Tripod Selection Help (Swaro 65 ATX)

[treillw]

Ordered a Swarovski ATX 65mm yesterday. Pretty excited to get it and use it this season. Now all I need to do is find a good tripod. What would you guys recommend? I've had recommendations for Sirui and Promaster. Manfrotto also seems to be popular.

Thoughts:

• I believe the scope has the arca swiss foot already attached to it, so I'd like that style head.
• Would like to be as light as possible for the backcountry, while still being relatively functional
• In the short term, I only plan on using the 65mm objective, but will eventually get the 95mm, and even farther down the road would like to get the BTX. It would be nice if the tripod could support the weight of the heavy BTX setup, but I guess for now a lightweight tripod is the most important thing. If I'm carrying the BTX and 95mm objective, I guess I won't be that concerned about weight. But I'm curious, would a lightweight tripod be able to support the BTX setup?
• Is carbon a better choice that aluminum?
• Can any setups work with a rifle too?

I appreciate the help! Thanks!

 

[Brianb3]

Slick makes a killer heavy tripod for a btx or 95 w the ATX. I forgot the model but sportsman’s has it for about 100

I have a carbon slik 634 it does great w a 65. I also have a less expensive carbon benro TSL08C that also works great. Quality is better then a vortex.

I have had two vortex summits they both fell apart on me.

You get what you pay for.

The slik is my newest tripod. Got it used on here and is my favorite to date. Works well with my 65 and 85. A 95 may push it over its limits.


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[treillw]

How about tripod heads? Didn't realize they were separate.

 

[Brianb3]

I have a couple pro masters ball heads. Really like em for an affordable option.

Pan I have an outdoorsman micro for the 65 and love it then a OD regular pan for the 85. OD stuff is super spendy n high quality.

I pick pieces up as I find good deals over time on here


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[AK Troutbum]

I have several tripods (some light wt., some uber light wt.), that I've been using with my Swaro 80mm, and of them all, my favorite is a cheap aluminum Slik Sprint Mini. It's a very basic tripod, but it only weighs 26 oz., collapses pretty small and extends to almost 4', pretty stable (even when extended, in a light wind, and with the 4 lb. scope), and is very inexpensive (I just bought another used, but basically new, one for $40). I've had some pretty high $$ tripods in the past but while they were super bomber, they were all too heavy IMO, even the carbon fiber ones. So all that said, I just purchased another tripod for my new light wt. Kowa 55. I picked up a carbon fiber Aoka on a recommendation from a friend. It doesn't extend as tall as the Slik, but it seems pretty darn sturdy and it only weighs 17 oz. Really looking forward to trying this one out.

Amazon.com : AOKA 28in/1.1lb Lightweight Compact Carbon Fiber Tripod with 360° Ballhead Travel Mini Tripod for Mobile Phone and Compact Mirrorless Cameras : Electronics

Amazon.com : AOKA 28in/1.1lb Lightweight Compact Carbon Fiber Tripod with 360° Ballhead Travel Mini Tripod for Mobile Phone and Compact Mirrorless Cameras : Electronics

www.amazon.com

 

[bamagun]

Last year I used a Manfroto Carbon Fiber 290 (xtra i believe) with the MVH500 head. That head has a nice counter weight and is really smooth. The tripod is super strong, tall enough to splay the legs out, for stability, and still be able to use it standing up with no problem. This year Im going to be using a compact spotter some so I picked up a sirui tripod and head (I wont need all the support/stability the manfroto gives for that leupold scope and can save a pound or something like that). Im going to try the ATX on the lighter setup, but dont have high hopes being able to use it standing up. That ATX is heavy so I would lean toward the stability side vs the lightest thing you can find.

 

[treillw]

Got to play with a Slik Carbon LITE CF-522. Seems to be a quality tripod. It might not be the tallest thing in the world, but I think I could glass standing up with it.

Any thoughts on their pistol grip heads?

Thanks!

 

[treillw]

I would imagine ball heads to be a pretty big pain if you tripod isn't anchored properly, correct?

I've used one on a window mount and it works nicely, but I think without having it fixed to something solid, it would be a hassle.

Thoughts?

 

[skierhs]

I would imagine ball heads to be a pretty big pain if you tripod isn't anchored properly, correct?

I've used one on a window mount and it works nicely, but I think without having it fixed to something solid, it would be a hassle.

Thoughts?

How so? I use a ball head all the time for glassing and really like the ease of it. I have set the tension of my main knob just right so I am able to pan and glass with no issues. I have a RRS anvil-30 showing up tomorrow and will be interested to see what I think of it. That ball head is not very easily user adjustable but I have heard great things about it as well once you get used to it after fifteen minutes. I’ve been doing all of this exclusively with a tripod for years and haven’t seen an issue with it.

 

[treillw]

How so? I use a ball head all the time for glassing and really like the ease of it. I have set the tension of my main knob just right so I am able to pan and glass with no issues. I have a RRS anvil-30 showing up tomorrow and will be interested to see what I think of it. That ball head is not very easily user adjustable but I have heard great things about it as well once you get used to it after fifteen minutes. I’ve been doing all of this exclusively with a tripod for years and haven’t seen an issue with it.

I guess I just envisioned it moving the tripod around if it wasn't anchored well. Glad to hear that it's not an issue, as I would probably prefer this lighter weight option.

What tripod will you be putting the Anvil on? Looks nice, but pricey. What would you suggest for lightweight options?

Thanks!

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I have an aluminum promaster tripod, it's very well built. I found the ball head unusable with a spotting scope, and now have a Sirui VA-5 fluid head that I really like. My next tripod will be a slik carbon fiber, mostly for the weight savings.

 

[skierhs]

I guess I just envisioned it moving the tripod around if it wasn't anchored well. Glad to hear that it's not an issue, as I would probably prefer this lighter weight option.

What tripod will you be putting the Anvil on? Looks nice, but pricey. What would you suggest for lightweight options?

Thanks!

The reason the tripod doesn’t need to be “anchored” is that the spotting scope is over the center of the tripod and it doesn’t have enough length to really pivot the center point outside of the tripod legs which does happen with a rifle much easier.

The tripod I have been using for the backcountry the last 4 years the SLIK PRO 634 CF tripod. I think the ball head is the SIRUI k-10X BALL HEAD. The setup weighs a total of 3lbs and 5oz. It has done me well and has even kept stable my 95mm spotter. This would still be my suggested light weight setup but with the slightly shorter tripod. It is light enough to be light but heavy enough to handle my 95mm, 15x binos and a light rifle if I need to in a pinch but is not close to ideal.

The new tripod that arrived today is a REALLY RIGHT STUFF 24L tripod with the ANVIL-30 ball head. This set up weighs 4lbs and 9oz. Going forward this will be my setup. It weighs more but the stability and versatility I receive are worth it to me. I am also able to clip my rifle into the ball head which gives me many more shooting options regarding height if needed.

 

[1shotgear]

I run the Sirui ET-1204 Carbon Fiber Tripod with E-10 Ball Head for my back country set up this year and it is working great. It can get high enough to use while standing for you guys 6 foot and under and I have even used it to shoot off of.

 

[aron]

I have that Slik 522 for sale in the classifieds if that is the one you were interested in.

Got to play with a Slik Carbon LITE CF-522. Seems to be a quality tripod. It might not be the tallest thing in the world, but I think I could glass standing up with it.

Any thoughts on their pistol grip heads?

Thanks!

 

[Vaultman]

I absolutely LOVE my Outdoorsmans Tripod. I have the medium, as I do most of my glassing while sitting or kneeling. They are certainly not the light-EST around, but I would not consider them heavy. They are sturdy. I have their micro panhead as I only use them with a small leupold spotter, and some 12x50 binos. I would suggest you get a different head. They sell a standard size head that is their proprietary connection type, and an arca swiss type one also.

 

[david2duck]

I have an Outdoorsmans compact medium with their pan head. Can't say enough good things about the setup. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another setup from them. I run a swaro 20-60x80 ATS. Crazy stability.

 

[treillw]

I have several tripods (some light wt., some uber light wt.), that I've been using with my Swaro 80mm, and of them all, my favorite is a cheap aluminum Slik Sprint Mini. It's a very basic tripod, but it only weighs 26 oz., collapses pretty small and extends to almost 4', pretty stable (even when extended, in a light wind, and with the 4 lb. scope), and is very inexpensive (I just bought another used, but basically new, one for $40). I've had some pretty high $$ tripods in the past but while they were super bomber, they were all too heavy IMO, even the carbon fiber ones. So all that said, I just purchased another tripod for my new light wt. Kowa 55. I picked up a carbon fiber Aoka on a recommendation from a friend. It doesn't extend as tall as the Slik, but it seems pretty darn sturdy and it only weighs 17 oz. Really looking forward to trying this one out.

Amazon.com : AOKA 28in/1.1lb Lightweight Compact Carbon Fiber Tripod with 360° Ballhead Travel Mini Tripod for Mobile Phone and Compact Mirrorless Cameras : Electronics

Amazon.com : AOKA 28in/1.1lb Lightweight Compact Carbon Fiber Tripod with 360° Ballhead Travel Mini Tripod for Mobile Phone and Compact Mirrorless Cameras : Electronics

www.amazon.com

The Aoka looks pretty nice. Let me know what you think of it after you use it a little.

 

[AK Troutbum]

The Aoka looks pretty nice. Let me know what you think of it after you use it a little.

Definitely liking the overall wt. of this system and I know it’s not going to be anywhere near as good as the Swaro, I just hope that it’s going to be good enough.

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[WestNE]

That Aoka looks very similar to my Leofoto LS-224, I would them as a brand you look at as well. Very well made and super solid for the size and price. I topped mine with a lightweight fluid head and I don't have a scale but it's very light with feeling fragile in any way.

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[treillw]

Definitely liking the overall wt. of this system and I know it’s not going to be anywhere near as good as the Swaro, I just hope that it’s going to be good enough.

Looks pretty awesome. I guess you went with the 28" tall one?

I haven't hunted with a spotter much in the past. But glassing with binos, I'm always sitting. I can't imagine I'd do much different with the spotter. I can always get another heavier tripod for standing and less physical hunting trips if I want.

Do you think it will be sturdy enough for my 65mm ATX from a siting position?

I don't like that it doesn't have a hook to add a stability weight, but I was thinking that I could rig something up with fly line backing.

The other tripod that has caught my eye in the last few days of reading is the Sirui T-025x. Supposedly 18 oz with trimmed legs. Do you have any experience with this one to make a comparison to the Aoka?

Thanks for your help. You have always helped me with good info in the past