF 24-105 L plus a Sirui T-025X carbon travel tripod. The little Sirui weighs 870g and enabled landscape astro photos and long exposure riverscapes that would have been impossible otherwise. My 2kg Manfrotto carbon 290XL stayed home.


----------



## Kit. (May 14, 2020)

Joules said:


> What's worse?
> 
> Doing something good, but only a little bit.
> 
> ...


There's no such thing as "doing nothing".


----------



## PGSanta (May 15, 2020)

Frodo said:


> I recently went on a hike that involved carrying food for several days walking and involved crossing a couple of quite high passes. So weight was important. I took my Eos R and EF 24-105 L plus a Sirui T-025X carbon travel tripod. The little Sirui weighs 870g and enabled landscape astro photos and long exposure riverscapes that would have been impossible otherwise. My 2kg Manfrotto carbon 290XL stayed home.



Of course we each have our own levels of acceptability. I have had a few Sirui products and pretty much hate all of them, mostly because of the ridiculously narrow leg angles.

If you're in anything but perfect conditions I find it really hard to believe that the Sirui would be suitable for astro extended to any sort of meaningful length. I'm curious at what height you used the Sirui? Could you of gotten the same shots with a gorilla pod?


----------



## melgross (May 15, 2020)

Joules said:


> What's worse?
> 
> Doing something good, but only a little bit.
> 
> ...


Well, if its a publicity stunt, I’d rather they didn’t do anything. And how do you know that someone criticizing them has done nothing?


----------



## melgross (May 15, 2020)

magarity said:


> I don't know what their manufacturing costs are but comparing that basic number to the retail price never works and makes one sound like a coffee shop liberal arts grad student. As if the engineers designed it without drawing a salary, etc. If you take "it only costs that much to produce" to the extreme, might as well complain that since the airplane was going there anyway your ticket should only cost the 25 cents for the can of soda you got.


It also sounds like a redneck with no education.


----------



## PGSanta (May 15, 2020)

elijah said:


> Definitely not buying anything from these liberal freaks. I was contemplating on getting the CF tripod despite the price but after seeing this climate change and cover-19 BS from them, I'm taking my business elsewhere.


----------



## Frodo (May 15, 2020)

PGSanta said:


> Of course we each have our own levels of acceptability. I have had a few Sirui products and pretty much hate all of them, mostly because of the ridiculously narrow leg angles.
> 
> If you're in anything but perfect conditions I find it really hard to believe that the Sirui would be suitable for astro extended to any sort of meaningful length. I'm curious at what height you used the Sirui? Could you of gotten the same shots with a gorilla pod?


I sawed the central tube that holds the head to half the length to increase stability yet allowed the tripod to reverse fold efficiently. If there is little or no wind, the tripod is extended all the way. The astro images with the Eos R with 24-105 show no signs of camera shake, even when slight star trails are visible. 
Although I have never used a Gorilla Pod, when I have manipulated them in stores, they do not seem very stable, certainly not as stable as the Sirui. I hiked the length of the Swiss Alps a few years ago and took an M3 and the 12-22 and 55-200 zooms, with a Manfrotto table tripod because weight was really critical. I wouldn't consider a Gorilla Pod.
My day to day tripod is my large Manfrotto carbon 290XL but I don't take it on serious hikes.
My point is that there is a role for well made, small carbon tripods.


----------



## degos (May 15, 2020)

"Peak Design depends on a global network of partners to ensure their products are safely manufactured and delivered. "

If I wanted accessories made in China I'd buy Benro or Andoer, who just make decent kit and don't coat it in a veneer of Designed in San Francisco bullshit.


----------



## rwvaughn (May 15, 2020)

Having participated in the Capture kickstart I was intrigued by the idea of it being small and versatile. Upon receipt I used it for several weeks with a 5D3 and 70-200mm kit. Never really trusted it to securely hold the plate in the capture clip. It needed design changes. Then the V2 kickstart happened and it had looked like they addressed my concerns. Looks didn't hold true to my concerns once I had it in hand. They both are in the gadget drawer of regretted purchases. While the Peak Design tripod looks neat I can't help but think if I bought it that it would be another gadget that I soon would regret. I've got two carbon fiber sets of legs that I'm very happy with; that are light, and that I'm comfortable using to support my gear. They also didn't cost near as much as $600.


----------



## aslsw66 (May 15, 2020)

I've bought the Travel Tripod (and a bunch of other PD gear too). It's does what it says on the box: great for travel. We go overseas at least once a year, my previous tripod took up a chunk of space in a suitcase, but this one is much smaller and lighter. And that means I'm more likely to take it with me. Is it as sturdy as the best in the business? No, but that's not why you buy it.

Yes, it costs a bit more. But my wife likes to remind me that whenever I go cheap I invariably whinge about quality so I should have bought what I wanted in the first place!

The other thing about PD is they stand by their products. A couple of years ago we were visiting SF so I decided to head into their store. Before even talking about their stuff, the guy sees we have the first generation slings and immediately swaps them for the new generation for free.

I might sound like an evangelist but I'm not. I love reading about other people's experiences with different brands, I love looking up reviews and videos to see how they perform and I think that lots of brands out there trying different things is good (even if it feeds into my Gear Acquisition Syndrome). If you find something that fits your needs, good on you. The PD Travel Tripod does that for me (for now!!).


----------



## koenkooi (May 15, 2020)

aslsw66 said:


> [..]I love reading about other people's experiences with different brands, I love looking up reviews and videos to see how they perform and I think that lots of brands out there trying different things is good (even if it feeds into my Gear Acquisition Syndrome). If you find something that fits your needs, good on you. The PD Travel Tripod does that for me (for now!!).



The trouble with reviewing non-digital gear is that ideally you want long term reviews, which conflicts with GAS telling us to buy things immediately. In the past month I've seen new, additional reviews pop up by people that were sent a free tripod during the annoucement blitz that are still positive. That's a good sign.


----------



## Basil (May 17, 2020)

I know these guys are based in the ultra-left "woke" city of San Fran, so I guess it's no surprise they think they are doing the Lord's work fighting "climate change." While I do think they make some nice products (I really like my Slide camera strap), this whole "combating climate change" campaign is just a load of nonsense, though I'm sure they are convinced they are helping save the planet. I was a senior analyst for 30+ years (MSEE) with extensive experience in environmental models (mostly used for testing radar systems). I've read the IPCC reports and I've followed the climate alarmist predictions for 30 years. None of the dire predictions made over the past 30 years have come close to coming true. The models used to make their predictions have never been verified against real-world data, so the predictions made have been pretty much worthless. If you're a believer in the religion of man-made climate change (and it is a religion) I know that nothing anyone says is going to sway you, so just go on believing. In the meantime, you guys at Peak Design might want to drive around your own city and observe all the homelessness and filth that is in many parts of the city - maybe it would be a good idea to put some effort into solving the problems in your own back yard.


----------



## brad-man (May 17, 2020)

Basil said:


> I know these guys are based in the ultra-left "woke" city of San Fran, so I guess it's no surprise they think they are doing the Lord's work fighting "climate change." While I do think they make some nice products (I really like my Slide camera strap), this whole "combating climate change" campaign is just a load of nonsense, though I'm sure they are convinced they are helping save the planet. I was a senior analyst for 30+ years (MSEE) with extensive experience in environmental models (mostly used for testing radar systems). I've read the IPCC reports and I've followed the climate alarmist predictions for 30 years. None of the dire predictions made over the past 30 years have come close to coming true. The models used to make their predictions have never been verified against real-world data, so the predictions made have been pretty much worthless. If you're a believer in the religion of man-made climate change (and it is a religion) I know that nothing anyone says is going to sway you, so just go on believing. In the meantime, you guys at Peak Design might want to drive around your own city and observe all the homelessness and filth that is in many parts of the city - maybe it would be a good idea to put some effort into solving the problems in your own back yard.


May I suggest watching the news occasionally (the _real_ news)...


----------



## Kit. (May 17, 2020)

Basil said:


> I know these guys are based in the ultra-left "woke" city of San Fran, so I guess it's no surprise they think they are doing the Lord's work fighting "climate change." While I do think they make some nice products (I really like my Slide camera strap), this whole "combating climate change" campaign is just a load of nonsense, though I'm sure they are convinced they are helping save the planet. I was a senior analyst for 30+ years (MSEE) with extensive experience in environmental models (mostly used for testing radar systems). I've read the IPCC reports and I've followed the climate alarmist predictions for 30 years. None of the dire predictions made over the past 30 years have come close to coming true. The models used to make their predictions have never been verified against real-world data, so the predictions made have been pretty much worthless. If you're a believer in the religion of man-made climate change (and it is a religion) I know that nothing anyone says is going to sway you, so just go on believing. In the meantime, you guys at Peak Design might want to drive around your own city and observe all the homelessness and filth that is in many parts of the city - maybe it would be a good idea to put some effort into solving the problems in your own back yard.


Maybe they are just better than you at advertising.


----------



## Basil (May 17, 2020)

brad-man said:


> May I suggest watching the news occasionally (the _real_ news)...


Sure, you can suggest whatever you want to suggest. You can also base your opinions on what "real news" tells you - and you can drink from that cup - or you can look at the facts and read the IPCC reports and make up your own mind.


----------



## Graphic.Artifacts (May 18, 2020)

Basil said:


> Sure, you can suggest whatever you want to suggest. You can also base your opinions on what "real news" tells you - and you can drink from that cup - or you can look at the facts and read the IPCC reports and make up your own mind.


Please try not to bring un-resolvable partisan rhetoric into Canon Rumor forums. There are an infinite number of outlets for that on the inter webs. 

Inflammatory political baiting such as this will only diminish the quality of information available here and every poster will be forced to pick a “side” while no opinion on anything will be changed. We’d all appreciate your cooperation. Thanks.


----------



## Frodo (May 18, 2020)

Frodo said:


> I sawed the central tube that holds the head to half the length to increase stability yet allowed the tripod to reverse fold efficiently. If there is little or no wind, the tripod is extended all the way. The astro images with the Eos R with 24-105 show no signs of camera shake, even when slight star trails are visible.
> Although I have never used a Gorilla Pod, when I have manipulated them in stores, they do not seem very stable, certainly not as stable as the Sirui. I hiked the length of the Swiss Alps a few years ago and took an M3 and the 12-22 and 55-200 zooms, with a Manfrotto table tripod because weight was really critical. I wouldn't consider a Gorilla Pod.
> My day to day tripod is my large Manfrotto carbon 290XL but I don't take it on serious hikes.
> My point is that there is a role for well made, small carbon tripods.


The Peak Design carbon travel tripod lists in NZ at an insane NZD 1200. This is almost four times the price of my Sirui!!!!!


----------



## Basil (May 18, 2020)

Frodo said:


> The Peak Design carbon travel tripod lists in NZ at an insane NZD 1200. This is almost four times the price of my Sirui!!!!!



I have a Sirui Carbon Fiber tripod also. It doesn't fold up as small as the Peak Design but it's still pretty good and very sturdy - and a lot less $$


----------



## Basil (May 18, 2020)

Graphic.Artifacts said:


> Please try not to bring un-resolvable partisan rhetoric into Canon Rumor forums. There are an infinite number of outlets for that on the inter webs.
> 
> Inflammatory political baiting such as this will only diminish the quality of information available here and every poster will be forced to pick a “side” while no opinion on anything will be changed. We’d all appreciate your cooperation. Thanks.


Got it


----------



## PGSanta (May 19, 2020)

Basil said:


> I have a Sirui Carbon Fiber tripod also. It doesn't fold up as small as the Peak Design but it's still pretty good and very sturdy - and a lot less $$



I've gone through a few Sirui tripods. I still own a Sirui W2204 that I use for instances when I might damage a tripod. They are crap. You get what you pay for. From the shoddy spiders that bend, to the locks that fail, to their ridiculous choice in leg angles to increase those height stats.

Buy a Sirui if you want to replace it in two years. Buy a RRS or a Gitzo if you want something that actually lasts, is well designed, and well made.


----------

