Gitzo simply recently announced a model new journey tripod and backpack designed with a focus on sustainability and the intention of decreasing waste. Named Legende, they’ve an unimaginable mission that is well-intentioned, however it certainly’s nonetheless very important that the merchandise function as promised.
One issue that was immediately launched up in our original coverage of the Legende tripod and backpack was the worth: this gear isn’t low value. That talked about, Gitzo is simply not recognized for making moderately priced gear; Gitzo makes prime quality, pricey gear. As such, the asking price proper right here goes to be, for basically probably the most half, disregarded as a result of it’s unlikely out of the unusual for the company and $520 for a carbon fiber tripod that is presupposed to closing a lifetime doesn’t sound too crazy, and $180 for a backpack isn’t an insane amount each. So instead of fixating on price, let’s merely see if the product is of the high-quality that was promised.
Prime quality Provides
Starting with the backpack, there are various little points that the Legende will get correct. To begin with, the little hooks for the zippers are stunning and I truly identical to the magnetic clips that secure the best of the bag.
The dominant supplies feels thick and rugged and strong, which is reassuring. The exact prime quality of the stitching could be successfully completed and nowhere on the bag is there any sign of fraying threads, an issue that is truly widespread on backpacks. I’m not saying threads acquired’t in the end fray, nevertheless I do assume that the final assemble prime quality of the backpack is attractive.
The imitation leather-based that Gitzo chosen for this bag — for sustainability causes — feels pretty good nevertheless is clearly not exact leather-based. It is, nonetheless, pretty strong and resilient. As such, it feels sturdy and well-built adequate to take care of use throughout the wilds.
That talked about, the bag doesn’t have an above-and-beyond diploma of local weather resistance, which could have been good to see. If it begins to additional than merely evenly mist or drizzle, you’ll want to use the included rain cowl.
There are a wonderful number of pockets and compartments on the bag, nevertheless not so many as to easily lose monitor of the place chances are you’ll want put one factor. There is a sample to easily put as many pockets as potential on a bag as of late, and I imagine Gitzo struck steadiness. Aside from the two major compartments, there are one factor like six additional pockets scattered all through the edges and once more.
A Tripod Constructed to Closing
The tripod is strictly what you’d rely on from Gitzo: lightweight, acquainted design, and successfully made. I even have little or no to report close to the tripod on account of Gitzo took so few risks with it.
I can’t truly blame them though: if it’s not broken, why restore it? Optimistic, the company might have invested somewhat little bit of time and effort into attempting new points with a tripod as Peak Design has (a tripod I’ve reviewed and generally liked), nevertheless the Legende tripod continues to be a extraordinarily good selection when compared with the sector.
Whereas tripods are usually simple and simple to revive, Gitzo has promised that all the gadgets on this tripod are merely sourced in order that you may make repairs at residence. Included with the tripod are only a few interchangeable elements, a number of devices you’ll have to fully disassemble it, and tripod grease to confirm the transferring elements throughout the head rotate simply.
This, like every Gitzo tripod I’ve ever used, is among the many highest-quality tripods you will ever come all through. Once you’re handed this throughout the self-discipline, usually you’ll thank whoever gave it to you for the prospect. It doesn’t battle you, it doesn’t try to be an extreme quantity of, it merely does the job — and does it successfully. Gitzo ships the Legende tripod with a removable faux leather-based strap and it actually works successfully adequate, almost definitely additional so than a faithful zip-tie bag you uncover with completely different producers. You don’t basically on a regular basis need it, however it certainly’s good that it’s there. Just like the backpack, the provides are high quality and the manufacturing is successfully made.
The tripod can help about 18 kilos worth of digital digital camera, which is successfully better than most a journey tripod of this dimension would ever need and it extends to a reasonably tall 65 inches.
As far as using the tripod goes, it’s as successfully constructed, sturdy, and reliable as you’d rely on from a high-end product like this. The one change I made to the tripod upon receipt was to modify the cap on the underside of the center shaft with a hook for hanging a bag (every for added stability and to take care of my backpack out of the mud). I can confirm the twist locks actually really feel steady and successfully made and your entire factor merely feels prime quality.
Gitzo markets this tripod to closing a lifetime and whereas I don’t assume the strap will basically keep out that prolonged, I’ve seen nothing throughout the assemble prime quality of the tripod itself to contest that declare. Given the usual of the provides and the actual fact it’s very repairable at residence with just a few simple devices, it feels desire it lives as a lot because the expectation.
If I had any complaints, it’s that my express consider unit feels a bit rushed. The rubber grips on the ft have a frayed, straight-off-the-line look to them and there’s somewhat little bit of a smudged/scratched a part of the head that was there correct out of the sphere. These are all magnificence factors and don’t truly affect how I would use it, nevertheless when one factor is supposed to be this high quality, you type of rely on it to be flawless.
An Imperfect Decision
Whereas the tripod doesn’t depart quite a bit to complain about, the backpack, sadly, doesn’t truly hit on all cylinders, significantly in areas that it truly should.
Given Gitzo’s promoting, the Legende backpack seems like one which’s designed to be taken out into the wilds and benefit from nature to its fullest. Sadly, its aforementioned lack of built-in local weather resistance blended with its poor help and lack of help straps disqualifies it from that exact use case.
I imagine the Gitzo Legende Backpack is a metropolis day bag masquerading as an journey bag. It acquired’t do each of those duties notably successfully and lacks the choices it desperately desires with a function to be even a “good” outdoors backpack.
Poor Assist
The Legende Backpack has no waist strap nor does it have chest straps. Furthermore, the shoulder straps are normally not adjustable.
Primarily, the bare minimal of a backpack adjustment is found proper right here: the underside of each harness. I’m eager to forgive the dearth of a waist strap, as many waist straps are harmful at their jobs and don’t efficiently take weight off the shoulders, nevertheless the dearth of a chest strap is an precise concern for me.
I took this bag out with a digital digital camera, lens, water bottle, sweatshirt, and tripod packed in it for a modest hike merely to see how my physique would reply to the way in which during which the bag distributes weight. Whereas not horribly uncomfortable, inside 20 minutes I was keenly acutely aware I was carrying a backpack and generally attempting to manage it to maneuver the burden spherical and forestall pinching.
After an hour, I was better than capable of take the bag off.
I’ve completed some pretty grueling hikes along with wanted to placed on a backpack all day on flat ground, and I can’t say I imagine this bag could be notably comfortable for each course of.
Restricted Entry
I was pretty surprised to hunt out that there isn’t a such factor as an easy answer to entry your full within the Legende backpack. The Gitzo designers made it so that the one strategies in and out of the bag are each from the best or by way of the facet entry pocket. Each strategy, to get to your full inside at once, it is a should to remove the divider that separates the digital digital camera compartment from the best compartment. Doing this, as you can successfully take into consideration, upsets the delicate nature of how velcro dividers like to sit down down, and getting it once more into the best place with the restricted angles obtainable to you is an precise drawback.
I was truly hoping the once more opened as a lot as current your full contained in the bag at once, nevertheless that is not the case. That suggests that when you might have one factor on the underside of the best pouch, it is a should to dig throughout the stuff on prime of it with a function to get to it. Equally, discovering any digital digital camera gear throughout the digital digital camera compartment is simply not simple. Firstly, it’s small. This is usually a backpack that assumes you don’t want to carry quite a bit in the way in which during which of digital digital camera gear with you. A single digital digital camera and a lens match merely fantastic, nevertheless one thing additional begins to push it. I can take into consideration changing into only a few lenses in proper right here within the occasion that they’re smaller, nevertheless any of the additional sturdy lenses from Canon, Nikon, or Panasonic are going to examine the boundaries of how quite a bit this bag can realistically keep throughout the digital digital camera compartment.
It should be well-known that because of the approach during which the compartment is accessed, you can’t truly make it bigger even when you might have spare velcro inserts. The one answer to get into the underside portion of the bag is through the one entry degree on the facet. Rearranging the inserts to make additional room for cameras means climbing up the height of the bag and out of the attain of that single opening.
Even throughout the default configuration, when loading or unloading it, you will normally uncover that the stuff you set into the bag blocks you from accessing completely different little corners merely due to the cramped strategy it is designed.
Briefly, do you have to try and obtain entry to each factor in each compartment it means it is a should to principally empty the backpack to take motion efficiently.
I imagine in case you might be solely bringing one digital digital camera, a number of lenses, a jacket, and only a few snacks, this can be okay. One thing better than that is not solely going to be too heavy for the restricted help system to appropriately distribute however as well as a ache to entry.
A Blended Bag
The Legende Backpack and Tripod set will get halfway there. The tripod is easy to advocate as a consequence of how simple it is to revive and how sturdy and well-made the elements are. It’s on the pricey facet nevertheless is under no circumstances the most expensive selection in its part each.
The backpack then once more is extra prone to disappoint, with restricted storage and poor help decisions that offset the high-quality provides and completely different few smart design elements. Fortuitously, you don’t should buy them every collectively.
Are There Choices?
I can’t contemplate I’m saying this, nevertheless the much-maligned Peak Design Backpack is certainly rather more comfortable than the Legende Backpack, no matter its factors. I don’t assume it’s a straight across-the-board greater bag, nevertheless I imagine if given the selection, I’d have to decide on the Peak bag just because I do understand it’s additional comfortable over longer stretches of time. There are moreover good choices from Wandrd.
For tripods, it’s onerous to beat Gitzo for the usual and repairability at this price. Peak Design as soon as extra comes shut with its travel tripod and whereas it is smaller and has a novel design, it has a worse ball head and isn’t as merely repairable. Moreover, it’s not so cheap itself. Really Correct Stuff moreover makes an unimaginable journey tripod — the TFC-14 MK2 — however it certainly’s rather more pricey than the Gitzo and doesn’t embody a head.
Must You Buy It?
Certain, if we’re merely talking regarding the Legende Tripod. When you want a tripod that is small and lightweight, this one is good.
The backpack, nonetheless, is a no. It isn’t notably comfortable, the potential is just too troublesome to work with given that once more doesn’t open up and current entry to your entire inside, and the dearth of every chest and waist straps is a big letdown.
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