I've been shooting long exposures for years and honestly, for Iceland, you might want to rethink those center columns. Back in the day, I tried the PD aluminum on a windy morning at Vestrahorn and the vibration was basically a nightmare for my shots. While those designs are popular, I politely disagree that they're the best for high winds. My current setup is the Leofoto LS-224C Ranger Series Carbon Fiber Tripod and I've been super satisfied with how it performs in the field. It fits right in the side pocket of my Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L too.

• No center column means way more stability when the wind starts gusting.
• The Leofoto LH-25 Low Profile Ball Head handles an A7IV like a champ.
• Carbon fiber is way better for your hands in freezing Icelandic temps than aluminum.
• Its way under your budget so you can grab some extra batteries. The Ulanzi is nice but those thin leg sections get sketchy in the wind... just my experience.

Caught this thread late. Unfortunately, i had issues with the Ulanzi & COMAN Zero Y Carbon Fiber Tripod on a windy shoot last month. The 36mm ball head and thin 1.1kg build just dont hold up an A7IV. My long exposures were a blurry mess, which sucks for a 350 dollar investment. Ended up swapping to the Sirui T-1205 Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod with K-10X Ball Head instead. It handles 10kg loads better and feels way more rigid for 230 bucks.

Lol I was literally about to post the same thing. Glad someone else brought it up.

Good to know!

Tbh, seeing everyone go for the lightest thing possible makes me nervous. I spent years trying to save weight and ended up paying for it with a smashed lens in Scotland because I thought a flimsy travel tripod could handle a real gust. Iceland is a different beast entirely. In my experience, those fancy space-saving designs are the first things to fail when the wind starts howling across a black sand beach. Just a few things I've learned the hard way over the years:

• Never fully extend that center column in high wind since it turns the whole setup into a kite.
• If the leg locks feel crunchy after one day near the ocean, they're gonna seize up on you eventually.
• Weight is actually your friend when you're doing long exposures. Honestly, dont get blinded by the marketing. I've wasted so much money on innovative tripods that were basically expensive sticks. Better to carry an extra pound of gear than to watch your Sony Alpha A7IV face-plant into a glacier lagoon because you wanted to save some space in your bag. If it feels flimsy in your living room, it wont survive the North Atlantic wind, ngl.