Upgraded my old tripod to this new design and I'm pretty pleased with it. I bought a K&C Concept tripod two years ago, it was more of a traditional design, which worked really well for me past two years. However, that was a little bulky, even when folded and in its bag, so it was harder to bring it during travelling. I checked for newer tripod design and saw this so I gave it a try, and it was much better design than its predecessor. When this tripod is folded, and stores in its carrying bag, it's only about 20 inches long. The carrying case is also well padded, so it's easier to wear on my shoulders. The tripod itself also weight much lighter, provides much better portability. I like the new ball head design, it's easier and faster to securely attach/remove my Canon DSLR onto it and easier to rotate it 360 degrees during photoshoot. It can also be changed into a monopod quickly by pulling up the center stick. The three legs looks smaller, but they are sturdier and can be locked/unlocked faster. The orange metal pieces on the tripod also make it looks much nicer and more attractive than those standard one color tripod out there. Overall, it was a really upgrade for me.