I’ve read the most recent tripod recommendations. Most are out of my budget. Looking for suggestions for a lightweight packable tripod that I will use to glass and shoot off. TIA
I’d go heavy $$ on the tripod head, light $$ on the legs….
I think the best bang for the buck is a good quality head, I’d try and score a used outdoorsman’s on the classifieds. $200-225 bucks…will last a lifetime…. I’d spend the remaining on used legs.
You can buy different legs and switch heads depending on what you may be doing.
Aziak Equipment has a fairly cheap ball head and a very light tripod. I’ve used neither but together they weigh 25 ounces and would be under $325 shipped from S&S Archery. Slick 632 is pretty light as well and would be worth a look.
Not the lightest or the fanciest, but I have shot dozens of animals off this tripod over the last 4 years. From standing to prone, all the way out to 697 yards. It’s worked flawlessly for me. I take it backpacking and glass off of it all the time - not as easy as a pan head, but I can take my optics off and shoot from the ball head within seconds and without issue.
Includes: Carry Case Tripod Spike Set Sandbag Hook Multi-Tool. Independent Pan Lock Knob. Made of TORAYCA carbon fiber, rhombus cross pattern tubes. 10 layers of 100% carbon fiber. 3 position leg Locks 23° 55° 85°.
My experience is a lightweight tripod that is used for both glassing and shooting is a game of compromise. I prefer light for backpacking and glassing and heavy for shooting. I prefer pan heads for glassing and ball heads for shooting.
For me, if I could only have one tripod it would be lightweight and focussed on glassing. I’m using an Aziak tripod this year with a Tricer panhead. The Aziak ball head would probably provide a little more ease for shooting off of.
Check out the nightstalker carbon fiber tripod from nightgoggles. Weight is around 5lb with included ball head, I run a 10lb rifle on it for coyote hunting and it works amazing. Especially for $228
I put together a pretty beefy Innorel for ~200 by buying straight from China. Same factory as some other-branded CF you can get here, but no warranty.
It's taken a fair amount of abuse in travel strapped to the outside of a pack.