The Tripod Advisor

by Michael and Diane Porter

Q. What do I need in the way of a tripod to support my new spotting scope?

A. You need tripod legs. On top of the legs, a head is attached by a screw. An on top of the head you attach your spotting scope. You can get the tripod and head separately or as a kit.

Here's what you want in your tripod.

Steadiness, to allow a stable image. The head should turn smoothly in all directions, so you can easily track a bird.

You would prefer for the tripod/head outfit to be lightweight, so that it's easy to carry, but you don't want to sacrifice steadiness.

You want the best outfit for the price. You can get a good tripod at moderate cost. Carbon fiber is lighter and stronger but costlier.

Q. Which economical tripod is good for a full-sized spotting scope?

A. The basic tripod-and-head combination that we recommend is the Vortex STX legs and the Manfrotto Fluid Head 128RC, or the kit that includes both.

The Vortex legs are excellent for all full-sized spotting scopes, and are the best value for the price of anything in their price range. They have some nice features, which are described on the review page.

The head is a microfluid head with a quick release. It's the Manfrotto 128RC. Until a couple of years ago it was called the Bogen 3130. It's still made Manfrotto, in Italy, as it always was, but the US distributor, which used to call itself Bogen, has had a name change from Bogen to Manfrotto Distributing. This has been a favorite tripod head for many years. It has stood the test of time, and it's still our best selling tripod head.

The Vortex STX tripod and the Manfrotto 128RC head are available as a cost-saving kit. This is the standard tripod-and-head combination that we recommend when people ask us what to get.

Q. Is there a high-end, super-lightweight tripod that is really steady?

A. Indeed there is. It's a carbon fiber tripod by Gitzo, the GT2531. This is a wonderfully strong tripod. It will hold a full-sized scope just as steady as a much heavier aluminum tripod. Imagine carrying a superbly strong tripod that weighs only three pounds!

You must buy a head to go with it. We recommend the Gitzo 2180. This is a splendid head that weighs only 1.3 pounds. It has a great friction control feature that helps to keep your scope from banging forward or backward.

Q. What's a high-end, top-quality tripod for a small scope?

A. We love the Gitzo 1531 MK2 tripod. This carbon fiber tripod has three-section legs. It folds up very small for travel. It weighs 2.2 pounds, plus whatever head you get. It is a little more steady than the 1550T (below) because the legs, having only 3 sections, are thicker at the bottom.

This tripod is nice for a 50mm or 60mm scope.

Q. Is there an extremely tiny, top-quality tripod for a small scope?

A. We love the Gitzo 1550T Traveler. This tripod folds up so small that it will fit in a purse. It has 5 leg sections. Weighs only 2.2 pounds. We use it with the Gitzo 2180 head. Great for travel when compactness is the main consideration, but you still want a steady tripod.

Copyright 2010 by Michael and Diane Porter.

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