Sirui T-025X Review: A Tiny Carbon-Fibre Travel Tripod

The Sirui T-025X is an older carbon-fibre travel tripod for photographers who want to carry as little as possible without relying on a flimsy tabletop support. Its 180-degree folding legs and C-10X ball head make a kit that is only about 30 cm long when folded and around 0.8 kg with the head. That is a remarkable size for a tripod that reaches roughly 139 cm with the column extended, but it achieves it with five-section legs and a narrow 10 mm bottom tube. Portability is the point; absolute rigidity is not.

It is best suited to a small mirrorless camera, compact DSLR or light travel kit. The 6 kg rated capacity should not be mistaken for a promise that any camera and lens weighing 6 kg will feel equally secure. A long lens shifts the centre of gravity forward, and a raised centre column or wind makes that leverage more obvious. Used sensibly, the T-025X is still a clever travel tripod. Used as a substitute for a heavier support with a telephoto lens, it shows its limits quickly.

Why the T-025X packs so small

The legs fold back around the centre column and ball head, so the tripod takes little more space than a water bottle. At about 30 cm folded, it is easy to put inside a day bag rather than hang outside it. Carbon fibre helps keep the kit around 0.8 kg, and its surface is more comfortable than bare aluminium in cold weather. Two of the legs have padded grips, a small detail that makes carrying it more pleasant.

The compromise is the five-section design. Each additional section makes the folded tripod shorter, but the lower sections are thinner and flex more than the top sections. For travel photographs, family shots and ordinary landscape work, that trade-off can be worthwhile. For a long exposure in wind, use the shortest workable height and lock the legs firmly before relying on the camera’s stabilisation.

Height, framing and stability

The T-025X reaches approximately 139 cm with the head and centre column extended; without the column extended, it is about 121 cm. Add a camera and the viewfinder becomes usable for many photographers, though it will still be below eye level for a tall person. That is not automatically a disadvantage. A slightly lower viewpoint can be useful in landscape work, and it is usually more stable than extending the column.

The centre column is removable. With it removed, the head can mount directly on the tripod’s spider for a low position. This is valuable for flowers, close details, foreground-led landscapes and product photographs, because the camera can be placed much nearer to the ground without using a separate mini tripod. It is also the configuration to choose when sharpness matters most: a column acts as a lever, so keeping it down reduces the chance of vibration.

A hook beneath the column can take a small, stable counterweight. It should not be used to hang a swinging shoulder bag; a moving bag can introduce vibration instead of suppressing it. In wind, lowering the tripod and shielding it from gusts are more effective than adding a heavy bag.

The C-10X ball head and lens balance

The supplied C-10X is a compact aluminium ball head with an Arca-style quick-release plate. That makes mounting quick and gives access to a wide choice of compatible plates. It has a separate panning control, useful for keeping the camera level while making a simple panoramic sequence, although this is not a precision panoramic head.

The head is a sensible match for a small body and short lens. With a larger body, use the portrait notch deliberately and tighten the main lock before removing your hand. A telephoto lens is more demanding because its weight sits in front of the camera mount. Even below the stated 6 kg capacity, a front-heavy lens can slowly droop or make the whole setup easier to disturb. For wildlife, sports or frequent use with a 70–200 mm lens, a wider, heavier tripod is the safer choice.

Leg locks and where the design works best

Each leg has five sections with twist locks and three independent leg angles. The twist locks are quick once you are familiar with them: loosen a group of locks, extend the sections, then tighten them evenly. Before every important exposure, give the camera a gentle check. One partly tightened lower section is enough to cause a slow sag or a blurred long exposure.

The wider leg angles help on a low wall, uneven ground or a table, and they reduce the tripod’s centre of gravity. The rubber feet are appropriate for paved ground, floors and smooth rock, but there are no built-in spikes. On mud, wet grass or loose soil, place the feet deliberately rather than assuming a light travel tripod will secure itself.

Who should still consider one

The T-025X makes sense for a photographer who genuinely values a tiny packed size: city trips, hiking, family photography, self-portraits, hotel-room product work and landscape photography with a compact kit are all sensible uses. Its low setup option also makes it more versatile than a basic travel tripod that only works at one height.

It is less suitable for constant strong wind, heavy video equipment, long lenses or someone who needs a camera at eye level all day. It also lacks a monopod conversion, and it should not be treated as a substitute for a sturdier three- or four-section tripod. If you need a small support mainly for a table or ground-level work, the Sirui AM-223 is more specialised. If weight matters less than a more confident platform, the Manfrotto 190XPRO3 is a better direction.

30-second decision

Choose the Sirui T-025X if a 30 cm folded tripod and very low weight will make you carry it more often. Use it with a balanced light-to-medium camera kit, keep the centre column down when possible, and do not take the 6 kg rating as a reason to mount a long heavy lens. Skip it if stability in wind and eye-level height are more important than packing small.

Check the Sirui T-025X listing for the exact tripod, included head and current availability. As an Amazon Associate, GottaPics earns from qualifying purchases.

Final assessment

The T-025X is an older but well-considered travel tripod. Its small bag size, carbon-fibre legs, removable centre column and Arca-style head give it real value for a compact kit. The necessary compromises are thin lower sections, modest eye-level comfort and limited confidence with long lenses. It remains worthwhile for the right kind of photographer, provided those limits are part of the buying decision rather than a surprise afterwards. For manufacturer information on the T-025X, see Sirui’s product overview.