Review on 📷 Enhanced VT-400 Aluminum Tripod System with Advanced 2-Way Fluid Pan Head by Nick Winnett

I bought this tripod in September 2018 and am currently reviewing it in September 2020 so this is my take on it after two years of regular use. Good things first: 1. The tripod is solid and holds up well in all but the windiest of conditions. He should have no problem carrying anything up to an intermediate DLSR/lens combo.2. The adjustable flare allows the user to set variable leg spacing, which is very helpful in situations where you don't have enough room for a full extension. Now for the not so good: 1. After a year of use, the in and out motion became sticky on the legs making it difficult to straighten the legs in some cases. I often found myself tug-of-war with a certain foot. 2. The retaining clips also made an annoying squeak that I couldn't get rid of despite trying with some lube. This made it difficult to set up a tripod in situations where I wanted it quiet. When people turn their heads to see where that squeak is coming from, you realize it's too loud. Photograph wildlife? Yes, that's right.3. In the last six months, the head has developed an annoying habit of drifting off for a few seconds after a shot. I shoot a lot of televideo that needs to be reloaded quickly, so this became particularly annoying as my head would drift off after each reload. I lost some frames/clips as a result. No amount of adjustment to the tension adjusters will solve the problem. (Note: the weight of my gear is well under the listed weight limit for this tripod.) 4. After setting it up a week ago, one leg finally fell out of the tripod when I extended it, probably as a result of a tug of war, that I've had with it in the past. The cheap plastic sleeve inside the leg that serves as a stop fell apart in several pieces. Luckily I managed to patch it up long enough to finish shooting, but that was the last straw that made me not use this tripod. Overall, I was very satisfied with the tripod in the first year of use. Maybe I was worth my money as I used them fairly regularly for the first year. I benefited a lot from it even in my sophomore year when the flaws started to show. So if you're looking for an inexpensive yet durable tripod for occasional use, this might be the way to go. and may take longer for you than for me. If you want something for regular, long-term use I would recommend something else. After all, you get what you pay for. Update September 2021: Some time after I published my review a year ago I bought another VT-400. Why? Because there was nothing else in this price range. and more expensive tripods (2-4 times more expensive) just didn't give me the performance I wanted or were too heavy to carry around. Most lacked adjustable (and lockable) stays or were too "slick" in the head. where I noticed an image shift after adjusting the frame. So I decided to get another Magnus VT-400 as I realized it would last 1-2 years and then I might have to buy another one. (Also, "discarded" tripods can be used as spares.) For the price, this seemed like good value for what I was getting. Also, I tend to use my tripod in a variety of conditions. Heat, cold, rain, snow, etc. so getting 1-2 years off a $100 tripod is really a bargain. So I've raised my rating from 3 to 4 stars.