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Tripods - Our Little Three-Legged Friends By Guy Eastman
The tripod is arguably the most underrated and underutilized piece of equipment we hunters use. A tripod can easily double as a shooting rest, walking stick, and I even held up my tent in Alaska during a typhoon style windstorm with a tripod once upon a time. With huge variances in size, price, and weight, the options seem to be endless. Here’s a quick look at some of the better options available to hunters who are looking for a good quality tripod for big game hunting.
Size Does Matter
One of the first criteria I look at when choosing a tripod is size. I classify my tripods into three different groups, fullsize, mid-size and compact. The compacts are those I would use for backpackstyle hunts. These tripods are extremely lightweight (in the 1-2 lb. range) but offer very few extras, with significant sacrifices in stability and durability. The Cullman JetSet 52013 is my choice for a compact tripod unit. It is extremely light (1.6 lbs.) but very durable and easy to use. Although not completely stable, you can mount your 80mm Swarovski or Leica spotting scope to it. The only features I don’t like about this tripod are the “twist-tighten” leg extensions. The flip lever locking mechanisms are much quicker and easier.
Weight - You Get What You Pay For
When selecting a tripod, keep in mind that the larger and heavier the tripod, the more you are going to get for the weight. The best full-size tripod I have found is the Swarovski CT-101. This tripod will extend to almost six feet tall, allowing most hunters to stand and glass with a straight eyepiece spotting scope. The carbon fiber legs, lightweight composite construction, fluid head and the fact that you do not need any special plate or key to connect a Swarovski or Leica spotting scope make this tripod a definite winner. The CT-101 is great for antelope hunting or glassing ultra-long ranges with larger spotting scopes. Weighing in at only 4.3 pounds with a fluid head, this unit is very hard to beat in all categories. However, at nearly $700, the drawback is without a doubt the price.
Stability - A Tripod’s Middle Name
The whole purpose of a tripod is to keep your spotting scope, camera, or binoculars steady. As a general rule of thumb, the larger and heavier the tripod, the more stable it becomes. If you are in the market for the best all-around tripod, you might seriously consider something right in the middle - the mid-size tripod. These are the best all-around units that work well for either a backpack hunt, horseback hunt, or antelope hunt from the BLM two-track road. My personal favorite is the Hunt-Pod by Adventure Outfitters. This unit tips the scale at only 3.4 pounds without the fluid head, all while sporting flip-lever leg locks, great stability even with an 80mm monster scope on board, and all for under $200. This tripod offers the best value and versatility of the bunch.
Construction Zone
Almost every tripod on the market has components made from a plastic composite that is very strong and durable. Some tripods are constructed of metal or aluminum components, but the trade-off in durability is not worth the additional weight, in my opinion. The major difference in construction is the material that comprises the tripod’s legs. The two other options are either carbon fiber or aluminum. The carbon fiber legs are very strong, lightweight, and much quieter than their aluminum counterparts, but also much more expensive.
Heads Up
The head of a tripod is a critical and vital component. This is where the spotting scope or camera attaches. The options here are nearly endless. It just plain boils down to personal preference. The Cadillac of tripod heads would be a fluid head. These are expensive but very smooth when panning. The Swarovski tripod does offer a fluid head, which none of the others have. I find a fluid head a definite benefit but not a make or break criterion for my selection. Some hunters prefer the pistol grip type handles with a ball and socket joint, while I prefer the classic friction head with a normal operation handle. Maybe I have spent too much time behind a camera, but for me the ball and socket type heads have too much play in them and making fine adjustments can be very difficult in most situations as they tend to “jump” slightly when the lever is released. 
This causes the scope to move completely off the target, and if you’re not careful, you can find yourself spending more time trying to relocate an animal than you do looking for one. I will say this, however; the technology on this type of head is improving almost daily, so this may not be a valid concern in the near future.
Plates and Attachments
I am certainly not a big fan of spotting scopes and tripods that require special “plates” or “keys” to attach your spotter to the tripod. All too many times I have arrived at a basin after hiking all day only to find that I have neglected to change out the plate on my spotting scope with my camera. So there I sit with a spotting scope that won’t attach to my tripod. Another issue constantly arises when the plate comes loose and causes the scope to swivel on a whim. This drives me crazy! I always look for a tripod that will fit my scope directly. As of late, many of the new European, high-end spotting scopes offer plates built into the scopes themselves that fit right into the tripod slot. Now that is thinking! In our test, the Swarovski CT-101, Vortex High Country, Hunt-Pod, and with some manipulation with a good hacksaw the Cullman, will all fit a Swarovski or Leica spotting scope without the use of a special key or plate. Many of the tripods on the market can be mixed and matched with various heads to combine the best of both worlds and meet your personal preferences. Just talk to a knowledgeable dealer and they can help you select the tripod and head that suits your needs and personal preferences.
Where to Go from Here
The tripod ratings chart on page 58 lists my personal choices for each of the three categories, along with a second more economical choice if you’re on a tight budget. Bear in mind, there are literally dozens of tripod options available on the market and these are just my personal choices based on my experience in the field. If you have any questions or need clarification on anything tripod or optics related, give Jeff over at Janssen’s Adventure Outfitters (888-935-HUNT) a call. Jeff is a very knowledgeable dealer and either carries in stock or can get almost any product on the planet that is optics related. I hope this write-up helps you to select a tripod that ultimately fits your needs as a hunter.
