PickGuideFalcam TreeRoot Travel Tripod Review: Is Ulanzi's Best-Seller Worth It?
The Falcam TreeRoot is currently the #1 best-seller on Ulanzi's store, sold under Ulanzi's Falcam sub-brand for pro camera support gear. It's a carbon fiber travel tripod that starts at $387 and claims a 20kg leg load rating with a folding height as low as 16.8cm. Here's what the spec sheet, the on-site reviews, and an independent rating actually say before you spend that much on a tripod.
The TreeRoot (model R141K-320P) is built from what Falcam calls military-grade carbon fiber using a Reuleaux Triangle tube profile — a hybrid round/angular leg shape meant to add torsional rigidity without adding weight. It stands 155cm at full height, folds down to a genuinely low 16.8cm for ground-level and macro work, and weighs 1.5kg. The legs are rated for 20kg of load, but that number is bottlenecked by the head: the optional Mini Ball Head accessory is only rated to 5kg (11lb), so a heavier mirrorless body with a long lens will hit the head's limit long before the legs'. The top of the tripod uses Falcam's F38 quick-release system, which the brand states is compatible with roughly 90% of existing Arca-Swiss plates — useful if you already own a ball head and don't want to buy Ulanzi's. One detail worth knowing before checkout: the base $387 kit is the tripod legs only. A ball head is not included by default — it's a separate $429 bundle option alongside the $411 backpack clip and $415 shoulder-strap bundles, so the sticker price you see first isn't necessarily what you'll pay for a complete, head-equipped setup. On site, the product carries a 4.9/5 rating from 117 verified buyer reviews (via the Loox reviews widget), which is a real, substantial sample. Zooming out, Ulanzi's store-wide Trustpilot rating sits lower at 3.8/5 from 687 reviews — that's a company-wide customer-service score covering shipping, support, and every product line, not this tripod specifically, but it's worth knowing both numbers exist rather than only citing the flattering one.
Pros
- 20kg-rated carbon fiber legs with a Reuleaux Triangle tube design for rigidity without extra bulk
- Folds down to 16.8cm — genuinely useful for ground-level and macro shooting, lower than most travel tripods in this price range
- F38 quick-release head mount is compatible with ~90% of Arca-Swiss plates, so you're not locked into buying only Ulanzi accessories
- 4.9/5 from 117 verified on-site buyer reviews — a real, sizeable sample, not a handful of cherry-picked ratings
- All-terrain trident foot pegs for grip on uneven ground
- Modular bundle system lets you add only the accessory (backpack clip, shoulder strap, or ball head) you actually need
Cons
- Base $387 kit does not include a ball head — a working setup with Ulanzi's own Mini Ball Head runs $429, which isn't obvious from the starting price
- Ball head load rating tops out at 5kg even though the legs are rated for 20kg, so the head — not the legs — is the real limit for heavier camera-and-lens combos
- At 1.5kg it's heavier than Peak Design's carbon fiber Travel Tripod (1.27kg) despite a near-identical height range
- $387-$429 is a serious spend for a travel tripod, well above budget carbon options from other brands
- Store-wide Trustpilot rating (3.8/5, 687 reviews) trails this product's own on-site score (4.9/5, 117 reviews) — shipping and support experiences across the whole store are more mixed than this listing's reviews alone suggest
- Buyer pays return shipping unless the return is due to a quality issue on Ulanzi's end
Who It's For
Good For
- Travel and landscape photographers who want a genuinely low minimum height (16.8cm) for ground-level compositions
- Shooters who already own an Arca-Swiss-compatible ball head and just want a capable, quick-release-ready leg set
- Buyers who want a large, real on-site review sample (117 reviews) before spending $387+
Skip If
- You need an included ball head in the base price — budget for the $429 bundle or bring your own
- You're carrying gear heavier than 5kg and need the legs' full 20kg rating to actually apply at the head too
- Weight is your top priority — Peak Design's carbon Travel Tripod is lighter at a similar height range, for more money
How It Compares: Falcam TreeRoot Travel Tripod vs Peak Design Travel Tripod (Carbon Fiber)
| Spec | Falcam TreeRoot Travel Tripod | Peak Design Travel Tripod (Carbon Fiber) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $387 (legs only, no head) | $599.95 (includes ball head) |
| Max height | 155cm | 152.4cm (60in) |
| Min height | 16.8cm | 14cm (5.5in) |
| Weight | 1.5kg | 1.27kg (2.81lb) |
| Load capacity | 20kg legs / 5kg head (optional) | 9kg (20lb), full system incl. head |
| Leg sections | Not stated on-site | 5 |
The Peak Design is lighter and ships as a complete, higher-capacity system with its own head included, for about $213 more. The TreeRoot undercuts it on price and goes slightly lower to the ground, but only if you either already own a compatible head or add Ulanzi's own for another $42 — otherwise the price gap narrows fast.
See Peak Design Travel Tripod (Carbon Fiber) →
Verified Ratings
Key Specs
| Max height | 155cm |
| Min height | 16.8cm (low-angle mode) |
| Weight | 1.5kg |
| Leg load capacity | 20kg |
| Ball head load capacity | 5kg (optional Mini Ball Head accessory) |
| Material | Carbon fiber, Reuleaux Triangle tube design |
| Leg lock | Quick-lock twist mechanism |
| Quick release | F38 system, compatible with ~90% of Arca-Swiss plates |
| Feet | All-terrain trident pegs |
| Warranty | 1 year |
| Returns | 30 days, unused/original packaging; buyer pays return shipping unless it's a quality issue |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the $387 TreeRoot tripod come with a ball head?
No. The base kit is legs only. Ulanzi sells a Mini Ball Head bundle for $429 total, or you can mount your own Arca-Swiss-compatible head on the F38 quick-release plate, which the brand states works with about 90% of existing Arca-Swiss plates.
Why is the on-site rating higher than the Trustpilot rating?
They measure different things. The 4.9/5 (117 reviews) is a product-specific rating from verified buyers of this tripod, shown via the Loox reviews widget on the product page. The 3.8/5 (687 reviews) on Trustpilot is a store-wide customer-service score covering shipping, support, and every product Ulanzi sells — not a rating of this tripod specifically.
Can this tripod actually hold 20kg of gear?
The legs are rated for 20kg, but the optional ball head is only rated for 5kg. Unless you're using a different, higher-capacity head, your real-world working load is capped at 5kg (about 11lb), not 20kg.
Verdict
The TreeRoot backs up its best-seller status with real specs and a real review base: 117 verified 4.9/5 ratings, a genuinely low 16.8cm minimum height, and an Arca-Swiss-friendly head mount that doesn't lock you into one ecosystem. The catches are just as real — the advertised 20kg load rating only applies to the bare legs, not the 5kg-rated head, and the $387 starting price doesn't include a head at all. If you already have compatible ball head and want low-angle flexibility from a well-reviewed carbon tripod, it's a solid buy. If you want an all-in-one kit or need to carry heavier gear at full rated capacity, budget for the $429 bundle or look at a heavier-duty head separately.