Can of worms, Lightweight Spotting Scope Tripods and heads

[7mmfan]

I just got my first spotter, a Leupold Gold Ring Compact 15-30 x 50. Its a very lightweight scope.

I have no experience with tripods or heads or the benefits of a ball head vs. pan head.

I want to be able to use it standing up and sitting down, but I want it to be as light weight and compact as possible for putting in my pack. I started the research yesterday and realized immediately that I needed some input.

I know this is a can of worms being opened, so let me have it!

[tjthebest]

From my research, you will need separate tripods for standing up and sitting down. unless you want to spend some coin. The ones used while standing up are generally more heavy in order to be less shaky and more secure. while the backcountry packable ones for sitting and glassing are usually lighter and a little less stable the higher you extend them.

[whacker1]

what is your budget?

[Magnum_Willys]

    http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,169608.msg2242074/topicseen.html#msg2242074   

I got a Slik that is lightweight, inexpensive and works fine. Put a manfrotto head on it that works fine but its a big heavy hunk of metal. Gotta be something in plastic or aluminum out there that works as well. The head must weigh as much as the tripod.
I would look for a sitting tripod only for packing.

[2MANY]

Manfrotto makes a small/light, junior ball head that is perfect.
Adjust the tension and it pans and holds any size glass in any direction.
Spend the extra coin and get a full size tripod made out of light weight carbon/composite.
They are light enough you can still pack them hiking and go full height.

[BULLBLASTER]

Outdoorsmans... buy once cry once.. 

[huntnfmly]

I use a manfrotto that is full size with manfrotto ball head weighs in at 4.5 lbs nice and steady and can use it sitting and standing.get one that you can use for both or you'll end up finding yourself in spots where you need the other

[huntnphool]

 I hike with a full size tripod that I can stand and use as well as collapse down to sitting most any position.

 For my spotter I love my Manfrotto trigger head. It is heavier than most but is very fast to adjust with only one hand and is rock solid when sitting up on windy ridges. If you go too light, the wind will have it moving too much to even bother trying to use.

 My Bogen/Manfotto tripod is getting dated and being aluminum transfers the cold right through my gloves, but it's been hard to replace. I'm looking for the right carbon fiber tripod to replace it but havnt made the choice yet.

[2MANY]

That's an easy choice.

Buy the Swaro.

[whacker1]

I spent almost 6 months researching this for a 20-60x65 swaro I purchased.  I ultimately elected the outdoorsmans compact medium.  I use it primarily sitting or kneeling.  I have the pistol grip head and quick release panner on it.  It is rock solid as far as stability, which was my primary concern. 

I could have gone lighter with the carbon, but the folks I talked to that had them side by side, said that the carbon options, while lighter aren't as stable, and specifically in wind.

To be fair this is really the most expensive set up I could have gone with.  I wanted to do this once and only once.

[jackelope]

what is your budget?

Most important question.

[2MANY]

what is your wife's Christmas gift budget?

Most important question.

[huntnfmly]

I got lucky bought my manfrotto tripod with a different head than I have now at packwood swap meet the guy didn't know what he had only paid $50😆

[Eric M]

tag

[7mmfan]

I haven't established a budget for this yet, as I literally know nothing about them. I know I can spend about as much as I want to, but there has to be a happy medium somewhere.

I know me well enough to know that I absolutely will not head into the hills with something that is going to slow me down, either by weight or size. So a full size tripod that I have to carry in hand is out of the question. However, I have been in situations where I know I would need a tripod that can reach at least almost full height in order to use it effectively due to terrain/brush, etc... I know there are more expensive versions that can collapse down small enough to sit and use and expand out for standing use. I just don't know which ones are worth the money they want for them.

Keep the thoughts and suggestions coming, I'm logging names into the memory bank.