3 Legged Thing is a British company that’s earned a really solid reputation over the years, mostly for making really solid tripods and other supports. The current catalog caters to photography and videography, field sports and birding, and shooting and target sports, covering a very wide remit. I’ve reviewed many 3 Legged Thing tripods, desk mounts, window mounts, phone mounts, microphone arms, light stands, L-brackets, camera straps and other bits and pieces over the years, generally being so impressed that I’ve bought a few myself, and the Winston 2.0 and AirHed Pro kit that I first encountered five years ago remains my personal full-sized tripod of choice.
The Ridley I’m reviewing here is from a dynamic duo of new videocentric tripods that take their names from movie directors; this one is named after Ridley Scott, while the smaller sidekick Wes is named after Wes Anderson. There’s also a simultaneously launched set of hybrid photography and tactical tripod legs by the name of Ethan 4, after Mission: Impossible’s Ethan Hunt. The Ridley and Wes are both carbon fiber tripods that are available as legs-only or as full kits with a fluid head. Ridley is the larger of the two, with 3-section legs, whereas the Wes is a more travel-friendly option with 5-section legs. Both aim to be among the best carbon fiber tripods and the best video tripods, while the Wes is also a contender as one of the best travel tripods for videographers on the move.
