Choosing a tripod can be a daunting task. There’s literally 1000’s of options out there. The key features I look for is a tripod that can handle a solid telephoto lens without being too heavy or bulky. 

The Sirui W-2004 has 5 section reverse folding legs and packs down to only 52cm which is amazing considering it’s max height is 180cm. It weighs 1.8kgs and can handle a load up to 18kgs which is far more equipment than I’d ever lug around. 

The really unique feature about this tripod is it’s waterproof. If you spend as much time at the beach as I do then you’ll appreciate having a tripod that’s legs don’t fill up with water. It’s also protected from sand and grit which can cause your leg sections to jam up. I like that the legs have twist lock sections as I find that often the tripods with clips tend to either seize up or get loose eventually. Another cool feature is you can remove one of the legs and magically transform it into a monopod.

I’ve paired my Sirui W-2004 tripod up with the Sirui VH-15 fluid head. Traditionally fluid heads are more often used for shooting video, but I really like the smooth panning motion for shooting slow shutter waves. This is my go to combo for shooting surf from land along with the Sony A7RIII and Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6

I got my Sirui W-2004 Tripod here and my Sirui VH-15 Fluid Head here.