COMAN T1 Mini: One-Click Carbon Tripod on Kickstarter

A travel tripod usually forces a trade-off: small enough to pack, but slow to set up, with three or four twist locks per leg to undo every time you want a shot. For anyone shooting a sunset from a villa terrace or a cityscape from a hotel rooftop, those seconds matter. COMAN's answer is the T1 Mini, which brings its one-touch leg system to a carbon fibre tripod that COMAN says fits in hand luggage. Digital Camera World reported the launch on 29 October 2026, and RedShark News has published a detailed spec rundown. The campaign itself is on Kickstarter.

COMAN T1 Mini at a glance

Sources: Digital Camera World and RedShark News.

What's new about it

One lever per leg

Most travel tripods have a twist or flip lock on every leg section, so a four-section tripod can mean a dozen locks to open and close. On the T1 Mini, each leg has a single lever. COMAN's process, as described by RedShark News, is simple: flip open the clamps, slide the leg sections out to the length you want, then close the clamps to lock them. COMAN says that cuts set-up from around 15 seconds to as little as 3 seconds. The leg angles and lengths can still be set independently for uneven ground such as rocks, sand or steps.

Smaller and lighter than the T1

COMAN calls the T1 Mini the world's lightest one-click tripod. That's the brand's claim, but the numbers are reasonable for a carbon travel tripod. It uses slimmer 26 mm leg tubes and, according to Digital Camera World, is about 829 g lighter than COMAN's larger T1 S, while its 1,595 mm maximum height is only about 50 mm shorter. The trade-off is payload: 6 kg on the Mini compared with 20 kg on the T1 S. That should cover many mirrorless camera and lens combinations; check your own kit's weight against the 6 kg limit.

A centre column that packs around the legs

The Y-shaped centre column has grooves that the three legs nest into when folded, which RedShark News says reduces storage volume by 30% compared with the T1. The column can be inverted for low-angle and macro shots, and COMAN offers a short centre shaft for very low shooting and a light-stand shaft that extends height to about 2,285 mm. Reports differ on which of these are in the box, so check the campaign page before you back it.

Quick release for cameras and phones

The new Arca-Swiss-compatible quick release uses a bolt-style latch instead of a knob, and COMAN claims it works with most existing Arca-Swiss plates, including Peak Design-compatible ones. An optional magnetic phone mount lets you attach a phone alongside the camera, useful for shooting vertical clips or using the phone as a monitor.

Who it's for

The T1 Mini is aimed at photographers and creators who carry a mirrorless camera and want a full-height tripod without checking a bag. That fits luxury travellers who shoot seriously on trips: the set-up speed helps when the light is changing fast, and COMAN says the 533 mm folded length lets it travel in a carry-on suitcase rather than strapped to a backpack. If you mostly shoot on a phone or a compact camera, it's more tripod than you need.

For lighter options available to buy now, including phone tripods, see our best travel tripod guide. If you're choosing the camera to go on top, our best premium compact travel cameras guide compares the Fujifilm X100VI, Ricoh GR IV and more.

Things to know about crowdfunding

• It's a pledge, not a purchase. Kickstarter backers support a project; delivery dates can slip and specs can change before shipping.
• Shipping timing. RedShark News says units are expected to ship in December. Treat that as an estimate.
• Check the add-ons. The magnetic phone mount, light-stand shaft and possibly the short centre column are extras; confirm what each pledge level includes.
• Carry-on fit. The 20-inch carry-on claim assumes the centre column is removed. Measure your own case if it's a tight fit.

Pair it with the rest of your camera kit

A tripod gets the shot; keeping it safe and shared is the other half. If you travel with expensive camera gear, check whether your policy covers it. Our travel insurance guide covers SafetyWing. To upload photos on the go, our best travel eSIM guide covers Saily, Yesim and Holafly.

Our verdict

The COMAN T1 Mini tackles the most annoying part of travel tripods, the slow, fiddly leg locks, with a one-lever-per-leg design that COMAN says sets up in about 3 seconds. Add a 533 mm folded length, carbon fibre legs, a 1,595 mm maximum height and a centre column that packs around the legs, and it's an inventive take on the travel tripod. It's still a Kickstarter campaign, though, so backing it isn't the same as buying it: treat delivery dates as estimates and wait for independent reviews if you need a tripod for a specific trip.

FAQ