Packing for a surf trip gets tedious, with having to remember things as bulky as boards or as tiny as fin keys. Most items that might get left behind can be rebought or rented from a surf store once you're there. They can also be borrowed from a friend.
But if there's one thing you don't want to forget to pack, then it's...a tripod plate.
The surf mentality of "if we didn't see it, it didn't happen" resonates rather loudly here. Every good surf crew has a designated videographer/photographer, even if it's just a girlfriend or wifey filming from the beach. The short clips document dreamy destination surf to show off on social media or to cut together for an epic family flick. They're also undeniable proof of that barrel in Bali you'll be bragging about for years–even if it's just to replay for friends back home.
All of that (literally) weighing on the fate of a single piece of metal. The tripod plate is important because it attaches the camera to the tripod. Without this small piece, the tripod is useless, and you'll have to pray your wifey has hands steady enough to track that Bali barrel smoothly.
Of course, there's also the chance of forgetting the tripod all together. But if you're like us, you remember the tripod. That heavy piece of equipment gets carefully wrapped in bubble wrapper and zipped tightly in its bag. It's then tossed alongside your baby's stroller and car seat, where they travel as a trio from Hawaii to Australia (5,500 miles away). And as the dream surf trip's starting to unfold, so is that tripod–getting geared up for the first surf session. Until, oops! No plate.
The thing about tripod plates is, you can't just rebuy it or rent it from a store. Every tripod maker uses a different system that fits uniquely, like a puzzle piece. We randomly found a small boutique camera store in Byron, but it didn't have a tripod plate that fit. We also weren't about to buy another expensive (over $300) tripod to bring back home.
So we used tape; that obnoxiously-blue painters tape that made it look like an art piece every time we posted up at a beach. The set-up wasn't pretty and neither were the shots. But at least we tried, right?
There's so much that can be said about forgetting to pack important items; not much is said about remembering the little pieces that go along with these items. It's like forgetting to pack batteries for your GoPro. Regardless, it's a learning experience and thankfully, with today's technology, there are other ways of "getting the shot."
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