I was looking all over Amazon for a "travel" tripod... I knew I wanted one under 2 pounds, made of carbon fiber and metal, something compact, with a twist knob and a ball head. I finally came across this one and hesitated because of the price...I decided to bite the bullet and check it out. The packaging was not damaged at all. Once I opened it I was blown away how light and compact it was. I stood it up as high as it went and tested how sturdy it was. I was very impressed. It was exactly what I wanted. The entire tripod is made of strong carbon fiber, the twist knobs are made of metal with rubber grips over them. The ball head is also made of metal. It has a level and compass on the top where you put your camera at. The adjustment knobs on the top of the tripod are made of a strong polymer. For someone who literally will just pick up and go to take photos, travel, backpack, or whatever, it is perfect. It does lack some features, however, those features were not included in the information of the tripod so it is not worth mentioning. Quick summary, it is everything K&F says it is, for the value of this product, it is worth getting!