How to carry a tripod
My Manfrotto O55XPROB is quite heavy, but I love it because of its stability. A solid carbon tripod would be an alternative but I don't like the prices of those and in fact a carbon tripod will break more easily.
But especially while hiking I hate the weight. I tried several kinds of carrying positions. But there is no difference whether I carry it in my hands or with a belt at my shoulders. The tripod interferes walking and after some time the weight becomes more and more.
Some months ago I found a solution and I tested it at several hikes. It works perfectly: I carry the tripod like a collar. Some people look a bit amused, but I don't care.
Like the picture below shows, the emphasis is directly on my shoulders. The head of the tripod is stabilized by my backpack.
With this strategy I can hike for several hours and don't need my hands. Perhaps the tip isn’t very spectacular but it makes life easier! So try it out!