Gitzo Legende Backpack and Tripod Review: Very well-Intentioned

Gitzo recently announced a new journey tripod and backpack made with a aim on sustainability and lowering squander. Named Legende, they have a great mission that is nicely-intentioned, but it is continue to critical that the merchandise purpose as promised.

1 matter that was straight away introduced up in our authentic coverage of the Legende tripod and backpack was the value: this gear isn’t inexpensive. That explained, Gitzo is not recognized for making inexpensive tools Gitzo can make high quality, highly-priced products. As these kinds of, the asking selling price below is likely to be, for the most section, disregarded considering that it is not truly out of the normal for the corporation and $520 for a carbon fiber tripod that is meant to previous a life span does not audio as well insane, and $180 for a backpack isn’t an insane amount either. So as an alternative of fixating on cost, let us just see if the solution is of the large-good quality that was promised.

Quality Products

Setting up with the backpack, there are a large amount of little factors that the Legende receives ideal. Very first of all, the tiny hooks for the zippers are attractive and I genuinely like the magnetic clips that protected the leading of the bag.

The dominant content feels thick and rugged and tough, which is reassuring. The real top quality of the stitching is also nicely accomplished and nowhere on the bag is there any indication of fraying threads, an challenge that is seriously popular on backpacks. I’m not saying threads will not inevitably fray, but I do feel that the total create high-quality of the backpack is wonderful.

The imitation leather that Gitzo chose for this bag — for sustainability causes — feels pretty excellent but is naturally not precise leather. It is, on the other hand, fairly tough and resilient. As these, it feels strong and effectively-designed enough to deal with use in the wilds.

That claimed, the bag doesn’t have an previously mentioned-and-past stage of climate resistance, which would have been nice to see. If it starts off to a lot more than just frivolously mist or drizzle, you are going to want to use the included rain protect.

There are a very good quantity of pockets and compartments on the bag, but not so several as to effortlessly shed monitor of where by you may have place anything. There is a pattern to just put as several pockets as probable on a bag these times, and I believe Gitzo struck a good harmony. Aside from the two main compartments, there are one thing like six further pockets scattered throughout the sides and again.

A Tripod Developed to Last

The tripod is specifically what you would count on from Gitzo: light-weight, acquainted structure, and nicely made. I honestly have incredibly minor to report when it comes to the tripod due to the fact Gitzo took so several risks with it.

I just can’t actually blame them nevertheless: if it’s not broken, why deal with it? Positive, the enterprise could have invested a bit of time and hard work into trying new factors with a tripod as Peak Style and design has (a tripod I’ve reviewed and usually appreciated), but the Legende tripod is nonetheless a seriously great solution when compared to the discipline.

Whilst tripods are typically very simple and uncomplicated to restore, Gitzo has promised that all the items on this tripod are very easily sourced so that you can make repairs at residence. Incorporated with the tripod are a number of interchangeable components, a few of resources you will require to thoroughly disassemble it, and tripod grease to make positive the relocating areas in the head rotate smoothly.

This, like each individual Gitzo tripod I have ever utilized, is one particular of the optimum-high quality tripods you will ever arrive across. If you’re handed this in the field, in most scenarios you’ll thank whoever gave it to you for the chance. It doesn’t battle you, it doesn’t attempt to be too a lot, it just does the position — and does it very well. Gitzo ships the Legende tripod with a removable fake leather-based strap and it operates nicely adequate, in all probability extra so than a devoted zip-tie bag you come across with other brands. You really do not necessarily normally require it, but it’s nice that it’s there. Just like the backpack, the materials are substantial excellent and the manufacturing is properly manufactured.

The tripod can assist about 18 lbs . worthy of of camera, which is perfectly far more than most on the lookout at a vacation tripod of this dimensions would ever require and it extends to a very tall 65 inches.

As much as using the tripod goes, it’s as very well designed, sturdy, and reputable as you would expect from a higher-stop merchandise like this. The only adjust I created to the tripod on receipt was to swap the cap on the bottom of the centre shaft with a hook for hanging a bag (each for additional steadiness and to keep my backpack out of the filth). I can confirm the twist locks sense sound and properly manufactured and the full thing just feels quality.

Gitzo markets this tripod to past a life span and although I never feel the strap will necessarily maintain out that long, I’ve seen nothing at all in the build high quality of the tripod alone to contest that assert. Specified the quality of the elements and the fact it is thoroughly repairable at house with just a handful of straightforward resources, it feels like it life up to the expectation.

If I had any problems, it’s that my distinct critique device feels a little bit rushed. The rubber grips on the feet have a frayed, straight-off-the-line seem to them and there is a little bit of a smudged/scratched section of the head that was there proper out of the box. These are all cosmetic troubles and never truly have an affect on how I would use it, but when a thing is intended to be this high excellent, you variety of anticipate it to be flawless.

An Imperfect Solution

Whilst the tripod doesn’t depart substantially to complain about, the backpack, sad to say, doesn’t definitely hit on all cylinders, specifically in destinations that it genuinely really should.

Presented Gitzo’s advertising and marketing, the Legende backpack appears to be like like one that is created to be taken out into the wilds and delight in nature to its fullest. Sad to say, its aforementioned lack of developed-in weather conditions resistance mixed with its bad support and absence of aid straps disqualifies it from that genuine use circumstance.

I consider the Gitzo Legende Backpack is a city working day bag masquerading as an journey bag. It will not do either of all those jobs specifically properly and lacks the features it desperately requires in get to be even a “good” outdoor backpack.

Lousy Support

The Legende Backpack has no waist strap nor does it have upper body straps. On top of that, the shoulder straps are not adjustable.

Essentially, the bare minimum of a backpack adjustment is located listed here: the bottom of each and every harness. I’m eager to forgive the deficiency of a waistline strap, as quite a few waist straps are terrible at their careers and really do not effectively take body weight off the shoulders, but the absence of a upper body strap is a genuine difficulty for me.

I took this bag out with a camera, lens, drinking water bottle, sweatshirt, and tripod packed in it for a modest hike just to see how my overall body would react to the way the bag distributes pounds. Whilst not horribly awkward, inside 20 minutes I was keenly knowledgeable I was sporting a backpack and frequently striving to change it to move the pounds about and avoid pinching.

Immediately after an hour, I was far more than all set to take the bag off.

I have accomplished some pretty grueling hikes as well as had to put on a backpack all day on flat floor, and I can’t say I assume this bag would be notably comfortable for both process.

Minimal Entry

I was fairly shocked to find that there is no simple way to access the full inside of the Legende backpack. The Gitzo designers produced it so that the only ways in and out of the bag are both from the top or via the side accessibility pocket. Either way, to get to the entire inside at as soon as, you have to clear away the divider that separates the camera compartment from the major compartment. Accomplishing this, as you can well imagine, upsets the sensitive nature of how velcro dividers like to sit, and having it back again into the fantastic posture with the minimal angles readily available to you is a genuine challenge.

I was definitely hoping the back again opened up to display the full inside of the bag at after, but that is not the situation. That indicates that if you have one thing on the bottom of the top pouch, you have to dig all around the stuff on top rated of it in get to get to it. Likewise, obtaining any camera tools in the camera compartment is not easy. For starters, it’s tiny. This is a backpack that assumes you never want to convey a great deal in the way of camera gear with you. A one digital camera and a lens suit just high-quality, but just about anything extra starts off to force it. I can think about fitting a couple lenses in right here if they’re smaller sized, but any of the extra robust lenses from Canon, Nikon, or Panasonic are likely to exam the limitations of how a lot this bag can realistically keep in the digicam compartment.

It really should be pointed out that since of the way the compartment is accessed, you just can’t seriously make it even larger even if you have spare velcro inserts. The only way to get into the bottom portion of the bag is as a result of the solitary entry point on the facet. Rearranging the inserts to make far more area for cameras suggests climbing up the peak of the bag and out of the arrive at of that single opening.

Even in the default configuration, when loading or unloading it, you will generally obtain that the things you place into the bag blocks you from accessing other small corners just because of to the cramped way it is developed.

In brief, if you consider and get entry to everything in both compartment it implies you have to in essence vacant the backpack to do so effectively.

I assume if you are only bringing one particular digital camera, a pair of lenses, a jacket, and a few snacks, this may be okay. Everything extra than that is not only going to be also weighty for the restricted help technique to appropriately distribute but also a discomfort to access.

A Blended Bag

The Legende Backpack and Tripod set receives halfway there. The tripod is quick to propose because of to how straightforward it is to mend and how sturdy and well-manufactured the parts are. It is on the high priced aspect but is by no suggests the most costly solution in its segment possibly.

The backpack on the other hand is very likely to disappoint, with confined storage and bad guidance options that offset the large-good quality materials and other number of good structure things. Luckily, you never have to obtain them both of those alongside one another.

Are There Solutions?

I can’t consider I’m expressing this, but the significantly-maligned Peak Style Backpack is actually a lot more comfortable than the Legende Backpack, even with its challenges. I really don’t think it’s a straight across-the-board superior bag, but I imagine if supplied the choice, I’d have to decide the Peak bag just since I know it is more at ease above more time stretches of time. There are also wonderful possibilities from Wandrd.

For tripods, it is tricky to conquer Gitzo for the quality and repairability at this price tag. Peak Style and design again arrives close with its journey tripod and though it is smaller and has a special design, it has a even worse ball head and is not as conveniently repairable. Also, it’s not so low-cost itself. Definitely Suitable Stuff also would make a wonderful travel tripod — the TFC-14 MK2 — but it’s even more highly-priced than the Gitzo and doesn’t contain a head.

Should You Acquire It?

Indeed, if we’re just talking about the Legende Tripod. If you want a tripod that is modest and lightweight, this a single is excellent.

The backpack, on the other hand, is a no. It isn’t notably relaxed, the capacity is too complicated to function with because the again does not open up and deliver access to the whole inside, and the deficiency of both equally chest and midsection straps is a large letdown.

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