Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters tripod for large binos?

I just purchased a pair of Zeiss 15X56 binos, largely on the 'fire's recommendation to get better binos vs a spotter for deer and elk hunting.

What tripod should I get to match?

I'm not sure but interested in the answers you get! Thanks for the question.

Most large centers have outfits catering to the surveying and construction industry. Saw used gear of all sorts at at one in Tucson, some years back. A lighter weight Theodolite or Builders Level tripod would sure fill the bill, and will come in WAY cheaper than heavy camera tripods of the same sturdiness.

GTC

This is from another thread:

The ranch owner where I hunted in NM this month has a pair of Swaro's on a tripod. It was really good and made me think that is an alternative to carrying a spotter.
He's a photographer too so his tripod was likely of excellent quality, carbon fiber maybe. Wasn't carried away from the pickup but when taking time to scan for goats, this rig was excellent.

The tripod head shown (just the top of it) in the photo is made by Manfrotto in Italy. This is a ball head that operates by gripping and releasing a single lever versus the two handles on most tripod heads. Bottom line - super handy one hand operation; I speak from personal experience with this item.

As for a tripod, in a high quality unit (to match the quality of your binoculars) less weight equal more money! Manfrotto makes a good quality carbon fiber tripod (you buy the head separately) and for ultra high quality look for a carbon fiber tripod made by Gitzo. Check at Camera Land (a sponsor) or B&H Photo for good deal pricing.

The only other item you will need is a Zeiss tripod adapter. Good luck and good hunting.

Craig

Wonderful. Especially for the high powers that can't be hand held.

Regardless of brand, the tripod should be both heavy and stout. Weight keeps them from tipping if unattended on uneven ground, and by stout it should be able bear significant weight such that one can literally lean on it for stability in windy conditions.

I use a no name unit found in a yard sale 20 years ago. Weighs about 3 lbs, and could be used to kill a bear with no damage to the tripod. Extends from about 32 inches to around 5 ft in height.

Likely such is for base camp/truck use. Once one starts climbing the slopes with guns/ammo/gear, I go lighter unless I'm just along for the walk with another hunter.

I had an outdoorsman years back. I was underwhelmed.

David, what tripod would you recommend and where should I look/shop?

I too just went to 15s from a spotter.... here they are a couple weeks ago at about 10,000' glassing for elk. They're mounted on a Slik Pro II tripod, using the stock Slik ball-head. I dig this set-up a lot, though it is a little shaky in the wind due to its light weight. There's another thread on here somewhere, where the guy drilled out the center tube so he could hang a stuff sack full of rocks under the tripod for stability..... I'm doing it today.

that's pretty cool

I have several tripods, my dad does too. And survey tripods turned into prairie dog extermination units.
The question concerns weight and whether you are going to take that big honker into the woods with you on foot.
I have big and medium glass, and for glassing, a tripod is the cats @$$ for those scan sessions. Period.
But each tripod has a certain requirement. A "pan" swivel is mandatory. A ball head is nice, but it has to have a pan function, too. That's for gridding if you are really looking something over.
So I would start with something reasonably light and reasonably priced, even if you already can afford Zeiss. Go for beefier than you think you'll need. Bring your binos to the store with you, ask if you can pretend out front, do a scan session in the parking lot.

Primos Trigger Stick.......

http://www.amazon.com/Primos-Tripod-Trigger-Stick-18-38-Inch/dp/B00BD523II

Manfrotto carbon fiber and manfrotto jr 391rc2 head...

Here's the rig that I use for my 15x56's:


It's a BogPod CLD tripod with the BogPod Professional camera head and the BogPod Binocular Mount (it's a cradle type of mount with a rubber strap to keep them in place).

I've tried other types of large bino mounts and like this one the best. The CLD (Camo Legged Devil) tripod give a large amount of vertical adjustment for sitting or standing, and the ball head is very secure and swings smoothly in the horizontal plane and has a trigger on the handle for quick, secure adjustments in the vertical plane, and the bino cradle holds them securely but you can get the binos off of it quickly for hand holding.

The bino's are Minox 15x56 German BL that I bought from Camera Land (one of the 'Fire's main advertisers) on their "open box" special. One hell of a deal and one of the best pieces of glass you'll ever see for around 500 bucks.

Here's another view:

Just for schitz and giggles, here's a shot I took through the Minox's at a goat WAAAAAY out there. I just held my cell phone (Samsung Galaxy 5) up to the ocular lens and fired the camera. No adapters or anything. The goat is just to the upper right of the center of view:

I'm sure it's out there, but I haven't found the perfect tripod. I switch between 3 depending on how I expect to glass.

As already stated, weight can be your friend if you don't move much, and your enemy if you plan to be mobile. With carbon fiber construction, sturdy doesn't mean heavy. Most carbon fiber tripods cost multiples what their aluminum counterparts cost but Adorama has a private label carbon tripod that has gotten good press in the photo magazines.

I need to check it out personally, because my aluminum Manfroto (Bogen)is too heavy to haul around over hill and dale.

OK, I spend 150-180 days a year behind 15s. I have tried all manner of heads and tripods. We all tried the stupid pistol grips at one point. Eventually they all fail and they are not convenient to glassing in a grid pattern. I have two worn out Manfrotto pistol grips laying around the house somewhere. I use a 501 HDV. They no longer make it. They do make a 701HDV but it is actually big enough for the Kowa Highlanders. The head to get now is the MVH500AH from Manfrotto. It uses the perfect plate size and is very easy to glass with. Sky is the limit on tripods. My favorite tripod is the Gitzo GT2542, there are cheaper ones but none as rigid at this weight. I can stand to glass which is important to me.

I use a Outdoorsman adapter for the Swarovskis. The Factory Swarovski is $95 and lasts two seasons max. The Outdoorsman is cheaper, lighter and better.