Can anyone recommend a good tripod setup?

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dave3006

Active member
I have hunted coyotes in the day time for years. I recently bought the AGM Clarion 640 for night hunting. I need a good tripod that will hold my rifle while I scan with my handheld thermal.

Can anyone make a recommendation?
 
After swapping out the factory mount for a Little Crow Gunworks ball mount adapter,
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BOG Deathgrip™ Tripod - Ball Mount Adapters | Little Crow Gunworks

Is your BOG Deathgrip™ Tripod in your home somewhere, collecting dust. We know, it doesn't work very well. We came up with an optimal solution to get that tripod back in action and ACTUALLY WORK the way you wish it did when you originally bought it. Pick one up today, you wont regret it.
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I'm plenty pleased with my BOG carbon Death Grip tripod. Smooth as silk and locks down securely.

DeathGrip® Tripod

www.boghunt.com www.boghunt.com
The factory clamp just didn't work for me. All the rifles I use for predator hunting, a couple of bolt guns but mostly AR's in various calibers, are now ARCA rail equipped. Takes the concern out of securely mounting a rifle to the tripod.
 
You can pay from 350 for a good to 5x that for a top-of-the-line model. Much depends on how you plan to use it. I never stand (for many reasons) so don't need a tall, heavy duty, top-of- the- line tripod and am quite satisfied with my Leofoto with a 35MM ball head. I always sit on an adjustable legged swivel stool.
 
I hunt days but there are times a tripod can come in handy when you cant sit and see.

One I put together
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Inorel CT 85 Carbon fiber 55 lb capacity $189.

Sunwayfoto LB-90 leveling head 55 lb capacity, moves smoothly $89.

70mm Arca Swiss clamp $15.

I had a 1/2x2 aluminum bare that I made a riser to lift the clamp up enough to clear the thumb screw.

I bought these components on Black Friday and Amazon Days so they were about a third less than the price shown.

I have set up my spotting scopes with the same clamp rail so they are interchangeable with the rifles,

Found a use for the Bog Pod
 
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I didn’t care for the Bog Death Grip setup. Too heavy in stock form. Touchy for maintaining level. Rather than modify it, I moved on.

Sunway Foto T3240CS is a great, lightweight option, especially if you mount directly with ARCA vs a pinch clamp. It has an integrated ball head is pretty cool and cuts down on weight. I feel it’s a solid option, especially if you’re seated like jmeddy likes to hunt. It’s stiffer than the BOG when standing. Fox Optics had a video or two showing this one and that’s where I purchased mine.

I did buy a Fatboy and their Levitate leveling head and it is incredibly stable in comparison. If I have to stand (easily 75% of the time) the Fatboy will be in the field with me!

It’s hard to justify the cost of a high end tripod for a lot of people, and it is perfectly understandable. It’s also something that you literally have to stand behind and shoot off of to understand the difference.

Good luck!
 
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I hunt from the ground on occasion and have been quite happy with this...

www.nightgoggles.com

Night Stalker Shooting Tripod & Ball-Head

The most portable, affordable and universal tripod to date. With lightweight, durable carbon fiber legs with camouflage pads, leveling ball-head and state of the art innovation
www.nightgoggles.com www.nightgoggles.com

Perhaps not "top of the line" but for the cost it has served me well. It's not too heavy to carry around and for me seems quite adjustable and has provided a stable platform.

I've taken quite a few deer with it including using it as a rest for handgun hunting.



 
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I have a Fatboy ( $1,000 ) and a Leofoto ( $500 ) both with a leveling head rather than a ballhead. The Fatboy might be a little more stable but the Leofoto is 3lbs lighter @ 5lbs. I would stay away from cheap tripods if you value your gun and scope. Something else to consider is how the legs deploy, 2 section or 3 section. Also how the gun is held, meaning the type of clamp. Don't be in a hurry or you will be like most of us buying 4 or 5 before you get what you really need
 
DoubleLungRage said:
How do you like that Clarion? I don't see why they aren't more popular. From what I've seen they are great scopes.
Click to expand...

I could not be happier with the Clarion. It is an amazing scope.

Thanks for all the replies. What do you guys think of the Primos Apex? I really like my standard trigger sticks for quick adjustment for seated daytime hunting.
 
I don't have any experience with the PRIMOS. You need a pretty hefty tripod to be able to support the weight of your rifle/scope. It also needs to be stable. Whenever you shoot your rifle from the tripod you want it so stable that you can just remove your support hand from the rifle all together.
 
seems there are many brand name tripods with FEW mfg's.
Sunwayfoto and Leofoto both make GOOD tripods and won't break the bank, I'm using a Leofoto and like it very much.
I'm setup with an ARCA rail and would recommend this type of mount. I used to have a pig saddle but prefer the ARCA rail.
Just depends on what you what to spend.
 
dave3006 said:
I have hunted coyotes in the day time for years. I recently bought the AGM Clarion 640 for night hunting. I need a good tripod that will hold my rifle while I scan with my handheld thermal.

Can anyone make a recommendation?
Click to expand...
tripod shooting (and hunting) is less about the tripod and much much much more about the head.
 
Bog Pod aluminum makes a great stand for braiding Ristras and making wreaths. heavy, stable and easy to change positions

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Just checked my paperwork, my Leofoto is a 284C with a 30mm LOW PROFILE ball head (not 35mm). Rated for 22+LBs. which is almost 3x the wt. of my gear and weighs 3#. My terrain is VERY hilly and a ball head is a must. If you are generally level, a leveling bowl would be another option, but I understand that they can have issues when panning. I did "open up" the top fixed angle stop to get a wider stance for my hillsides-the second stop was way too wide.
 
My sitting tripod is a Leofoto LS-324C, standing is a Leofoto LS-384C, both have Leofoto LB-65 leveling bases on top.

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Has anyone ever tried the Athlon tripods? I have always been a little leary of the legs that have the screws that tighten as opposed to the ones that lock with a lever. Don't want one that clicks that's for sure. They will adjust from standing to sitting and even prone. Will the Leofoto do that?
Seems all the legs have a tension screw type adjustment just like in the pic above. Saw the website on the Leofoto's and they get down to looked like 5" that's close enough to the ground for prone.... I need to decide Thanks for your pics and info everyone.
 
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Most every manufacturer makes multiple variations, impossible to list them all.

I have not had any issues with screw type locks. I've had lever locks in the past that you need to tighten them up occasionally, or else they start sliding down with weight on top.

You need to narrow down what you're looking for as far as total weight, folded length, & extended length. The more leg sections, the shorter they fold, & vice versa. I fold mine up & carry it in a pack, others leave the gun attached & favor 2 section legs, some inverted. If you never get far from the truck, weight is less of an issue. As you get older, weight is tends to come into play more often in every aspect.
 
I prefer the collar locking legs over the levers personally. Like most everything, your mileage may vary? I’ve had less issues with slippage with collars on about anything with multiple sections.
 
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