What tripod do you use and aren't many identical?

My first was a Manfrotto 3021. Still have it, still use it when I go to places like the beach, because it’s mostly seized up. It’s my beater.

Depending on application, I have 4 main tripods:

Giant Induro, I think it’s a 505XL. It goes about 9 or 10 feet high with the column maxed, and I have a right angle arm that swaps out instantly. I use it on location to shoot architecture and overhead table scenes so my stylist doesn’t have to work on the floor and people can walk underneath it. I’d say this tripod is OKAY. It’s kind of fragile, the center column gearing is pretty awful. Warrantied it twice in 4 years. In retrospect, I should have bought the Gitzo flavor of the same sticks.

Medium Gitzo, carbon fiber, older, goes about 6 feet up. Stronger than the giant Induro. This is my favorite tripod and is the one I use when the Induro is overkill, or when I need to put the laptop on sticks.

Baby Gitzo, I think a 1540T. Folds up to about 14”, perfect for day trips, personal stuff, and when I need to put the Camera in a sink or on a counter shooting architecture. Handles a D4 no sweat.

Tiny Manfrotto, the 209! Love this guy, super strong, awesome for when I need to put the camera in spots where the small Gitzo is too big.

At home, I have a Benro Tripster. It sucks, It folds up to about 14” like the Baby Gitzo, but it’s a hunk of garbage. Movements that crate vibrations never chill out. The 40-150 is unusable on it. This is the only set of sticks where I have to use the 12 second self timer. Cannot recommend. The ballhead droops when I tighten it.

Most important though I’d say are the heads. In my experience it’s Really Right Stuff, or go home. If you need a geared head, the Manfrotto 410 is about as good as you’re going to get without going to “THE CUBE”. My Baby Gitzo and the 201 share a BH-30, the bigger ones share a BH-55 or the 410 geared head.

I can see myself replacing the Giant Induro in the future, but that’s it. Good tripods are the one thing you buy ONCE.

I’ve learned over the years that you should spend a ton of money on sticks, it’s 100% worth it.