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Freewheel Real Multi-Tripod 5-in-1: A Two-Minute Review
We photographers often obsess over gear, even if we try to deny it. Despite this inconvenient truth, it’s always great when you find something that reduces the amount of kit you need, which the Freewheel Real Multi-Tripod 5-in-1 does.
It’s a well-built tripod and looks and feels a lot more expensive than it is. The ballhead is also excellent quality and offers dual panning control. The tripod plate is on the long side, which extends beyond the edges of the head. This is because the ARCA Swiss compatible plate converts into a smartphone holder for attaching your smartphone to a tripod.
The knobs and dials are finished in a pleasing red that contrasts with the chrome and black finishes elsewhere and are matched by the leg angle release buttons and center column locking knob on the legs. However, I didn’t get the chrome or chrome look on the top of the three legs.
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The four-section legs are made of carbon fiber and feature twist locks. What I really like here is that the rockiest sections are still more complex than the middle sections of many other travel tripods. This gives the legs a satisfying feeling when it results in full extension and improved stability. The leg release buttons could be tweaked to change the angle of the leg, but other than that, they’re great.
However, the actual limitation of the tripod is that the maximum height is 1570 mm / 5.15 feet. On the plus side, the minimum height is 175mm / 6.9in, and the weight of the tripod and head is only 1.65kg / 3.64lbs. As a travel solution, it’s perfect, but if you want something taller and/or heavier, you’ll need a full-sized tripod.
In the tripod kit, you also get three short two-part carbon fiber legs, which have a twist lock. These are for desktop mode, which requires you to split the center column using a hex key and then insert a small section along the base to attach the ballhead. Switching to this mode is the quickest, but it’s still a lot easier to carry, and weighs less, than both travel and desktop.
With the hairless head attached and the desktop legs angled at 90 degrees, you can create a support for use in monopod mode. It’s nowhere near as efficient as the three mini-legs built into the dedicated monopods, and certainly nowhere near as stable, but it’s still a potentially useful and welcome feature.
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Trekking pole mode simply requires you to remove and extend the leg without the foam, although both legs with the foam instead cannot be used as a pair of trekking poles. When you use a leg, or two, in this mode, you must remove the rubber feet under the leg. It can be used to cover the screw thread at the top of the leg while also exposing the metal spikes at the bottom.
The maximum payload of the legs is 20kg / 44lbs, but since the maximum payload of the head is 10kg / 22.04lbs, it has to go with that. However, 10kg is still a respectable payload and will accommodate the majority of camera and lens combinations. The maximum leg payload also dictates how one leg, or possibly more, can be safely used as a trekking pole.
The Freewheel 5-in-1 is a fantastic tripod that does everything it claims to do, and does it well. The only use of the five that doesn’t appeal to me is the trekking pole mode, because if I know I need trekking poles, I’ll always carry them with me. However, if you are hiking and feel the need for a trekking pole, the ability to use a tripod leg or a pair of them is also useful.
I’m a fan of small desktop tripods with Arca Swissball heads, so I can use the L-Bracket with them for low-level shots, and this fits the bill. To me, it’s the tripod, desktop, and monopod modes that are most effective. The sturdy metal smartphone holder built into the tripod plate is a work of genius. In fact, the overall implementation of various methods defines a modern design that takes the humble tripod beyond expectations.
Freewheel Real Multi-Tripod 5-in-1: Key specs
The head | Ball head |
Parts of the legs | Four |
Height | 175 mm – 1570 mm / 6.9 inches – 5.15 feet |
The weight | 1.65kg / 3.64lbs (head and legs) |
Maximum payload | 10 kg / 22.04lbs (head) |
Content | Carbon fiber |
Freewheel Real Multi-Tripod 5-in-1: Price and Availability
The Freewell Real Multi-Tripod 5-IN-1 was launched on October 8, 2025, and is priced at $330 USD, which converts to $246 / au $500 at the time of writing. This is a reasonable and attractive price for a carbon fiber travel tripod, and excellent value when you consider the versatility of this model. Amazon sells freewheel gear, so the tripod will likely be available on Amazon soon.
The tripod comes with a smart padded carry bag with tripod handles and shoulder strap. Inside the bag are short desktop mod legs, a carabiner clip that can be pulled into a tripod to hang filter kits, and a couple of hex keys. The large one is used to stiffen the legs, and it is used to divide the center column. Splitting the center column allows you to set the tripod in desktop mode and use the smaller legs as a base in monopod mode.
Freewheel Real Multi-Tripod 5-in-1: Also consider this one
Should I buy the Freewheel Real Multi-Tripod 5-in-1?
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How I Tested the Freewheel Real Multi-Tripod 5-in-1
- The tripod was tested over several weeks
- Handling, stiffness and rigidity were evaluated
- All five uses were tested
I tested the Freewheel Real Multi-Tripod 5-in-1 over several weeks, mainly for still photography but also for some videography, even though it’s not a video tripod. The tripod was tested in all five modes to assess effectiveness and handling.
I used the tripod with several different camera and lens combinations, shooting subjects including landscapes, cityscapes and product photography. I carried the tripod extensively using the carry case and also with the tripod attached directly to my camera bag.
First reviewed October 2025
