Having just picked up a new Gitzo 6X tripod, i was more than a little concerned about cold weather experiences pertaining to these types of legsets http://www.naturescapes.net/phpBB2/v...126683&start=0 .
These things don't come cheap but for me the more troubling part is if they fail on a shoot in some remote location partway through. You know, say some place like Yellowstone!
David Crossley/Crossley Photography....
From what the OP said, I'm not so sure that the cold was the issue. He mentions that the legs were splayed in the snow. Splaying tripod legs in snow puts a lot of stress on the joints. Unless I'm walking a long way, I like to use my wood tripod in snow, but I do use a carbon fiber, also. You just have to be careful when you set it up.
I've use my Gitzo CF tripod in the snow with very low temperatures and have never had a problem. The way I avoid stressing the legs is to pull the legs towards the center so that as you push the tripod down into the snow the legs splay out to their maximum but not further.
<I'm not so sure that the cold was the issue.> You might be right, although the second poster describes their Feisol's inability to lock up the legs @ -30 and then being able to work again as the day warmed up (possible differing expansion/contraction properties of un similar materials in temperature extremes)?
Leg splaying in deep snow (in a hurry to get a shot) is something i am randomly guilty of. YMMV.
David Crossley/Crossley Photography....
I'm also fairly certain cold is not the cause of any problems. I've had no issues with my Velbon CF in -10F weather. But keeping the legs from splaying in the snow is difficult. The flip locks on the Velbon are different than the twists on the Feisol, so it may be an issue with the specific model.
One way to relieve stress on tripod leg joints is to chain the feet with a chain or strap that prevents splay beyond what the joints can sustain. Very useful on ice or slippery surfaces.
C
I used my 3540XLS on the Northshore of Lake Superior in February at average temps of-3 to -8 F. and it gave no problems, it unlocked and locked just as smoothly as ever..no breakage...Evan Clarke
Been there, done that. The cast aluminum crown piece becomes brittle in the cold; trying to secure a tripod in deep snow puts lateral force on the legs, and in turn the crown piece - SNAP!. My timing couldn't have been worse - the aurora had just appeared during the most spectacular meteor shower of my life. I shot for the rest of the night with a bipod.
When you are surrounded by deep snow it is difficult to secure a tripod - pushing the tripod down deep is not a good remedy. Some folks use Frisbees; Gitzo makes a disc-like attachments. If you are in this situation and didn't bring along your frisbees, I think it's best to extend the legs, position them together to form a virtual monopod, then plunge it deep into the snow - this is what I was forced to do with my "bipod" that night, and it worked okay. (See Brian Sims' post.)
I have been in -25 to -30 degree weather in Wisconsin and never had a problem with a Gitzo 1325. I had it on ice, stuck 2 ft deep in snow banks, in the wind, etc. It held my Arca-Swiss Discovery easy and worked very smoothly. Could not have been happier with it's performance in the cold. Actually I was glad not to have the old alum Bogen as the metal would be alot colder to touch than the carbon fiber.
I wonder what kind of force they were putting on theirs that they broke?
Sounds like the OP had some operator error. I've had the pleasure of being in Yellowstone in the winter and the one thing you do NOT do is spreading the tripods legs before placing into deep (over a foot) of snow. You will put to much stress on the crown of the tripod and something will break. I'm not a big fan of frisbee feet either unless you are also on Snow shoes. You will sink into the snow, tripod won't.
The best technique in deep snow is to wade in, open the tripod legs slightly, and spear it into the snow. That way you and the tripod are about the same height with no stress on the tripod crown.
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