Gitzo Big Foot Tripod Shoes for use on Sand

[Peter J. De Smidt]

I'm going a a trip where there will be a fair amount of seaside photography, including some fairly long exposure ones. As a result, I don't want my Gitzo sinking in the sand during an exposure. Gitzo makes some Big Foot shoes for their tripods, and I'm considering getting them. Is there any big advantage over making a couple of pads out of ABS? Anyone use the Gitzo product? What did you think?

[Daniel Stone]

can you pack a few 6x6" pieces of plastic or lightweight(like 1/4") plywood? put it on the outside of your pack with a bungee cord or two). 3x1/4" pieces will fit into a large ziploc bag pretty easy.

carry a cloth shopping bag, fill it with sand/rocks/etc... when you set up your camera(so you don't carry a sandbag, use what's there), and empty it when you want to leave/pack up.

I have a "flyaway"(mine is made by Matthews, but its the same thing, below) sandbag with zippers, I pack it with my backpack(sandbag is empty of course ), and fill it with rocks/stones/dirt/etc... when I need some extra "weight" to keep the camera/tripod steady at the shootin location.

Somewhat on the expensive side IMO, but its lasted me 3 years, and I'm sure it'll outlast me, since its made very well

http://www.filmandvideolighting.com/15emsmzisaba.html

-Dan

[Peter J. De Smidt]

Thanks for the ideas, Dan. I have some small, empty, zippered sandbags that'd be ideal for that use. Regarding pads for the feet, I have a bunch of 1/4" thick ABS sheet, and I could easily make some pads. The only downside compared to the Gitzo shoes is that you'd have to place all three pads whenever you move the tripod, whereas the Gitzo's are bolted to the tripod. This would only be an issue for quick movement, ala Nana Sousa Dias seascapes. I really don't want to spend extra money, though, as money spent now means less spent on the trip.

[Jerry Bodine]

Peter, I added these shoes to my older Gitzo Series 4 & 5 alum pods for use on snow and have yet to use them on sand, but I think they should be fine for sand. Our snow here tends to be heavy and gloppy, not dry soft stuff.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...er_Tripod.html
If you want to go cheap, I recall reading an article by sandy photogs who praised this method (discovered as an emergency use): Use empty pop cans and tether them to the legs with a durable string; work them into the sand to firm up the footing.
You mentioned that the shoes are "bolted" to the pod feet, and I assume you realize that the shoes are attached by rapping the included bungee type cords around the legs. BTW, if you decide on ABS pads you'll need more than a "couple" (most likely 3 ).

[Dennis]

I was thinking maybe of putting some golf frisbees in the bag.

[Peter J. De Smidt]

You mentioned that the shoes are "bolted" to the pod feet, and I assume you realize that the shoes are attached by rapping the included bungee type cords around the legs. BTW, if you decide on ABS pads you'll need more than a "couple" (most likely 3 ).

The ones I was looking at are here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...ain_Shoes.html

I'm leaving the Series 5 home and taking the Series 3 for this one.

The bolt on ones, although much more expensive, get better reviews, but there aren't that many reviews.

[Bob Salomon - HP Marketing]

If your Gitzo accepts a 3/8" male thread for the feet Giotto makes snow/sand shoes with and without spikes as accessories for any tripod or monopod that has a 3/8" threaded hole for foot accessories. You can see some of them towards the bottom of this page:

http://www.giottosusa.com/monopods.shtml

[Peter J. De Smidt]

Yes, the tripod has a 3/8" threaded hole on the bottom of each foot.

Bob, do you mean these: http://www.amazon.com/Giottos-FP2021.../dp/B000OO9XN2

[Dakotah Jackson]

Ski pole 'baskets' work well and are most likely less expensive.

[michael slade]

Ironically I was photographing yesterday morning in a wet, marshy, peat bog up in the Uinta mountains of Utah. My exposures were 2-4 minutes long. During one of them I shifted my weight and as I did I saw the camera actually move slightly. I shifted my weight back and the camera returned (hopefully) to its prior position. We'll see when I get the negs processed.

So...don't discount the proximity that your body/weight is to the actual feet/foot of the tripod. You shifting and moving can affect the tripod in sometimes unpredictable ways.