New Leofoto Anvil Copy

[littlepod]

Played with the Leofoto anvil clone today and I have to say it's pretty good clone. They copied it pretty much exactly. The 3-way clamp is also equally nice with the clamp, slide, release settings that RRS has. The tension was easily adjustable and I got it to behave exactly like my Anvil.

I'd say the only complaint I could tell was that the bubble level on the Leofoto was complete garbage. It's a bubble on a white background and there was some artifacts in it too so it just made it cringy to look at. I like my Anvil-30's bubble (not that I really use it).

I bought the combo setup, I'll probably put my anvil-30 into their TFCT clone, since tripod alone was only $360 and I can't fathom paying RRS $1200 for what I feel is pretty close enough quality tripod. I'll keep the anvil-30 head though.

 

[Whiskey_Tango6.5]

They just pulled it from their site.

 

[Conqueror]

I have two Leofoto tripods and they are very solid. I have a real Anvil-30 on the one I use for shooting and a heavy duty Leofoto ball head on the one I use for spotting. I couldn’t justify a four-figure amount for the legs that are minimally different from other nice carbon tripods, but I was willing to shell out for an Anvil because no one else could compete with it. But as others have noted, it would be hard to ignore a “Chanvil-30” for 1/3 the price knowing that their products are well-manufactured and real RRS shit is in stock once every 8 months for 34 seconds.

 

[GenericBadGuy]

They just pulled it from their site.

No they didn't. Leofotousa is just a reseller and that was a page to order just the MA30 head.

The manufacturer's page is still up here: https://www.leofoto.com/products_detail.php?id=543

 

[jsimonh]

I just recently, like a few days ago, sold my Gitzo that I've had for a while and been very satisfied with. It was a 4 section that went to the required 71" apex height that I needed for glassing with my Kaibabs at 6'7" tall. Really wanted the twovets QDT and was dead set on it until I realized it only went to 65". I set up a 65" spot and the only way to glass comfortably was to use a tac table with my shmedium laying on it and my binos resting there. I know a lot of people that do it that way but I'm way more comfortable using my Anvil. I couldn't find hardly any tripods that weren't 4 section to reach the height I needed. RRS only offered one that I could find and it was discontinued and a 4 section anyways. Enter the SO-362c from Leofoto that I stumbled across that goes to 72" has only 2 sections and claims a 88lbs weight rating. Come to find out per this thread along with another that it's a direct ripoff of the RRS 22i which I didn't know existed. The 22i only goes to 64.3" per their website which is a no go for me. I got the Leofoto in today and first impressions are really good. Hopefully long term lasting is there but it's just gonna hold binos 90% of the time so I'm thinking it'll be just fine. I had some buyers remorse after reading through a couple of threads but it is what it is and I needed the height so overall I'm good with my purchase.

 

[carbonbased]

I just recently, like a few days ago, sold my Gitzo that I've had for a while and been very satisfied with. It was a 4 section that went to the required 71" apex height that I needed for glassing with my Kaibabs at 6'7" tall. Really wanted the twovets QDT and was dead set on it until I realized it only went to 65". I set up a 65" spot and the only way to glass comfortably was to use a tac table with my shmedium laying on it and my binos resting there. I know a lot of people that do it that way but I'm way more comfortable using my Anvil. I couldn't find hardly any tripods that weren't 4 section to reach the height I needed. RRS only offered one that I could find and it was discontinued and a 4 section anyways. Enter the SO-362c from Leofoto that I stumbled across that goes to 72" has only 2 sections and claims a 88lbs weight rating. Come to find out per this thread along with another that it's a direct ripoff of the RRS 22i which I didn't know existed. The 22i only goes to 64.3" per their website which is a no go for me. I got the Leofoto in today and first impressions are really good. Hopefully long term lasting is there but it's just gonna hold binos 90% of the time so I'm thinking it'll be just fine. I had some buyers remorse after reading through a couple of threads but it is what it is and I needed the height so overall I'm good with my purchase.
View attachment 7915742

Wait, why did you sell the gitzo that was working perfectly for you? Did I miss something?

Also, if a tripod is almost high enough for you, a trick to get the tripod higher is to use long spikes for feet. I use the spikes because I like the extra stability of pushing them deep into the ground, but extra height can be a side benefit if you don't push them down all of the way (or can't due to hard ground). The spikes can be a little weighty for the gram counting backpackers, however.

I've used the short titanium Leofoto's (reluctantly, as I don't care for the company ripping off RRS's IP in other areas, but they are the only titanium spikes I could find) and now use the RRS stainless spikes (reluctantly, because they weigh and cost a lot).

 

[jsimonh]

Wait, why did you sell the gitzo that was working perfectly for you? Did I miss something?

Also, if a tripod is almost high enough for you, a trick to get the tripod higher is to use long spikes for feet. I use the spikes because I like the extra stability of pushing them deep into the ground, but extra height can be a side benefit if you don't push them down all of the way (or can't due to hard ground). The spikes can be a little weighty for the gram counting backpackers, however.

I've used the short titanium Leofoto's (reluctantly, as I don't care for the company ripping off RRS's IP in other areas, but they are the only titanium spikes I could find) and now use the RRS stainless spikes (reluctantly, because they weigh and cost a lot).

The only reason is because I wanted to get away from the 4 section style and try the QDT. Purely for the hell of it. I didn't think about putting spikes on the shorter tripod, but needing 5 inches more height seems like some really long spikes to add.

 

[b6graham]

Leofoto SO-362C Inverted Outdoors Series Carbon Fiber Tripod/ 5lbs/Max Load 88lb(40kg) with Bag and 75mm Video Bowl+Platform

The Leofoto SO-362C 2-Section Inverted Carbon Fiber Tripod is an excellent choice for full-sized firearm combos that need rock-solid support for a full-length rifle chassis with a spotting scope. The robust 88lb load capacity also makes it suitable for use with extreme spotting scopes, cameras...

leofotousa.com

the pictures here are funny. advertised as camera blah blah then shows a 7' tall person with a rifle

this is amazingly tall for a 2 section

 

[carbonbased]

The only reason is because I wanted to get away from the 4 section style and try the QDT. Purely for the hell of it. I didn't think about putting spikes on the shorter tripod, but needing 5 inches more height seems like some really long spikes to add.

Yeah, at 3” long that’s the max they’d give on hard ground. But for others reading this that aren’t as tall as a tree, it’s an option to think about

 

[carbonbased]

Gaahhh! Leofoto even ripped off the naming convention (SOAR) from RRS. What a bunch of losers.

Soon they’ll come out with a car named the 911.

 

[jbuck88]

RRS order placed. California is still > China.

 

[carbonbased]

RRS order placed. California is still > China.

They’re in Utah now.

 

[jbuck88]

They’re in Utah now.

That makes me feel even better then. Utah is definitely > China and California.