HELP! Tripod????

[RaptorAddict]

I'm pulling my hair out as to which way to go as far as a good, all around tripod for PRS. I keep thinking I will be using it mostly for mounting my rifle, but reality hits knowing that I'll most likely be using it for glass and home base out at a match. But I could be wrong. I have viewed the following and showing my thoughts on each:

RRS 24L with Anvil 30 - best, but too pricey
Vortex Radian w/ Ball head - middle ground, solid design. May have some cons.
FatBoy Elevate w/ FatBoy Ball Head - most solid, but hefty (may regret to be too much bulk)
Bog Death Grip - most affordable, said to be solid, but get what you pay for comes to mind.

Need some 2 cents on these particular tripods to give me a good direction, cause I can easily head straight down that rabbit hole. I don't want to spend what I don't have to, but I still want a good, solid tripod to last, well,........ forever. LOL!

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

I really like the anvil-30 head, but spotting with it and panning target to target is a two handed maneuver. Doesn't bother me, except when I'm trying to snack while spotting.

For only PRS, I'd consider an inverted 2 section since packing it and minimum height isn't really an issue. I have a 2vets QDT - it's a bitch to strap on the pack if I needed to hike it or NRL match it, but it's stable and quick to get out if someone makes you play it on the clock. I just wish I had the inverted legs to help keep snow and dust out of the locks.

 

[Taylorbok]

I'd look into options with inverted legs. they are much faster than the regular old style.
I have a leofoto (RRS Knock off) but I think they are discontinued. There's gotta be other options out there now.

I don't shoot much PRS but I don't think there are many stages that you will shoot off a tripod any more

 

[Taylorbok]

That Fatboy elevate has the inverted legs. Two vets also has an inverted version that would be worth looking into

 

[Mormegil87]

I have the two section Two Vets tripod. Im very happy with it. It's not inverted but I haven't found that to be an issue and it makes mounting tripod wraps or the AG Tripod Caddy a lot easier.

 

[blkqi]

If the RRS is too expensive, get knock off legs. Anvil-30 on top.

 

[ZY100]

Two vets Recon V2 is pretty versatile, especially with a 419 clamp.

The owner, Dan, is a great dude and the company is tops.

ZY

 

[RaptorAddict]

So I am feeling that Vortex and Bog are out of the equation at this point. I really like the FatBoy Elevate. I see 2Vets are mentioned a lot out there, so that very well could be an option. Thanks guys! This is helping me where I need to go.

 

[LuvDog]

I have older carbon fiber tripods from photog days that I use for glassing.

I took advantage of some deals over black friday and picked up an inverted Leofoto and a used RRS Anvil.
The inverted makes deploying fast, so any stage that I would potentially use a tripod, that will be my choice. So I'll have a tac table on it, but honestly, it will probably sit unused much of the time.

I do like the full acra swiss ball head for glassing, probably because I have a lot more time on those setups.

 

[todd]

I have a Leofoto SO-362C inverted and a Leofoto LM-364C. Both are good for spotting from, tripod rear, and shooting off the top whether locked in, put a plate up there to create a TacTable, or throw a bag on the top.

I am using the SO-362C inverted for PRS matches. If I were shooting an NRL Hunter I would go with my LM-364C because it’s easier and faster to deploy to lower positions than the inverted two section tripod.

Two Vets two section are also really good tripods.

Just my experience

 

[hafejd30]

I don’t shoot comps with it but love my PVA comp 40 with RRS Anvil

 

[Niles Coyote]

Fatboy with a RRS leveling head. Been using the head for years before switching to the fatboy last year, was using a PVA comp 40 before that but the leg retaining clips cracked and PVA hasn't been able to get any replacement parts for the last three years

 

[SoftCookie]

I picked up a Leofoto LS-365 with their 40mm recently and it look solid. They may still have a 20% off coupon code around on their website.

https://leofotousa.com/products/leo...with-ball-head-kit-bag?variant=45359967469861

 

[High Desert duck]

Two vets with an anvil 30. If just matches use a 2 section. I also hunt off mine so I have the 3 section.
As mentioned the Two vets company and owners are top notch folk.

 

[RaptorAddict]

Two vets with an anvil 30. If just matches use a 2 section. I also hunt off mine so I have the 3 section.
As mentioned the Two vets company and owners are top notch folk.

This seems to be the key setup, as I see it mentioned everywhere.

 

[ECK]

You don’t need to get a head right away. A decent tripod (2-section or 3-section) will serve you well if shooting regular PRS/NRL matches. Majority of the time the tripod is used for glassing and a Schmedium (or equivalent) on top of the tripod to steady the binos on will do you just fine. The next most common way is to use the tripod for rear support when shooting off props. The few times I’ve actually had to shoot off the tripod the stage brief said we had to rest the rifle on a bag on top of the tripod. I have yet to run into a situation where we were required to clip into the tripod.

I wanted more compact for carrying so I went with a 3-section tripod from Two Vets. If you’re Mil/LE/1st responder contact the owner and ask him if he’ll give you a discount (he did for me). After using the tripod for 6 months or so I came to the conclusion I wanted a way to clip my LRF binos into the tripod, which led me to getting a leveling head w/ arca clamp. I have yet to need an anvil head. But I’m hoping to shoot some NRL Hunter matches this year so that might change my mind.

I will say in PRS, NRL22, PRS22 you don’t have to deploy the tripod on the clock, and most matches I just carry my tripod (fully deployed) from one stage to the next with the bino’s already attached. AFAIK it’s only NRL Hunter matches where you have to deploy the tripod on the clock for glassing or to shoot from.

 

[ECK]

So as a follow-up, I shot my first NRL Hunter Games match today. Granted, only a sample size of one match but I shot from the top of the tripod on three stages (with Schmedium on top) and used the tripod for rear support on another two stages. In retrospect, it might have been better to clip the rifle into the arca clamp on one stage, especially as I am still getting used to the Schmedium with Git-lite fill.

But on every stage I used my tripod to glass off of to find and range the targets. It was faster to just use a Schmedium on the tripod to rest the binos on. The only time I got my bino cradle out was when I took a turn at RO-ing and I wanted my binos clipped in so I didn’t have to keep my hand on them the entire time.

 

[RaptorAddict]

So as a follow-up, I shot my first NRL Hunter Games match today. Granted, only a sample size of one match but I shot from the top of the tripod on three stages (with Schmedium on top) and used the tripod for rear support on another two stages. In retrospect, it might have been better to clip the rifle into the arca clamp on one stage, especially as I am still getting used to the Schmedium with Git-lite fill.

But on every stage I used my tripod to glass off of to find and range the targets. It was faster to just use a Schmedium on the tripod to rest the binos on. The only time I got my bino cradle out was when I took a turn at RO-ing and I wanted my binos clipped in so I didn’t have to keep my hand on them the entire time.

Yes, I can see in cases where your course of fire involves using the tripod a few times wouldn’t make sense to mount any bino mounts. Heck, when I went out on this first match, all I needed to do was rest the binos on something and then everything was clear as day.

 

[lead ƒarmer]

Have owned the Fat boy, 2 Vets, Vortex, and others not mentioned. My favorite is Fat Boy. Rock solid and I can run a leveling head with the handle underneath. Can't do that on skinny apex models - some of the 2 vets and RRS. I would go inverted legs if I were you, unless you need a 3 section leg. I don't think anyone makes an inverted 3 section?

 

[RaptorAddict]

Have owned the Fat boy, 2 Vets, Vortex, and others not mentioned. My favorite is Fat Boy. Rock solid and I can run a leveling head with the handle underneath. Can't do that on skinny apex models - some of the 2 vets and RRS. I would go inverted legs if I were you, unless you need a 3 section leg. I don't think anyone makes an inverted 3 section?

The FatBoy Elevate is the one purely stuck in my mind. Just wasn’t sure what else is out there that compares.

 

[lead ƒarmer]

The FatBoy Elevate is the one purely stuck in my mind. Just wasn’t sure what else is out there that compares.

That and the two vets are going to be very similar. Prices are close, specs are close. I like the rubber twist collars of the Fat Boy as well as the larger apex. But if you like a smaller ball head setup the two vets is a great choice, as is the inverted RRS for a little more coin. My primary is a 3 section Fat Boy, but I'm constantly in and out of my truck and sxs running around the range setting up matches and a 3 section fits in vehicles better.

 

[ECK]

Two Vets offers tripods with the wider apex as well as the narrow one. Anything V2 is narrow apex I think whereas the original models are wide. Mine is the Recon (original, not V2) and is a 3-section wide apex. My shooting buddy has the QDT (original) and is a 2-section w/ wide apex. Conversely the Recon V2 and QDT V2 are the narrow apex.

I went wider apex even though it isn’t as compact for carrying bc I wanted the wider apex to rest a bag on. But a lot of guys run a tac-table on their head to create a wider platform to rest a bag on.

 

[RaptorAddict]

That and the two vets are going to be very similar. Prices are close, specs are close. I like the rubber twist collars of the Fat Boy as well as the larger apex. But if you like a smaller ball head setup the two vets is a great choice, as is the inverted RRS for a little more coin. My primary is a 3 section Fat Boy, but I'm constantly in and out of my truck and sxs running around the range setting up matches and a 3 section fits in vehicles better.

The Elevate is at the top of my list. But yes, shorter collapsed height would be more convenient!