Tripod

[Short on cache]

What's your favorite lightweight tripod? Something you use for long pack in sheep hunts.

 

[robie]

I went for the light weight option.

Induro CLT004 2.29 pounds. http://www.amazon.com/Induro-Tripods-CLT004-Stealth-Sections/dp/B00Z17TOWW

Great light weight tripod that can pack up into a small package.

 

[snowcamoman]

Sirui Carbon with an OD Panhead. I remove the center column on the tripod and don't use the OD handle and it works exceptional for my Swaro 85mm. I'm at 1.81lbs for the entire setup.

 

[Yellowknife]

Sirui Carbon with an OD Panhead. I remove the center column on the tripod and don't use the OD handle and it works exceptional for my Swaro 85mm. I'm at 1.81lbs for the entire setup.

I was gifted one of the Sirui carbon tripods this year and put a Manfrotto ball head on it. It's ok for lighter spotters, but I find the twist locks on the legs to be the worst I've used. They just aren't as positive as say, Gitzo twist locks. I even prefer the flick locks on my Slik Sprint Mini II (which is another decent sheep tripod).

Generally, carbon fiber legs will damp down quicker and have less vibration for the same weight. Certainly more expensive though. A good head is also critical, and the cheap things that come on most small tripods can get irritating pretty fast. Luckily, it's easy to swap them out for something decent.

 

[mtnclimber]

I was gifted one of the Sirui carbon tripods this year and put a Manfrotto ball head on it. It's ok for lighter spotters, but I find the twist locks on the legs to be the worst I've used. They just aren't as positive as say, Gitzo twist locks. I even prefer the flick locks on my Slik Sprint Mini II (which is another decent sheep tripod).

Generally, carbon fiber legs will damp down quicker and have less vibration for the same weight. Certainly more expensive though. A good head is also critical, and the cheap things that come on most small tripods can get irritating pretty fast. Luckily, it's easy to swap them out for something decent.

I have the sirui t-025x I think it's called. It's a great option for a budget minded shopper. I think it's like $220 for spotter and ballhead, which is a steal considering what your getting. Comparing a sirui to a gitzo isn't fair YK

 

[Cripler]

X2 on the Sirui t-025x never used the ball head on. Put a outdoorsman head on it right out of the box. But it look like it would function better then my older vortex ball head

 

[Short on cache]

I just checked out that Sirui. It really looks awesome for the money!

 

[BIGHORNtracks]

I have never found a tripod that weighed under 2 pounds (head weight not included) that I liked.

I hope you find one.
I never did.

Seems to be that you are always sacrificing something. Stability and durability for weight, Compact and space saving for usability.

Once you find legs that work, you find that the head is a bigger issue than the legs ever were, and it starts all over.

 

[mtnclimber]

In a perfect world id love to put a outdoorsman micro pan head on the sirui legs. I just haven't wanted to cough up that much money for a head yet. The ball head works fine for a 65mm spotter. But it becomes pretty crappy when I use my full digiscoping setup with all the extra weight.

 

[Yellowknife]

Comparing a sirui to a gitzo isn't fair YK

Yeah... valid point. A Gitzo 0 series is indeed in a different league, both money and quality wise. I can't justify one myself, but I have used one a few times.

A good flick lock (or the Gitzo) has basically two settings. 1. Locked or 2. Unlocked. And the difference is just 1/4 turn. The t-25x is a little more wishy washy about being all the way locked up. I don't think I've tried too many other twist locks that I can recall, so my scope of experience is limited in that regard.

Previously I used the Slik Sprint Mini II, and it was a good tripod for the price and identical in weight to the Sirui after removing various extra parts off of both of them. However, it wasn't quite as stiff, didn't go quite as high, and the plastic pieces wore out after about three years of use.

Main thing to avoid is the really junky "branded" tripods from Nikon, Leupold, etc. Camera tripod brands are the way to go generally speaking. Also, the heavier the spotter, the heavier duty the tripod needs to be. An 60x+ doesn't do you any good when the image is vibrating at every touch.

 

[idig4au]

I use Outdoorsman compact medium with their pistol grip. Probably not as light as some of the carbon ones, but has been bullet proof for me so far.

 

[Short on cache]

Correction

 

[GPATTI]

Bought a Vortex Summit SS-P for my first sheep hunt next year. It's 2.2 lbs. and not too expensive. Haven't used it yet, but seems pretty nice.

 

[hoonahtic]

Bought a Vortex Summit SS-P for my first sheep hunt next year. It's 2.2 lbs. and not too expensive. Haven't used it yet, but seems pretty nice.

I have used the ball-head model for a couple years now and really like the tripod itself. Very versatile. If I was to buy again would get that pan-head version since the ball-head is somewhat of a pain now and then, especially when trying to pan around at high zoom to follow trotting animals with the video camera on it.

+1 for the vortex

 

[Stickslinger]

SLIK 624 PRO CF PROFESSIONAL CARBON FIBER TRIPOD, rock solid and weighs 1.8 lbs.

 

[pgk]

Slik Sprint Mini

 

[mtnwrunner]

SLIK 624 PRO CF PROFESSIONAL CARBON FIBER TRIPOD, rock solid and weighs 1.8 lbs.

Bingo on the above and also a slik 634 which I run with an outdoorsman micro head. One hell of a system.

Randy

 

[bcimport]

Outdoorsman medium with their pistol grip.