Lightweight Tripod

Jan 10 2011

I’m back with a review on a small tripod that can be used on backcountry hunts. I have over the years looked at tripods that are on the market and most are to heavy, bulky or both. In fact, in my book Hunting High Mountain Mule Deer I even went so far as to build my own lightweight spotting scope holder that can be attached to a tree.

Fast forward to more modern times, and now I have found a tripod that is functional for those backcountry hunts. I have used this tripod for several years. It comes in several sizes and models, but the one that I landed on has a small ball-head so you can move the spotting scope left and right, or up and down with ease. It’s the Gorillapod SLR-Zoom Flexible Mini-Tripod with Compact Ball Head. It has a bubble level on the quick-release adapter, which will aid in leveling the tripod. The best news is that it’s only 18 ounces! This combination can support up to 6.5 pounds, which tells me even the heaver style of spotting scope can be supported on this lightweight tripod. Which by the way, I’m not tough enough to pack on extended backcountry hunts. However, for it’s lightweight and small size I personally like the Nikon ED 50 spotting scope.

The tripod stands only 11.7 inches tall and folds to a compact length of 12.5 inches, making it a perfect size to fit a side pocket of a backpack. With it’s “crazy legs” it can be set up on uneven terrain. Now here is the best part for me. I can twist its segmented legs around a tree branch for support and use while I’m setting or standing up. The additional advantage of using a tree is it also brakes up my silhouette while glassing on a lookout.

The price with the head is only $54.95 from B&H. Check it out at (www.bhphotovideo.com/)

My next Blog, the end of January, will be after the Shot Show where I will have information on innovative products that I find of interest to D-I-Y hunters.

Mike Eastman

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Jan 01 2011

Well, hope you and your family had a good Christmas and will have a great New Year! The snows came early up here. We have over 90 inches of snow fall since the 1^st of November, and the Eastman family was up for Christmas. Took the sleds and went to get a Christmas tree above the house. The grandkids came along and had a great time in the chest deep snow. Then Friday and Saturday we all did some snow sledding above the house.What a fun time with the whole Eastman clan.

The guys are getting ready for the winter show season and will be at many sports shows this winter. Check it out on the eastmans.com web site. We hope to see you at one. Bertie and I have had a lot of moose hanging around the place. I think it’s because of all the snow. I counted 5 bulls that the wolves haven’t taken down yet. Last year the deer, as well as the elk, winter around the place. But this year, because of all the snow they all moved out to greener pastures. Only moose are left and because of the wolves, boy are they cranky!

In the next Blog I will be doing a write up on lightweight tripods that can handle spotting scopes and cameras. I don’t know about you, but I hate lugging around a heavy tripod for use with my spotting scope. So I will give you some different alternatives for tripods that work on a backpack hunt. I will try to have this next Blog out by the 10^th of the month.

Good Luck on the up and coming draws.

Mike Eastman