If you are fond of hunting, then you will require a sturdy and stable spotting scope tripod to make your shooting more exciting. They offer higher magnification to take clear and smooth images of wild animals and birds. These tripods won’t wobble and stay stable while in use.
It is quite a challenging task to find the best spotting scope tripod for hunting, among a huge number of products.
So, we are making it easy for you by listing down 6 of the finest spotting scope tripod for hunting from which you can choose one for yourself.
6 Best Lightweight Spotting Scope Tripod for Hunting
1. Manfrotto 055 Carbon Fiber 4-Section Tripod (MT055CXPRO4)
The Manfrotto 055 (MT055CXPRO4) guarantees better and ultimate camera stability and offers maximum creativity to professionals.
Over-strong Body
This tripod comes with a strong body and weighs around 4.62lbs with a minimum height of 3.54’’ and a maximum height of 66.93’’.
The Carbon Fiber Legs of the tripod provide unlimited strength and maximizes vibrational absorption. It has a sturdy and rigid body that allows it to handle any windy situation.
The load capacity of the tripod is 9kg/19.84lbs, which is quite high and makes it safe to hold heavy spotting glasses conveniently. This tripod’s load capacity is higher than the other tripods of the same brand and that is the reason it is costlier than them.
Easy Attachment System
You can convert this tripod into a portable photography studio with the help of its easy link attachment. Attach an extending arm with the LED light or reflector, or some other accessories to turn your tripod into an amazing studio.
Quick Locking Power
One of the best attributes of this tripod is its quick locking power. The stiffness of the tripod maximizes when you put extra locking power to the leg locks. This supports the tripod to handle or support high load capacity.
Versatile and Solid
You can reach any position with the tripod thanks to the 0-degree column and its 4-legs. Its 90-degree column allows it to extend horizontally and vertically with ease.
Pros:
- Excellent strength and rigidity.
- Comes with an easy link attachment.
- Carbon fiber design absorbs shocks.
- Can be extended to any position.
Cons:
- The legs don’t come with foams.
- Quite expensive.
2. Manfrotto MT190XPRO3 Aluminum 3-Section Tripod
The unique Manfrotto MT190XPRO3 Aluminum 3-Section Tripodcomes with offers great stability and versatility to make your shooting experience more fun.
Quick Set-up
You can easily and quickly assemble and adjust this tripod with your single hand. The lock levers on each leg of this top-rated tripod can be extended with a single movement of one hand.
Solid and Creative
The tripod is constructed with aluminum material, so it’s quite solid and remains stiff while shooting. The weight that has the tripod is 4.4’’lbs and the maximum height is 63-inches. Plus, it can support up to 15.4-pounds of weight.
Without disassembling the tripod, you can change it from a horizontal to a vertical position and increase the shooting flexibility. The 90-degree column included allows for great positioning possibilities.
Portable Photography Studio
The easy link plug included in the tripod expands the shooting possibilities. You can instantly connect accessories like LED light or reflectors with the tripod for Macro Photography through arms or brackets.
Rotating Leveling Bubble
Quick to assemble, the rotating leveling bubble of the tripod allows precise positioning to provide you with an accurate view. You can rotate the head fully without any issue, which makes it the best spotting scope tripod for hunting.
Pros:
- Legs can be extended with a single hand.
- Instantly attaching accessories system.
- Set up to the ground with ease.
- Quick set-up.
Cons:
- Quite heavy.
- Doesn’t include a head or carrying bag.
3. BOG DeathGrip Tripod For Hunting and Shooting
For the most reliable shooting, trust in the BOG DeathGrip Tripodthat comes with excellent strength, unmatched durability, and other innovative features.
Sturdy and Durable
Made with Carbon Fiber Material, the tripod comes with unmatched strength and durability. The sturdy legs of the tripod minimize the overall weight and make it portable.
The carbon fiber-made large legs are 17-times stronger than aluminum and lighter than it by 15%. The legs remain stiff and make this tripod precise for beginner hunters too. It weighs 7.5-pounds and the height can be adjusted from 7’’ to 59’’.
Easy To Use
The adjustable knob included in this tripod can be tilted up to 50 degrees, and with a tension adjustment, the clamping head pans up to 360 degrees. Easy to use, this tripod comes with a 1-year limited warranty too.
Adjustable Legs
The legs of this quality tripod can be fully adjusted to reach a perfect height and level. There is a 3-position leg lock that keeps the tripod stable while you are in a kneel, sit, or stand position.
Secure Clamp
The innovative part of this tripod is the clamping system. It secures weapons of any size, is hands-free, and provides a solid grip to make it more convenient to use.
Pros:
- Sturdy and durable.
- Legs can be adjusted with ease.
- Comes with a reliable clamping system.
- Covered with a 1-year warranty.
Cons:
- A bit heavy.
- Doesn’t contain a leveling head.
4. Vanguard VEO 2 265CB Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod
The easy to handleVanguard VEO 2 265CBhas a light and compact design that lets you shoot with ease. Here are the efficient features of the tripod.
Lightweight and Strong
Made with carbon fiber material, this tripod ensures ultimate stability. It provides long-lasting performance and is quite lightweight and robust. Even though it is lightweight, the tripod remains stable and stiff while capturing wildlife moments.
It comes with 5-section carbon fiber legs and has a low weight of 2.9-pounds and an extended height of up to 59-inches.
Easy and Quick Set-up
The innovative and exclusive feature of the tripod is the quick central column set-up system, which can be done in less than 15 seconds only. With a snap of your fingers, you can set it up, connect the camera, and will be ready to capture the moments.
Advanced Lock System
With the new twist lock system, you can extend the 4-sections in a few seconds quickly and solidly. There is a multi-action ball head that operates well and is quite sturdy.
The ball head comes with 3 independent knobs for friction control, panning, and locking. The ergonomic knobs offer up to 17.6-pounds load capacity for good quality images.
Leg Angles
For more versatility, you can get independent leg positioning at 3 different angles – 20 degrees, 45 degrees, and 80 degrees.
The included short adapter with this feature ensures more stability and lets you take innovative pictures at several angles.
Pros:
- Lightweight and strong.
- The center column can be set up in seconds.
- Legs can be extended in seconds.
- Can position it at three different angles.
Cons:
- Inefficient twist lock system.
5. Vortex Optics Pro GT Tripod
Made with aluminum, the Vortex Optics Pro GT Tripod guarantees reliable performance and handles any conditions. It weighs around 4.5lbs and the maximum height of the tripod is 67.1’’
Quick-release Pan-head
The tripod has a rugged 3-way pan/ tilt head to deliver smooth adjustments in vertical and horizontal alignments. It offers strong support for the optics, and you can control the pan with one hand.
Flip Leg Lock
The anodized legs come with flip lever leg locks for quick setup and easy height adjustment. It also features rubber feet that provide solid support on slick surfaces.
Built-in Hook
To make the tripod more stable, it comes with a balance hook at the bottom part of the center column to hold the extra weight. This makes the tripod stable in windy conditions.
Pros:
- Constructed with good quality materials.
- Smooth and solid.
- Can be adjusted easily.
- Included balance hook makes it more stable.
Cons:
- No leg pads included.
- Only for small spotting scopes.
6. SIRUI Carbon Fiber Tripod AM-254
Easy to operate, the SIRUI Carbon Fiber Tripod AM-254 comes with a special design for professional photography. It has good stability, is lightweight, and is immune to vibration.
Carbon Fibre Made
This excellent tripod is built with 10 layers of carbon fiber that cut down the weight and allow it to absorb shock. The weight of the tripod is 2.25lbs and its maximum load capacity is 26.5lbs.
Friction-control Knob
The built-in friction-control knob in the ball-locking knob makes it easy to adjust the resistance of the ball’s movement.
Water-proof Leg Tubes
The light carbon fiber legs come with a water-proof sealing functionality. It makes the legs resistant to dust, water, and other particles and prevents them from entering the sealed leg tubes.
Metal Spikes and Rubber Feet
The tripod also comes with stainless steel metal spikes and exchangeable rubber feet, which makes it easier for the tripod to hold on uneven and soft ground.
Pros:
- Lightweight and portable.
- Water-proof leg tubes.
- Vibrates less and temperature neutral.
- High stability.
Cons:
- A bit expensive.
Things to Consider while Buying a Spotting Scope Tripod
If you want an efficient tripod for a spotting scope, then you have to consider some factors before purchasing.
Weight and Stability
The tripod weight is a crucial factor to consider. It is recommended to choose a lightweight spotting scope so you can easily carry it around.
But also make sure the tripod you buy is lightweight and also has a rugged and stable base, so that it doesn’t wobble due to heavy wind.
Construction
The spotting scope tripods are made with two materials, aluminum, and carbon fiber. Aluminum is quite heavy, affordable, and less durable. On the other side, carbon fiber is light, more durable, but expensive.
Reason to use
You might require a tripod for a spotting scope for various purposes and based on that, you need to buy your preferred tripod.
Buy a tall spotting tripod that has a considerable weight, if you are going to stand and spot. And if you are willing to sit and spot, then go for a short, light-weight, and portable tripod.
Tripod head
Two types of tripod heads can be mounted on the tripod. One is a Ball head and the other one is Pan and tilt head.
A ball head is small, highly flexible, and portable. But it is hard to fix a ball head. Whereas, a pan and tilt head is large, also quite flexible, and easier to fix. But since they are large, it is difficult to carry them around.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can a camera tripod be used for spotting scope?
A: Yes, you can use a camera tripod but it won’t be as efficient as a scope tripod. A camera tripod will have some limitations and they won’t have the features that a tripod for spotting scope contains. So, it is best to use a specially made tripod for the spotting scope.
Q: How to fix a spotting scope to a tripod?
You can easily fix it by screwing it in right place or just sliding the plate on the mounting platform of the tripod. Make sure to keep one hand on the spotting scope while adjusting the center column and legs of the tripod.
Q: Is a carbon fiber tripod more durable than an aluminum tripod?
A: Yes, and the reason is aluminum gets scratched and damaged quite fast when it is exposed for a long time to several elements. It may bend and break too.
Q: How to choose the best spotting scope tripod?
A: Make sure to consider the weight, strength, and size of the tripod with the size and weight of the spotting scope when purchasing. If the spotting scope is large, then purchase a tripod that can securely hold it.
Q: Is a spotting scope necessary for hunting?
A: If you are hunting in a large and wide area, then it is necessary to go for a spotting scope to spot your prey from a long distance.
Final Verdict
Selecting out the best spotting scope tripod for hunting from this list might be still a little bit hard, but you need to choose one while keeping all your necessities in your mind.
I recommend the Manfrotto 055 Carbon Fiber 4-Section Tripod as the tripod is rigid, flexible, and comes with great strength. It has a carbon-fiber body that makes it to absorb shock and withstand any weather condition.
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