When extending the legs, the locks use a traditional Manfrotto lever style. They’re bulkier than most of the rotating twist locks on the Gitzos or the MeFOTO Globetrotter.

On other Manfrotto tripods I’ve used with the lever locks, they can sometimes loosen over time, although it is possible to tighten the screw to adjust the tension. The levers can also snap off, in which case you can order a replacement lever. I also dislike how the levers tend to catch on things like camera straps.

The feet are fixed–you can’t remove them and replace them with spikes or some other kind of foot.

As well as an unusual design for the center column, the Manfrotto BeFree Advanced Travel Tripod – which can take a payload of 19.8 lbs – uses soft rubber rings that hold the extended legs in place and a ball-head that has knobs to keep a camera super-secure in any position.

The perfect blend of lightweight build yet high-end components, the Befree Advanced is an impressive high-end tripod for traveling astrophotographers looking for something solid, quick to set up and take down, and mostly easy to travel with