After many years of using Manofrotto tripods (the last one being the 055XPROB Pro), a recent breakdown and the resulting poor customer service from Manofrotto led me to look for a new tripod company. I looked at several brands: Benro, Feisol, Gitzo, Induro, and Really Right Stuff. All great brands with many great reviews. I decided to go with Induro tripods and ball heads after reading about their real life use from photographer Rick Sammon (http://ricksammon.com). I do not baby my equipment. I need it to be strong and sturdy and be able to handle sand, water, heat, cold, and wind.

After six weeks of use, I am very happy with my choice. I could not ask for a stronger or more solid tripod in the Induro CT314 which has a maximum load capacity of 39 pounds. This tripod with the Induro BHD1 ball head is the perfect solution for landscape photography in extreme locations. The CT314 and BHD1 together weigh in at 6.1 pounds. I also have the Induro CT014 which weighs 2.1 pounds. I use it for longer hikes when I don't want to carry the extra weight on the way back to my shooting location. So far, I give Induro products 5 stars! Rock solid solutions to help you get the perfect landscape capture.

You can find Induro products here (http://www.indurogear.com) or at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com)

You can find my work at: http://www.jamesmarvinphelps.com/