• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Lightweight carbon fiber tripods

C.R. Adams

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 10, 2019
231
149
In the PRS world, what is the point of a lightweight tripod when the rifles weigh 25 lbs?
 
  • Like
Reactions: carbonbased
If you don’t have to walk far with that tripod, a heavy one will work better, be it for a camera or rifle. There’s some ideas here: https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...mmendations-rrs-gitzo-leofoto-feisol.6963983/

Below is an awesomely light tripod in use with a heavy object on top.

206A4B6B-8A47-410B-88C6-B32D6ED10FA2.gif
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: gnochi
Most prs matches don’t involve much walking between stages. I see a lot of gear being carried. For me less is better!
 
I suppose my veiled sarcasm is not making the point I had hoped to make.

The point i'm attempting to make is, if weight is of concern, why the 25 lb rifle ? (and yes, i know the answer, the answer is to reduce recoil and the competitive adv. blah blah blah) . But if a person can hall around a 25 lb pound rifle, meet the time for the stage, then obviously movement or "humping it" is not a large part of MOST prs matches and the perceived "need" for a light weight tripod provides little competitive value.

Now, if the suggestion is that when a person carries all their crap from one stage to another, then i'll buy it, but as far as competitive advantage? I don't see the light weight tripods providing that in MOST matches.
 
I suppose my veiled sarcasm is not making the point I had hoped to make.

The point i'm attempting to make is, if weight is of concern, why the 25 lb rifle ? (and yes, i know the answer, the answer is to reduce recoil and the competitive adv. blah blah blah) . But if a person can hall around a 25 lb pound rifle, meet the time for the stage, then obviously movement or "humping it" is not a large part of MOST prs matches and the perceived "need" for a light weight tripod provides little competitive value.

Now, if the suggestion is that when a person carries all their crap from one stage to another, then i'll buy it, but as far as competitive advantage? I don't see the light weight tripods providing that in MOST matches.
Ah, sarcasm went totally went over my head. Totally agree with you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: C.R. Adams
Carbon fiber is better for vibration dampening than other materials. Can be designed lighter because it is stronger. So hard not to go with lightweight because of the material.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hollywood 6mm
Carbon fiber is better for vibration dampening than other materials. Can be designed lighter because it is stronger. So hard not to go with lightweight because of the material.
I'm not an expert on vibration (ahem), and consider the source---> but here's what Ries (https://riestripod.com) says on their homepage:

-----

Why Wood?
  • Vibration~ Vibration, or actually, the lack of it. Our tripods are specifically made from “tone woods” or AKA; “tonewoods”, (look it up). The king of all tonewoods is Eastern Hard Rock Maple for tripods. It is hard, light weight, strong and has the best vibration damping qualities of any material available. In fact over sixty percent of all of our tripods made are actually used in testing laboratories for supporting sensitive equipment. All because of the wood.
---------

Ok, me again. Yeah, I own a Ries.

High-end surveyor tripods tend to be wood. I can only guess because of the lack-of-vibration factor.

Another reason wood tripods are very "dead" is simply because they have more mass. Heavier things tend to vibrate less. And astronomy telescope guys seem to love wood tripods.

But again, I don't really know, and I didn't find some engineer on the net who gives a definitive answer.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: C.R. Adams
I suppose my veiled sarcasm is not making the point I had hoped to make.

The point i'm attempting to make is, if weight is of concern, why the 25 lb rifle ? (and yes, i know the answer, the answer is to reduce recoil and the competitive adv. blah blah blah) . But if a person can hall around a 25 lb pound rifle, meet the time for the stage, then obviously movement or "humping it" is not a large part of MOST prs matches and the perceived "need" for a light weight tripod provides little competitive value.

Now, if the suggestion is that when a person carries all their crap from one stage to another, then i'll buy it, but as far as competitive advantage? I don't see the light weight tripods providing that in MOST matches.

All shots are not taken off a tripod, however all shots are taken with the rifle, where weight has proved to be a definite advantage. I imagine like a race car, people want to put weight where it helps the most and reduce elsewhere to make up for it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smoov82
Maybe because the tripod has become one of if not the top tool used by snipers. MIL, LE, and even hunters. Why not train and play on what you will use?
 
I suppose my veiled sarcasm is not making the point I had hoped to make.

The point i'm attempting to make is, if weight is of concern, why the 25 lb rifle ? (and yes, i know the answer, the answer is to reduce recoil and the competitive adv. blah blah blah) . But if a person can hall around a 25 lb pound rifle, meet the time for the stage, then obviously movement or "humping it" is not a large part of MOST prs matches and the perceived "need" for a light weight tripod provides little competitive value.

Now, if the suggestion is that when a person carries all their crap from one stage to another, then i'll buy it, but as far as competitive advantage? I don't see the light weight tripods providing that in MOST matches.
That is true but matches like the GAP Grind have a lot of humming your gear for two days! My local matches do not have that much walking from stage to stage but I just want one good tripod for all my matches so strong and light is the preference.
 
Maybe because the tripod has become one of if not the top tool used by snipers. MIL, LE, and even hunters. Why not train and play on what you will use?
I agree 100% with your statement which brings me to the point of my original posts............................... then why the 25lb rifles? The fellas in the roles you mentioned are not shooting 25lb rifles.
 
Carbon fiber is better for vibration dampening than other materials. Can be designed lighter because it is stronger. So hard not to go with lightweight because of the material.

Here is a what I found to be an informative article. I was going to post the link and then post a quote opposing the idea that "carbon fiber is necessarily stronger", but I re read the article with an open mind and I think any person that approaches the article the same way, will see the article. https://thecentercolumn.com/2018/06/05/carbon-fiber-vs-aluminum-tripods/
 
I agree 100% with your statement which brings me to the point of my original posts............................... then why the 25lb rifles? The fellas in the roles you mentioned are not shooting 25lb rifles.
Because PRS/NRL is a game, and in the game every shot, and there is relatively a lot of them, is off the rifle. Some of the shots are off of the tri-pod, and some MD either by stage setup, specifically exclude or require them. So it becomes ballast vs rifle which is used every shot. Similar transitions on the front bags, they have evolved to lighter weight fills as folks have to hump them around.

I do not think MIL/LE rifles are light, but not sure exactly in their stock form what they weigh. I am sure some of the folks with this background will share where they make the trad offs of SWP with their gear.

Hunters are evolving too, historically carried shooting sticks, light but not very stable. The advent of light and very stable tripods are making the tripod common in hunting kits too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: C.R. Adams