Shooting tripod curious...

[mtnbound]

I am interested in dipping my toe into this shooting tripod world. All of my tripods are lightweight backpacking style, so I will need to buy one.

Hoping to get something I can both shoot and glass of off, sitting and kneeling. Standing seems unnecessary for the places I hunt where I would consider caring such a heavy tripod, but I would rather not carry two tripods.


Questions:
1) Of the guys that use shooting tripods out at range, how important is a rear support (backpack, trekking pole, second tripod)? Or is the lockup of the head enough to provide the stability?
2) How important are the inverted legs? Sure I can see how they are faster for height adjustments, but the reduction in stability isn't appealing as is the fact that all the inverted tripods I have seen are rather spendy.
3) Recommendations of a entry level (cost wise), but will still give me acceptable performance? In searching threads, this came up which is quite appealing to me. Being new at this, what are the arguments against this setup? Better options in this zone of price, weight, and performance? https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/no-compromise-tripod-glassing-and-shooting-for-cheap.328509/

I have a rifle with an arca plate, so was thinking of giving the clip in approach a go.

Thoughts? Thanks!

I have the Aziak Ridgeline, and it works for me as a short, lightweight tripod. https://aziak.com/products/ridgeline-tripod?variant=44326028017837

 

[satchamo]

I have a an innorel rt90c which is a big boy that I used to run for thermal hunting. It had a leveling head on it and is very stable. I can shoot off of it to 500 with no rear rest but it weighs 15+ lbs.

I’ve been running the Aziak ridgeline for a while and it’s extremely light and compact but you pay for it in stability. That said - pair it with trekking poles and I was shooting off it kneeling and sitting at 500 yesterday and made hits 10/10 shots - I would feel comfortable going to 600 ok this setup.

I like this setup because I can throw on a pan head (tricer lp) onto the ball head of the ridgeline so I have the best of both worlds.

 

[peterk123]

I use my glassing tripod. My rifle has an arca attachment permanently affixed to it.

We practice a lot off the tripod. I think that supporting the stock is very important. I found the most effective way to lock down my stock is with a pair of trekking poles. I loop the straps over each other to create a sling. It's easy to adjust and I can really lean on it to stabilize the gun.

 

[TradLife406]

Which two vets tripod do you have and which head?

Stability to get first round hits at 600 yards without a rear support is exactly the sort of thing I am interested in.

I've got an older no name jr and a voyager. I just bought the heads that match the size of the tripod.

That voyager is a beast. It's more of a road hunting or a close to the truck tripod.

To add context that's on the prairie. With no strange wind conditions. I suck at shooting. But suck less and get lucky more with a tripod.

Don't think I'd try a seated tripod shot that far on a deer without a rear support. I'd honestly probably pass it or try and go prone.

But there's no ethics for shooting rocks


My mom took Tylenol when she was pregnant with me, but only when she was hung over

 

[Short Track]

That's a serious tripod. Seems like a rock solid rest. But it's illegal to shoot of a hood So using a rock solid tripod is legit.

 

[hunt1up]

I tipped my toe into tripod hunting when my kids started deer hunting. The Caldwell Fieldpods then the BOG Deathgrip. Those are fine for sitting in a deer blind. I then started adding rails to my guns and using my glassing tripods. Again, fine for blinds and a little extra stability, but not rock solid.

I finally decided to see what the REAL shooting tripods are all about. I wanted an RRS setup but man they're expensive at retail. I ended up scoring a 24L RRS on ebay in new condition for $500. I then purchased their Anvil head. I'm a self admitted gear junky and I can honestly say it's the best piece of hunting equipment I've ever bought. It's truly fantastic. If I'm trying to save weight I'll remove the lower two leg sections and cap them, which saves about a pound. I think it's rated at 70 pounds but I've put all of my 180 pounds on it and it doesn't budge. I've shot off it out to 500 yards and my groups are as tight as off bags. I carried it on my sheep hunt(shot the sheep off it) this year and used it for glassing as well. The Anvil head is a work of art.

If a guy is on a budget then the Leofoto knockoffs are probably the way to roll. Pretty much just a copy of the American made RRS, but Chinese made. Or poke around for something used. I've shot plenty of animals of packs and bipods and I'm not afraid to do so again, but if the situation allows for the tripod then there's no debate for me.

 

[hereinaz]

Lots of good advice. I am an inverted leg tripod zealot. I am cheap so I run the Leofoto. The inverted leg tripod has so many benefits for function and ease of use that the length is worth living with.

From flat land, if it actually exists, to actual field positions, I can set up faster or nearly as fast as any other position, and I can reliably get more stable. When considering stability and how it then translates to being able and confident to break a shot faster, any time lost in set up is made up later.

Also, using the tripod as my one basic solution means that no matter the situation, I have one tool and all the practice with it makes me more efficient under time and stress. I don’t have to invent or try a position. I never have to even choose between prone or seated or kneeling and the various sacrifices to stability.

I know depending on the distance of the shot and wind budget how stable I need to be, and which variation/position to use with the tripod.

Here is a thread below with some examples of how I use the tripod and the videos show how quick it is.

I started shooting off a tripod after seeing it in matches in 2016. The RRS Anvil 30 came out in 2015 I think. That’s about when tripod shooting started to go though PRS and the RRS tripods and heads were getting attention.

The first time I saw the RRS was when Inhaf to shoot with it in a local match. It was still in its infancy and there was lots of learning. I started playing with it, as you put it “curious” for a few years but I sucked shooting in the stage we had to use it, so I was not too serious.

Since 2019, I have been shooting off a tripod almost exclusively in the field after I got some instruction from a “tier one operator” and record holding shooter that I met on Facebook, lol. No kidding though, I flew out to shoot with him for a birthday trip one year and hang out to talk shooting and techniques.

What he showed me blew my mind at how stable I could make my position and how it could be used quickly in almost every situation. Even then there were no inverted tripods yet.

I was convinced. I took what I learned with the cheap tripod and head and killed the deer a few weeks later in the 2019 video posted in the thread. I have used the techniques to help guys make great shots using my gear. And, I have used a tripod for most of my shots, given the type of hunting I do. I do not carry or use a bipod any more for hunting.

Right before inverted tripods got released, or about the same time, I had actually bought a couple tripods to make my own inverted model because the year before my legs got locked up because I was glassing and hunting for several days in Colorado mud. Besides the ease of use being always in reach, I have never had a leg lock up on me since.

Besides this thread, I have commented on a lot of other tripod threads taking about most of the same things but also giving other perspectives.

You should 100% get a tripod and if you want the best experience using one, get an inverted leg. The weight and length are inconsequential given the benefits, IMO.

Thread 'Thread for Fast/Solid Tripod Techniques'

Aug 5, 2025

I see a lot of people asking about how to shoot off a tripod. I also hear so many poo poo the idea of using a tripod for shooting because they are slow or weigh too much. I disagree on all points, not that this is the best way to skin the cat...

Here are three techniques that I practice. Kneeling, Seated, and "Old Man Prone". I will post up some other techniques for shooting on irregular terrain and answer whatever questions you might have. I'll also add videos showing how to "clip in" with ARCA.

Inverted tripods are the easy button for speed and stability.

This is the Leofoto SO-282CX...

• hereinaz
• Replies: 30
• Forum: Long Range Hunting

•