# Benro Tripod - Unhappy.



## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 28, 2015)

I went to setup my Benro Tripod last evening to photograph the Blood Moon, and the final 8 rubber grips for twisting the leg sections had fallen off. I had previously tried to get spares, but the US distributor can't get them. I tried the China web site this morning, but it gives a error message to e-mails.

I've ordered some self fusing silicone tape. Its only available in 1 in or wider widths, so I'll have to trim it.

Its pretty disgusting for a $400 tripod. Probably just a poor batch of rubber, but that does not do me any good.


A photo of the ones I've collected. Others were lost.


----------



## Canon Rumors Guy (Sep 28, 2015)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I went to setup my Benro Tripod last evening to photograph the Blood Moon, and the final 8 rubber grips for twisting the leg sections had fallen off. I had previously tried to get spares, but the US distributor can't get them. I tried the China web site this morning, but it gives a error message to e-mails.
> 
> I've ordered some self fusing silicone tape. Its only available in 1 in or wider widths, so I'll have to trim it.
> 
> ...



I've never been a fan of Induro or Benro for this reason, parts and service can be a giant pain. We had Benro for the rental business and they didn't hold up well and when they broke, we just threw them out.

Gitzo and Really Right Stuff parts are easily available, and we never had an issue with a Gitzo tripod.


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 28, 2015)

Canon Rumors said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > I went to setup my Benro Tripod last evening to photograph the Blood Moon, and the final 8 rubber grips for twisting the leg sections had fallen off. I had previously tried to get spares, but the US distributor can't get them. I tried the China web site this morning, but it gives a error message to e-mails.
> ...



Yes, it was a lesson learned. I bought two tripods at B&H several years ago. I do not give them much use, so they have worked well, except for the rotten rubber.

I've heard that Induro comes out of the same factory.


----------



## bsbeamer (Oct 2, 2015)

I have one twist lock Benro that I have grown to dislike over time, but the flip lock versions are still holding strong. I use them mainly for video work, so the flip lock is preferred for my usage.


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 2, 2015)

I bought a roll of silicon self fusing tape from Amazon and applied it to all the grips. It works OK, but it did not turn out as good as I had hoped, so I'm still looking for a better solution.


----------



## chromophore (Oct 3, 2015)

I bet you can hack something out of Sugru. Use your latent sculpting skills!

https://sugru.com/


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 3, 2015)

chromophore said:


> I bet you can hack something out of Sugru. Use your latent sculpting skills!
> 
> https://sugru.com/



It looks like silicone as well. I might be able to use the ribbed surface on the failed ones to make something that looks similar to the original.

The problem is that it will take six of the 5G packs per tripod leg based on weighing the ones that fell off. So about 18 of them, or $60 worth. Even if I can do it really thin with 16 packs, that's $45 and it might not do the job.

I can get wider silicone tape that does not have to be spirally wrapped that might look nicer than what I have. Its much less expensive.


----------



## kten (Oct 3, 2015)

some other brands parts may fit though if can find some locally and take it to the store to try. I have a benro C4770TN (build quality is better than most of their others on that model) and some Gitzo systematic parts fit along with other brands so perhaps the same with your model, I hope. You could always modify existing 3rd party parts to make them fitl.

If you want to make them it is a lot to do if you don't have any of that stuff hanging around so may be worth asking around friends and family who work in or have craft based hobbies. I've used casting rubbers that may work for you, they tend to be cheaper than what you mentioned above. Of the stuff I have experience with casting silicone (70A ish), neoprene and some PU based stuff of similar medium hardness (I use in making midsoles etc for custom footwear) seem like they could work since they are durable and not too soft but still grippy.


----------



## Pookie (Oct 3, 2015)

Bummer... Always difficult to explain to newbies why that cheaper tripod with head will cost you more in the end than just ponying up for a Gitzo or an RRS. You just have photographic proof now.


----------



## sanj (Oct 3, 2015)

Pookie said:


> Bummer... Always difficult to explain to newbies why that cheaper tripod with head will cost you more in the end than just ponying up for a Gitzo or an RRS. You just have photographic proof now.



Spokane is not a newbie! He just made a mistake.


----------



## privatebydesign (Oct 3, 2015)

sanj said:


> Pookie said:
> 
> 
> > Bummer... Always difficult to explain to newbies why that cheaper tripod with head will cost you more in the end than just ponying up for a Gitzo or an RRS. You just have photographic proof now.
> ...



Agreed, also there are many very usable 'cheaper' tripods that will keep going for years, I had a Manfrotto 190 that I used for the longest time and ended up selling for what I paid for it. My Carbon 055 shows no signs of wear after several years and many many miles of travel, and you could run over my 058b with a tank and I suspect it would still work fine.


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 3, 2015)

I've looked into parts for other tripods, they are not something found is local stores. A set for a Manfrotto Tripod costs $60, but I have no way of knowing if they will fit.

Ideally, Neoprene would be the best material, EPDM is great as well. They generally require heat to cure, while silicone compounds will cure at room temp.

Just ordinary GE Black RTV would probably work too, and its cheap for a large construction sized tube.

I could also cut up sections from bicycle tubes, but I'm not certain how they would look, I've cut large rubber bands from tire tubes before. Its not easy to make a smooth cut.

I bought two tripods originally, one is still new in its box. The bands are not falling off of it. I am out in the country, no extreme temperatures or air pollution to degrade the rubber, but every one just rotted away. I asked the distributor to check and see if other bands from newer tripods would work, but he quickly lost interest. They import and distribute Benro and Enduro.


----------



## retroreflection (Oct 3, 2015)

Silicone tape is the cleanest and simplest fix. You are not satisfied, is it the grip, or looks?
For better grip there are electrician tapes that are applied like the silicone tape, but they are thicker and softer. Consider also a layer of crumpled silicone first, followed by a smooth layer. That will have better grip and still last. Then there are the tool handle dips, but this application has some challenges.
For better looks, either prepare for developing a whole new set of skills over many months, or buy a new tripod. Overmolded plastic parts are not readily matched by DIY techniques.


----------



## Hjalmarg1 (Oct 3, 2015)

I hope you can get them back to work. I have the flip lock version and it doesn't have this problem


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 3, 2015)

retroreflection said:


> Silicone tape is the cleanest and simplest fix. You are not satisfied, is it the grip, or looks?
> For better grip there are electrician tapes that are applied like the silicone tape, but they are thicker and softer. Consider also a layer of crumpled silicone first, followed by a smooth layer. That will have better grip and still last. Then there are the tool handle dips, but this application has some challenges.
> For better looks, either prepare for developing a whole new set of skills over many months, or buy a new tripod. Overmolded plastic parts are not readily matched by DIY techniques.



Having spent 30+ years testing and specifying high end electrical parts, I'm pretty familiar with most of them. That's why I tried the Silicone tape. Unfortunately, I purchased the triangular cross section, and it has more of a taper in the center than I'd like, and it was difficult to apply without some bumps getting in there due to wrinkles in the wrapping.

3M makes a fabulous Silicone cold shrink that I specified for use over splices in high powered wiring on fueled aircraft and spacecraft where application of heat shrink was unsafe. Very expensive stuff though.

I found a similar commercial cold shrink that might do the job. It seems to be available in the right diameters, I wonder how well I could cut it to the length I want.

I've ordered one of the tool handle cold shrink covers and find out how I like it. 3M Mil spec cold shrink is priced out of this world. I could have had a whole box of free samples if I wanted, before I retired.

http://www.amazon.com/Stiletto-AG-102-AirGrip-Coldshrink-Diameter/dp/B001445114/ref=pd_sim_sbs_328_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=11XZ5Y89BKZ3D7J1DTW1&dpID=31wg7A%2BVSRL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_


----------

