- Joined
- Feb 12, 2021
- Messages
- 978
I have been looking for a lightweight tripod that would suit my backcountry and general hunting needs. When I started my backcountry hunts I brought the tripod to shoot from more than to glass from. Because of that I put an odd set of requirements on myself - able to shoot from the standing, rigid enough to support a 12lb gun, carbon fiber to lighten it up. Then I carried that 4.5+lb tripod around for two weeks and realized I was doing something wrong.
I messed with a few lightweight options - and even borrowed an ascend14 from a buddy. But every tripod I tried seemed to be a knockoff RRS in one way or another, and the RRS while premium, was a hard pill to swallow financially for a tripod used a portion of the year. Before I dropped the money for the RRS, I saw Aziak offered a few options and unique designs. About that time the ridgeline was coming out. At ~20 oz with integrated ball head and ability to use it from seated, kneeling, or prone it seemed like a winner. You take a hit in the glassing department as it is not the greatest when using binos or spotting scopes, but it’s functional.
Then wiser precision released their BT20 ridge warden lightweight ball/panning head. When paired with the Aziak backcountry bipod, you have both panning and a ball head for glassing and shooting. In the long center column configuration you get more overall height at roughly 24 oz. If you use the short configuration you are at 22 oz. The backcountry bipod has three legs vs 2 on the ridgeline, and is more compact when fully closed. The two legs on the ridgeline are more robust feeling than the backcountry, but both feel stable enough at full extension to shoot an 8.5lb rifle off.
If I use the short center column I can also use the tripod from prone, have the same height as the ridgeline, and greater glassing capability. The ridgeline has less moving parts, so in theory less to worry about coming loose or breaking.
Either are easy enough to throw a mollinator on and shoot off without clipping in the rifle. Both will suffice as rear rests if needed.
I plan to use the backcountry/wiser combo this fall and winter. Cost of the ridgeline is cheaper than the backcountry/bt-20 combo.
TLDR- if you want the lightest option on the market when oz count, go ridgeline. For for 2-4 oz more you can have a more capable tripod for a greater range of use and a better experience for what you do 90% of the hunt - looking for animals.
Some photos for reference.
I messed with a few lightweight options - and even borrowed an ascend14 from a buddy. But every tripod I tried seemed to be a knockoff RRS in one way or another, and the RRS while premium, was a hard pill to swallow financially for a tripod used a portion of the year. Before I dropped the money for the RRS, I saw Aziak offered a few options and unique designs. About that time the ridgeline was coming out. At ~20 oz with integrated ball head and ability to use it from seated, kneeling, or prone it seemed like a winner. You take a hit in the glassing department as it is not the greatest when using binos or spotting scopes, but it’s functional.
Then wiser precision released their BT20 ridge warden lightweight ball/panning head. When paired with the Aziak backcountry bipod, you have both panning and a ball head for glassing and shooting. In the long center column configuration you get more overall height at roughly 24 oz. If you use the short configuration you are at 22 oz. The backcountry bipod has three legs vs 2 on the ridgeline, and is more compact when fully closed. The two legs on the ridgeline are more robust feeling than the backcountry, but both feel stable enough at full extension to shoot an 8.5lb rifle off.
If I use the short center column I can also use the tripod from prone, have the same height as the ridgeline, and greater glassing capability. The ridgeline has less moving parts, so in theory less to worry about coming loose or breaking.
Either are easy enough to throw a mollinator on and shoot off without clipping in the rifle. Both will suffice as rear rests if needed.
I plan to use the backcountry/wiser combo this fall and winter. Cost of the ridgeline is cheaper than the backcountry/bt-20 combo.
TLDR- if you want the lightest option on the market when oz count, go ridgeline. For for 2-4 oz more you can have a more capable tripod for a greater range of use and a better experience for what you do 90% of the hunt - looking for animals.
Some photos for reference.
