Stacking plates.
Stacking quick release tripod plates with tether lock plates and right-angle brackets is something I see people doing all the time. And I know just how annoying and impractical this can be. I’ve seen setups with four different plates, right-angle brackets, and clamps all piled on top of each other, when the whole mess could be simplified with just one change.
One of the biggest issues with stacking is how easily things twist. Most of these plates aren’t designed to lock together. When they’re layered, the connection between the camera and tripod becomes less stable. That can lead to shifts, rotation, or worse... damaged gear. Quick release plates usually rely on friction and screw pressure, which isn't enough when weight is added or leverage increases—especially with heavier lenses. Stack it on a tether lock plate, and it gets worse.
While there are some decent combo tether lock/QR plate solutions out there for Arca-style systems, Manfrotto users have long been stuck improvising, often by stacking more plates just to manage their cables.
That’s exactly why I designed some better options. I’ve created a series of custom plates that combine quick release functionality with built-in tether cable management. They’re purpose-built for the most common Manfrotto systems. No more stacking.
RC4 Tether Cable Lock Plate: Direct replacement for the Manfrotto 410PL plates.
RC2 323 Tether Cable Lock Plate: Compatible with the Manfrotto 200PL system.
RC0 Tether Cable Lock Plate: A drop-in replacement for the classic Manfrotto 030 plate.
Each of these solves the same core problem: secure the camera and the tether cable in a single, streamlined solution.
