upgraded my old tripod to this new design and am quite happy with it. I bought a K&C Concept tripod two years ago, it was more of a traditional design that has worked very well for me for the past two years. However, that was a little bulky even when folded and in his pocket, making it more difficult to take with him when travelling. I was looking for a newer tripod design and saw this one so I gave it a try and it was way better than its predecessor. When folded and stored in its carrying case, this tripod is only about 20 inches long. The tote bag is also well padded making it easier for me to carry it on my shoulders. The tripod itself also weighs a lot lighter and offers much better portability. I like the new ball head design, it's easier and faster to securely attach/remove my Canon DSLR on it and it's easier to rotate it 360 degrees during the photo shoot. It can also be quickly converted into a monopod by pulling up the center pole. The three legs look smaller but are more stable and lock/unlock faster. The orange metal parts on the tripod also make it look much nicer and more attractive than the standard single color tripods out there. Overall it was a real upgrade for me.