Would something like this be interesting?

I do a lot of hiking with camera equipment, and all the weight savings I get with my camping gear are taken away by bulky, heavy photography gear. I've even got a carbon fiber tripod, but it all adds up.

So I was thinking, would something like this be interesting?

Carbon fiber tripod with detachable legs. Two legs can be detached and used as hiking poles, albeit somewhat thick hiking poles. They can also be used to set up freestanding tents like the Tarptent. Or the tripod itself could be the frame for some kind of weird teepee thing.

The third leg can be converted into something like this: http://bushhawk.shopol.com/Item/BH-320D.htm

So you've got a fully functional lightweight tripod that can be used for serious SLR photography. Instead of just being a uni-tasker, the legs can be used for hiking poles, tent poles, and an SLR rifle mount contraption (extra option for those who want it).

You have obviously given this quite a bit of thought. An idea occurred to me which unfortunately has not been thought out at all, however I will offer it anyway. With a little creative thinking why can you not just attach a tube (tripod leg ) or light aluminum, with your camera attachment screw,adjustable of course, to the framework of your backpack. Then your backpack would become your stable base or tripod. Left field I know. Just a thought.

I'm having a bit of trouble visualizing this. You've got a single tripod leg, then you attach that to your backpack, and you've got a makeshift tripod where one leg is the tripod leg and the other is the backpack?

Interesting idea, although I'm not sure how physically feasible it is. There are a ton of different backpacks and backpack sizes on the market, so designing a system that could fit all this could be tough. Not to mention it would probably be a bit of a pain to have to take off your pack each time you wanted to use your tripod.

At one point, TarpTent was just a guy named Henry with an untested idea. Go for it.

I agree it is 'probably' not feasible. I meant one tube similar to the center one in your tripod firmly afixed to your backpack in some manner. I have no idea how. Like I said, it was just a thought. True you would have to remove your backpack but if you will forgive me for saying so, that would have to be easier than putting your tripod back together.

I apologize babybunny. You looked at a single object and turned it into several useful tools. Rather than commend and encourage you I am afraid I looked only at the photograhy aspect. I did not mean to be disrespectful, and yet I was. Never listen to old clowns like me ( or young ones either ). You may be onto something. Again, I am sorry.

I have hiking poles made by Tracks out of Seattle. The top of them unscrews and underneath is an attachment for a camera. My digital camera screws to it quite nicely. It likely isn’t as good as an actual tripod, but it does make the camera considerably more stable.

Howie

Huh? I didn't read any kind of disrespect from your post. They were good points. If I'm going to invest in something like this I need to have my ideas firmly planted on the ground and look at all possible points of failure. Criticism is good. The biggest issue I think is "will this sell?" I mean, how many overzealous guys like me actually take an extra 15lb of camera gear into the backcountry?

The dismantling and reassembly of the tripod needs to be quick so that it doesn't become a pain in the ass.

I was thinking that while hiking the tripod is disassembled into the walking poles and camera rifle mount thing. Since most hiking is done during the daytime, there is not much need for the tripod. However, when the hiker gets to camp and the light starts to wane, the tripod can be assembled for dusk and low light shots. Afterwards, the tripod can be disassembled again for the poles to be used for the tent. But I guess there's a problem. If the tripod poles ARE used for the tent, the tent can't be set up until the tripod is done being used, so if the camper wants to use it for astrophotography in the middle of the night, he's not going to be able to set up his tent.

But then again, on nights that are good enough for astrophotography, I don't even use a tent, so I guess it isn't that bad.

Yeah, I've seen them, but they're not freestanding. A hiking pole turned into a monopod will never be steady enough for serious photography that requires a real tripod that can take a proper ballhead and heavy SLR/lens combo. Wouldn't work for longer exposures.

I tried all of these methods. Tracks monopod w/replacement shart point for pushing into the ground. It worked for a D70w/18-70 for an Alaskan backpack trip.
Turned a framed backpack w/third detatchable pole leg + small ball head into stable base. Trouble is it is difficult to fine tune a composition.
After many experiments I am back to a real tripod & bearing the weight.

You could set up the tripod as one side of your tarp and use a stick for the other. Then you put your camera on the tripod for night shots. The drawback would be that the tripod location is fixed.

Would one of those hiking pole/unipod combined with a Bipod work?

hmmm... not sure. would the legs on a bipod be too short? I'm aiming for a full sized tripod. I'll look into it though.

Those are short legs for sitting down. If you plan to only shoot sitting down, then they are perfect, but not for standing up.