Name: Expedition NGET1 with NGEH1 head
Brand: National Geographic

TechRadar Verdict

Super-fast setup and a good maximum height. The hydrostatic head has a beautiful movement and grips like iron with just a gentle tweak of the locking knob. A great combination but not quite as rock-solid as some of its peers

Pros

+
Easy to set up
+
Well-designed

Cons

-
Not as sturdy as we'd like

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

The NGET1 is actually 'engineered' by Manfrotto for National Geographic.

It doesn't take too much detective work to spot the similiarities between this tripod and Manfrotto's 458B tripod and 468MG hydrostatic ball head.

Interesting design

Some leg-warmers and articulated 'cup' feet have been added, along with protective rubber bellows around the shaft of the head.

The leg-warmers are too loose to grip the tripod properly, and the cup feet are better suited to polished floors. The bellows feel thin and delicate.

Underneath, though, this is a very interesting tripod. There are no leg catches. Instead, an internal clutch mechanism enables you to pull the leg out but locks it rigidly in the new position so it won't push back in. The legs are released by a button right at the top.

It's very clever and a fast tripod to set up. The centre column splits and reassembles as a boom.

The TechRadar hive mind. The Megazord. The Voltron. When our powers combine, we become 'TECHRADAR STAFF'. You'll usually see this author name when the entire team has collaborated on a project or an article, whether that's a run-down ranking of our favorite Marvel films, or a round-up of all the coolest things we've collectively seen at annual tech shows like CES and MWC. We are one.