How many times have you balanced your smartphone on a rock cairn, set the timer, dashed across a rocky summit to grab the perfect hiking selfie only to watch the wind blow your phone onto the ground before your 10 seconds are up?
It's no secret that most of us love to come back from a hike with some great snaps, but outdoor photography can be tricky, especially if you like to adventure solo. An innovative new design from camera accessory company Ulanzi promises to solve this problem with a set of trekking poles that transform into a tripod, a monopod and a selfie stick.
The Ulanzi TT35 is described by the company as the "perfect tool for amateur or professional photographers and hunters who seek adventure in the great outdoors." The kit includes three carbon fiber collapsible walking poles with foam, sweat-wicking handles and wrist straps as well as a mini tripod to connect the three together and an adapter. That means enthusiastic hikers can set up their cameras to take great outdoor shots if they're willing to carry the whole 5 kg kit, or use the monopod for a trimmed-down version, while those who just want to grab a quick selfie can bring along two poles and the adapter for under a kilo.
The kit is currently on pre-order, so we haven't had a chance to test it out, but according to the website it's already won a Red Dot award for design. From a spec standpoint, compared to the Leki Cross Trail Lite Carbon which we rated as some of the best lightweight trekking poles, the TT35 are 134 grams heavier (per pair) and about two inches shorter when fully extended, and could be ideal for photographers who like to take the pressure off on the trail.
Currently reduced to $235.99 from a retail price of $290.98, the TT35 Hiking Stick Tripod Kit is available from Ulanzi and expected to start shipping May 10.
