Tripod Choice

[wind gypsy]

I currently have a RRS TFCT(incorporated Anvil) 24L, t3 dauntless (heavy inverted gamer 2 section), and Leo 282CMX (intend to be my mountain hunting tripod).

The RRS is definitely the highest quality. It is more stable for the given leg diameter no doubt. But inverted legs are quicker/easier to work with and 4 leg sections is a lot. A RRS 33 would be even more stable.

No way would i pack a full height/weight 2 section on a true mountain hunt. In addition to being heavy they are just cumbersomely tall. I think short of going full send with RRS, the fatboy inverted tripods are great. I got the dauntless as a gamer tripod because it has leg lockout for rear support but I think i'd prefer a fatboy for purely shooting off of. Fatboy with the leveling base would be about as solid as it gets for shooting off IF you dont need a ton of angle adjustment.

Leofoto 282CMX is close to ideal for non-standing height hunting/shooting tripod IMO. I might even shorten it a bit more to be more packable. If RRS made a 13i and had a panning base incorporated in the anvil it would be the ultimate hunting tripod IMO.

 

[SPDSpappy]

I currently have a RRS TFCT(incorporated Anvil) 24L, t3 dauntless (heavy inverted gamer 2 section), and Leo 282CMX (intend to be my mountain hunting tripod).

The RRS is definitely the highest quality. It is more stable for the given leg diameter no doubt. But inverted legs are quicker/easier to work with and 4 leg sections is a lot. A RRS 33 would be even more stable.

No way would i pack a full height/weight 2 section on a true mountain hunt. In addition to being heavy they are just cumbersomely tall. I think short of going full send with RRS, the fatboy inverted tripods are great. I got the dauntless as a gamer tripod because it has leg lockout for rear support but I think i'd prefer a fatboy for purely shooting off of. Fatboy with the leveling base would be about as solid as it gets for shooting off IF you dont need a ton of angle adjustment.

282CMX is close to ideal for non-standing height hunting/shooting tripod IMO. I might even shorten it a bit more to be more packable. If RRS made a 13i and had a panning base incorporated in the anvil it would be the ultimate hunting tripod IMO.

Thanks for your insight!

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Take a look at this. Might be able to use it on your current tripod

CP Brace

The CP Brace delivers ultimate rifle stability by anchoring the rifle's buttstock to the rearward-facing tripod leg, eliminating movement and enhancing accuracy. With the Spartan Disc-Lok system, you can quickly attach your rifle and set up for prone, kneeling, or standing extreme long-range...

javelinbipod.com

 

[SPDSpappy]

Take a look at this. Might be able to use it on your current tripod

CP Brace

The CP Brace delivers ultimate rifle stability by anchoring the rifle's buttstock to the rearward-facing tripod leg, eliminating movement and enhancing accuracy. With the Spartan Disc-Lok system, you can quickly attach your rifle and set up for prone, kneeling, or standing extreme long-range...

javelinbipod.com

I forgot about this, thanks!

 

[SPDSpappy]

Thanks all for your help! I decided to go w/ the Two Vets setup. I'll let you know my thoughts on using it in the field.

 

[jk_minn]

Waiting for RRS to release an inverted 3 section tripod….

 

[earrow]

I have a 2 vets, nice tripods.

me also inverted easy to set up rock solid much more so than my leofoto

 

[vad1350]

I used leofoto so-282c for my setup and it works really well. Very stable tripod, high quality stuff!

 

[SPDSpappy]

Overall, I'm very happy with my Two Vets tripod choice in the field! I ended up filling 3 out of my 4 tags using it and the reason I didn't fill the 4th is because I never saw a moose. One shot was sitting, one was on one knee, and the other was standing.

 

[khuber84]

That looks loud for no ear pro, brave(possibly now deaf) man!

 

[SPDSpappy]

That looks loud for no ear pro, brave(possibly now deaf) man!

I put in my Axil ear pro before actually shooting. You're right though, this gun is very loud!!!

 

[JGood]

If money is no issue, it’s the RRS.

The difference is in the spiral torque you can apply to the rifle in the standing position. There are a few videos online of this issue with the others you’ve mentioned.

Essentially, if you’re in the standing position on a “lesser” tripod and clipped in, the rifle will whip left and right, due to the springy-ness of the carbon legs. RRS has figured out how to fix this someone.

 

[SPDSpappy]

If money is no issue, it’s the RRS.

The difference is in the spiral torque you can apply to the rifle in the standing position. There are a few videos online of this issue with the others you’ve mentioned.

Essentially, if you’re in the standing position on a “lesser” tripod and clipped in, the rifle will whip left and right, due to the springy-ness of the carbon legs. RRS has figured out how to fix this someone.

I shot standing 5 out of 5 on a 6" target at 300 yards with my Two Vets.

 

[JGood]

Good work! That’s awesome!

My only point is that as you push the outer limits of distance (+800-1000) the left and right torsional wobble will become very difficult to overcome, especially with heavier rifles as compared to the RRS. If the two vets tripod fits your needs though, no reason to spend the extra cash!

The video below explains the issue at the end. I have found this issue in almost all tripods excluding the RRS

 

[Shortschaf]

I am the former owner of both the Leofoto SO 282 (tall 2 section inverted) and 282CMX (short 2 section inverted)

I sold both after getting the Tricer HK (3 section inverted).

• The 282 was annoyingly long and cumbersome for my hunting
• The 282cmx was alright, but you couldnt glass standing up
• Compared to the 282cmx the Tricer is lighter, just as stable, collapses shorter, and stands tall enough to glass standing. AND the leg locks are righty-tighty (leofotos are backwards)

For a head I use the Leofoto ma30L ball head (anvil copy), and it is the best design I have used for shooting. Cannot imagine anything topping that

whatever you do inverted is the way to go. If RRS made their own version of the Tricer HK, that is what I'd recommend

 

[omicron1792]

Good work! That’s awesome!

My only point is that as you push the outer limits of distance (+800-1000) the left and right torsional wobble will become very difficult to overcome, especially with heavier rifles as compared to the RRS. If the two vets tripod fits your needs though, no reason to spend the extra cash!

The video below explains the issue at the end. I have found this issue in almost all tripods excluding the RRS

A couple of things about that video and post.

I do not think that head is the best one. You can use an anvil 30 on there, or the MA 30. The tall height of the MA 40 looks unstable.

Number two, who shoots 1000 yards from a standing tripod? That seems like a very niche application. If that is something you were doing, maybe invest in a $1200 tripod. For most people that are hunting up to five or 600 yards, that really doesn’t come into play.

Number three, is the complete set up is 1/3 the price of the RRS. That matters to a lot of people. My thought was to buy the Leofoto and try it, and then upgrade if needed. You could get your money back selling the Leofoto. I’ve just found no need to upgrade now that I have the Leofoto

 

[TaperPin]

Nobody talks about it, but if someone uses an inverted-leg tripod, the twist locks are still right hand thread, so the lefty-loosey righty-tighty motion is the opposite direction from the user’s stand point. Not a big deal, but if someone wants to retrain their brain last minute to use one I’d expect some user error when under stress of a quick shot looking at an animal. Heck, many tripod users at the range with unlimited time and no stress struggle remembering how to use normal twist locks, let alone something just the opposite.

 

[codym]

I have the dauntless, rrs inverted two section ( forget the model I think it’s tvc 22) and rrs 34. For purely shooting off of I prefer the two section rrs, the dauntless is two sections and has a locking apex which is helpful for tripod rear. These both work well for nrl hunter because they are so quick to deploy on the clock, absolutely would never hunt with either as they are too tall stowed. The 34 goes with me on hunts as it folds down nice and short and fits well in a saddle pannier or backpack but it’s really slow to deploy on the clock. I don’t see much difference between any of them shooting off of all pretty stable. The dauntless is a little taller so for kneeling I need to kick a leg out. The 34 can get you into any position due to the shorter leg sections just again it’s much slower if you’re in a situation when time matters

 

[JGood]

I do not think that head is the best one. You can use an anvil 30 on there, or the MA 30. The tall height of the MA 40 looks unstable.

I posted the video ONLY as an explaination/demonstraition of the torsional flex of the "budget" tripods. Not to compare heads. The head you put on it depends on your application. The OP put a ball head on his, wouldent be my preference for shooting but ymmv....

Number two, who shoots 1000 yards from a standing tripod? That seems like a very niche application. If that is something you were doing, maybe invest in a $1200 tripod. For most people that are hunting up to five or 600 yards, that really doesn’t come into play.

It is very niche, however if the problem exists at 1000 it certainly still exists at 600 and is noticable. Im not saying the torque wobble is so bad that you cant make the shot, im just saying its less of an issue on the RRS. Yes it is something i do. Yes that was the only reason i spent the extra money on the RRS vs the Leofoto. Yes it keeps me up at night.... HOWEVER, my effective range on my 6.5 is 850 yards....I am more than happy to take that shot on an animal with the RRS in a standing position. I dont think i would do it on the Leofoto or similar carbon build because of the torsional wobble. This is not speculation. I have taken both TFCT 34 and equivalent Leofoto to the range and found this to be a problem.

Number three, is the complete set up is 1/3 the price of the RRS. That matters to a lot of people. My thought was to buy the Leofoto and try it, and then upgrade if needed. You could get your money back selling the Leofoto. I’ve just found no need to upgrade now that I have the Leofoto

Aboslutely, however OP said money was no issue. My response was specific to the OP's question. Bang for buck the Leofoto is better. If money is no issue and you wanted to shoot really far standing, the RRS is the clear winner.

 

[wind gypsy]

I am the former owner of both the Leofoto SO 282 (tall 2 section inverted) and 282CMX (short 2 section inverted)

I sold both after getting the Tricer HK (3 section inverted). It is lighter, just as stable, collapses shorter, stands taller than the 282cmx, and costs the same as the Leofotos.

I use the Leofoto ma30L ball head (anvil copy), and it is the best I have used for shooting. Cannot imagine anything topping that.

whatever you do inverted is the way to go

Man, a 3 section that is just as stable as the 282? how? That HK spec is about perfect for crossover glassing/shooting hunting tripod. RRS should match those specs but make it better, call it the 13i.

Also, the MA30L on my 282cmx went to shit from dust on my hunt this year. I just strapped it to my pack which was bungied to the ATV back rack so it was exposed to plenty of dust but I've never had similar issues with an anvil. I've also probably not exposed my anvil to as much dust..

Nobody talks about it, but if someone uses an inverted-leg tripod, the twist locks are still right hand thread, so the lefty-loosey righty-tighty motion is the opposite direction from the user’s stand point. Not a big deal, but if someone wants to retrain their brain last minute to use one I’d expect some user error when under stress of a quick shot looking at an animal. Heck, many tripod users at the range with unlimited time and no stress struggle remembering how to use normal twist locks, let alone something just the opposite.

Not all of them are reversed. I'm pretty sure fatboy tripods for one has the righty tighty orientation on their inverted tripods. Its much less of a problem when using a two section tripod vs 3+ locks per leg.