Greetings all, I'm in need of a small tripod that will fit in the saddlebags of a bike I use frequently. Have been using an el-cheapo from WallyWorld for a couple of years but would rally like to upgrade to a better unit that can withstand constant vibration in the saddlbag. When on the bike I shoot mostly with a Canon Elf 360, but do occasionally carry one or both DSLRs. With the elf the tripod would be mostly used for selfies with the Elf, but with the DSLRs it would need to be substantially better than what I now have. I want to avoid buying another for a good while as the cheap ones prove, you get what you pay for as they fall apart in the very unfriendly environment of a saddlebag. All that said, what would be a good unit to look at with a folded size limit of 18"? Need to keep cost below $150. TIA

I suspect that within a given brand the quality of their carbon vs aluminum models is really a function of the relative merits and demerits of each material, and weight is one (and perhaps the main) concern, but not the only factor. But I would think that both types represent the same overall quality level of that brand. I can't speak for Vanguard, but I have long had an aluminum Manfrotto and a carbon fiber Manfrotto, identical models except for the construction material, and both are excellent pieces of big and heavy-duty equipment. That's why I bought the travel model Vanguard when I went mirrorless.

Here's a piece on the advantages and disadvantages of these materials. According to the article aluminum is heavier and thus actually preferable and more stable for use in windy, outdoor conditions, which makes sense to me. So unless you'll regularly be carrying the tripod some distance from your bike, a good aluminum tripod may actually serve you (and your wallet) better.

https://shotkit.com/carbon-fiber-vs-aluminum-tripod/