Is the RRS Ascent 14 w/ Anvil-30 Head the Way to Go?

[sasquatch]

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[InkedElkSlayer]

RRS Ascend 14C hasn’t shipped yet.
I went with the Leofoto MH-35 w/Handlebar head and have it.
I ordered (3) Henderson Hunter 3in Arca rails. I will have those in my hands tonight and hoping to get those mounted sooner than later.

I went back and forth on the Anvil vs Leofoto. Gonna see if this setup works for an all in one. I will be able to try everything out in late February on our “AZ grizzly” hunt… Glass for Javelina with the 15s, then swap out the glass with the rifle for the shot.

 

[gearguywb]

I use a two vets tripod for sooting and spotting scope glassing. I used the Anvil 3 for several years. Not the best for glassing, fine for shooting.

Switched to a ball head this year and it worked very well for both.

I would like to get an Ascend, but thats a chunk of change to pony up.

 

[Bobrobheimer]

This is an old thread but wanted to revive it with some questions along this discussion line.

I currently have a small Slik tripod and a small Aziak ball head. With rear support it can be okay to shoot off and is light and fine to glass from backpack hunting. However, I recently got to briefly use some heavier tripods for shooting a few stages of an NRL Hunter match - two different Leofoto ones. I was annoyed to discover just how damn much more stable they were - quite good kneeling without rear support. And so now I find myself considering accepting a weight and cost penalty to have a more stable tripod in the arsenal.

First - on the spectrum of stability where does the RSS ascend tripod fall between my little slick and one of RSS’s beefier #3 grade units - like the 34, or other bigger heavy units?

Concerning the heads - I used one that was a Leofoto version of the anvil and another that what a large Dia dual tension ball head. With very limited time on each - just a few stages - I found the ball head better because the tension was set nicely where I could just get the rifle into position and it was plenty stable - no fiddling with the head needed. With the anvil like head I struggled more to get it on target, locked down, then free up to level and locked back etc. Any thoughts on that experience?

 

[hereinaz]

This is an old thread but wanted to revive it with some questions along this discussion line.

I currently have a small Slik tripod and a small Aziak ball head. With rear support it can be okay to shoot off and is light and fine to glass from backpack hunting. However, I recently got to briefly use some heavier tripods for shooting a few stages of an NRL Hunter match - two different Leofoto ones. I was annoyed to discover just how damn much more stable they were - quite good kneeling without rear support. And so now I find myself considering accepting a weight and cost penalty to have a more stable tripod in the arsenal.

First - on the spectrum of stability where does the RSS ascend tripod fall between my little slick and one of RSS’s beefier #3 grade units - like the 34, or other bigger heavy units?

Concerning the heads - I used one that was a Leofoto version of the anvil and another that what a large Dia dual tension ball head. With very limited time on each - just a few stages - I found the ball head better because the tension was set nicely where I could just get the rifle into position and it was plenty stable - no fiddling with the head needed. With the anvil like head I struggled more to get it on target, locked down, then free up to level and locked back etc. Any thoughts on that experience?

The motorcycle handle Leofoto is my favorite.

Make the swap and ditch your bipod, weight will even out.

The Leofoto inverted leg tripods are super stable, as for how they compare with RSS, look at size. RRS is a bit more stable and durable, but the difference is minimal. Leg size is the determining factor for stability.

Old man prone takes me to 1000. I showed @NSI this trick. It’s off his short Leofoto.

 

[Bobrobheimer]

The motorcycle handle Leofoto is my favorite.

Make the swap and ditch your bipod, weight will even out.

The Leofoto inverted leg tripods are super stable, as for how they compare with RSS, look at size. RRS is a bit more stable and durable, but the difference is minimal. Leg size is the determining factor for stability.

Old man prone takes me to 1000. I showed @NSI this trick. It’s off his short Leofoto.

View attachment 886808

Thanks. One of the ones I tried was the inverted Leofoto - looks like the one in the picture. I am running the mtn gear bipod (now MDT owned I believe). So very light.

 

[NSI]

Thanks. One of the ones I tried was the inverted Leofoto - looks like the one in the picture. I am running the mtn gear bipod (now MDT owned I believe). So very light.

I’m a big fan of that short inverted Leo tripod, and the MA-30L head, despite the RRS IP concerns.

I’m not as huge a fan of the Aziak head you see there, which I can’t seem to keep from panning. It’s certainly light and well made.

I’ll be speccing an integrated ball apex inverted two-section to import shortly.

-J

 

[Bobrobheimer]

I’m a big fan of that short inverted Leo tripod, and the MA-30L head, despite the RRS IP concerns.

I’m not as huge a fan of the Aziak head you see there, which I can’t seem to keep from panning. It’s certainly light and well made.

I’ll be speccing an integrated ball apex inverted two-section to import shortly.

-J

I have the same panning issue with the aziak head. That set screw doesn’t wanna keep it set.

 

[hereinaz]

Thanks. One of the ones I tried was the inverted Leofoto - looks like the one in the picture. I am running the mtn gear bipod (now MDT owned I believe). So very light.

When I can get as steady shooting off a tripod as a bipod, the switch was worth it. I can always use a tripod but rarely use a bipod in the field.

You got just a glimpse. Dive in and you’ll be amazed.

I have set hunters up and built their position and had them dry fire with my tripod set up. If the shooter can press the trigger without disturbing the rifle, I can put you in position to hit. It’s stability for the rifle and controlling recoil.

@Bluumoon saw a few variations of positions off the tripod when we shot in his little match.

I would have beat @NSI to the punch on the integrated head if I were half as smart as him. That would be the perfect shooting tripod. I just need him to make an extended version for non-shorties.

I got shown how to use a tripod years ago, and months later killed a deer. I never looked back. My buddy in the same hunt killed his at about 570 with my rifle in a similar position.

 

[hereinaz]

I have the same panning issue with the aziak head. That set screw doesn’t wanna keep it set.

I kept having to check the silly thing. Annoying.

Small heads in general don’t do well under recoil, and I never could have clipped in and shot well with the head NSI had. Same goes with pan heads. Shooting off the table is the way to go if you do not get a beefy head. Letting the rifle slide on the bag reduces the stress on the head.

 

[Bobrobheimer]

When I can get as steady shooting off a tripod as a bipod, the switch was worth it. I can always use a tripod but rarely use a bipod in the field.

You got just a glimpse. Dive in and you’ll be amazed.

I have set hunters up and built their position and had them dry fire with my tripod set up. If the shooter can press the trigger without disturbing the rifle, I can put you in position to hit. It’s stability for the rifle and controlling recoil.

@Bluumoon saw a few variations of positions off the tripod when we shot in his little match.

I would have beat @NSI to the punch on the integrated head if I were half as smart as him. That would be the perfect shooting tripod. I just need him to make an extended version for non-shorties.

I got shown how to use a tripod years ago, and months later killed a deer. I never looked back. My buddy in the same hunt killed his at about 570 with my rifle in a similar position.

That makes sense - though out of the last 7 animals I have shot 6 were prone and only 1 was off the little tripod with lots of time to build the position. Those odds surprise me though so perhaps that has just been good fortune - there are plenty of places prone wouldn’t work.

I am thinking of trying the Leofoto SO-282cmx - the collapsed length is a bit large though to pack around. How do you find that? My rifle has a folding stock and 16” barrel with 5” suppressor - and I very much enjoy the lack of overhead clearance issues. Still it’s relatively affordable, ideal for a match, and doesn’t have to come with me every time I leave the truck.

Do you find a big difference between the larger MH ball heads the smaller ones - the lighter weight of the 35 would be nice. I am only shooting a 6CM these days - so not a huge amount of recoil for the head to manage.

 

[hereinaz]

I think I have the 35 MH. It’s enough strength.

If you can get prone that much, it’s out of the ordinary, so my argument doesn’t fly as much.

My tripod slides down so the legs like low. When I set the pack down on the bottom, it slides up.

Yeah, the long collapsed length is a little wonky, but the hunting I do I have dealt with it. I would go with the short version, or find another smaller less stable but very good tripod.

I love the single inverted leg for adjustment ease/speed and to keep them out of the mud.

 

[NSI]

That makes sense - though out of the last 7 animals I have shot 6 were prone and only 1 was off the little tripod with lots of time to build the position. Those odds surprise me though so perhaps that has just been good fortune - there are plenty of places prone wouldn’t work.

I am thinking of trying the Leofoto SO-282cmx - the collapsed length is a bit large though to pack around. How do you find that? My rifle has a folding stock and 16” barrel with 5” suppressor - and I very much enjoy the lack of overhead clearance issues. Still it’s relatively affordable, ideal for a match, and doesn’t have to come with me every time I leave the truck.

Do you find a big difference between the larger MH ball heads the smaller ones - the lighter weight of the 35 would be nice. I am only shooting a 6CM these days - so not a huge amount of recoil for the head to manage.

That’s a good tripod. I’m not a proponent of tripods with collapsed length shorter than a backpack at the expense of extra leg sections.

Those ball heads are fine but it’s really the Anvil clones vs everyone else if you’re not using a table/bag and actually clipping in.

-J

 

[Bluumoon]

When I can get as steady shooting off a tripod as a bipod, the switch was worth it. I can always use a tripod but rarely use a bipod in the field.

You got just a glimpse. Dive in and you’ll be amazed.

I have set hunters up and built their position and had them dry fire with my tripod set up. If the shooter can press the trigger without disturbing the rifle, I can put you in position to hit. It’s stability for the rifle and controlling recoil.

@Bluumoon saw a few variations of positions off the tripod when we shot in his little match.

I would have beat @NSI to the punch on the integrated head if I were half as smart as him. That would be the perfect shooting tripod. I just need him to make an extended version for non-shorties.

I got shown how to use a tripod years ago, and months later killed a deer. I never looked back. My buddy in the same hunt killed his at about 570 with my rifle in a similar position.

I agree tripods have a place. Though, I’d say some of it depends on your hunting style as to how much the tripod is used. I already carry one for glassing, so I may as well get better at using it as a shooting aid. Last year it was my only option to get a steady shot above oak brush. The inverted leg one @hereinaz brought to the shoot had fantastic controls on the legs for adjusting leg angle, I’d have to try the shorter version to decide if it’s useful for me.

 

[Bobrobheimer]

That’s a good tripod. I’m not a proponent of tripods with collapsed length shorter than a backpack at the expense of extra leg sections.

Those ball heads are fine but it’s really the Anvil clones vs everyone else if you’re not using a table/bag and actually clipping in.

-J

Agreed - my current tripod is unnecessarily short collapses. But even the short inverted ones are taller than my 25” backpack frame at 30” without a head. Not ideal - not unmanageable.

 

[Bobrobheimer]

I agree tripods have a place. Though, I’d say some of it depends on your hunting style as to how much the tripod is used. I already carry one for glassing, so I may as well get better at using it as a shooting aid. Last year it was my only option to get a steady shot above oak brush. The inverted leg one @hereinaz brought to the shoot had fantastic controls on the legs for adjusting leg angle, I’d have to try the shorter version to decide if it’s useful for me.

Yeah - I really enjoy glassing from a tripod and usually bring one along and hunt in a pretty glassing heavy style.

 

[hereinaz]

Agreed - my current tripod is unnecessarily short collapses. But even the short inverted ones are taller than my 25” backpack frame at 30” without a head. Not ideal - not unmanageable.

Yeah, not ideal, but when the legs slide down below the bottom of the pack the head is at the top of the pack. I trade the slight annoyance for the speed and stability of the tripod.

It's definitely not for everyone, but it is a style that works. I've converted a few after they used it and found that all the pros outweigh the extra length.

 

[hereinaz]

Yeah - I really enjoy glassing from a tripod and usually bring one along and hunt in a pretty glassing heavy style.

The single extension inverted tripod is so fast for glassing, its one of my favorite reasons to use it. And, the tension lock on the MH style has been great and hasn't changed since I started using them about three years ago.

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

I went with…
RRS Ascent 14C- 3.19lbs (2.84lbs w/o center) and 17.1in
Leofoto MH-35 w/Handlebar- 1.1lbs and 3.7in.

I did not get the Tricer head. I glass straight from the Leofoto and use those super light Aziak mounts on the binos. It’s 4.29lbs. Not light, not heavy. But it is very solid, quick and easy to use and manipulate. I use the center bar as well. Not so much for shooting, but for glassing. You can actually stand upright. If you take it out, you’re either going to do all your glassing sitting, or slouch while standing. Sometimes I just want to stand, scan something fairly quickly, then move on.

 

[NSI]

Agreed - my current tripod is unnecessarily short collapses. But even the short inverted ones are taller than my 25” backpack frame at 30” without a head. Not ideal - not unmanageable.

Yeah they’re a touch long with a head. Will be rectifying that shortly.

-J