Is my best option the Outdoorsman's Compact?

[Brightwhite]

If you wanted a tripod for a very specific application:
- The most STABLE
- 2lb or less range (ruling out all the bigger RRS and photography models)
- Backpack friendly (packable size)

Does that make the Outdoorsman's Compact the winner?

I already own a Slik 634 and 624, and looking to improve on the shakiness with my 65mm spotter more than those when zoomed in at 50-60x and trying to judge and sex goats in the wind.

Is there anyone else I am missing that I need to look at that meet the criteria above?

 

[Camera Land]

Take a look at the Sirui T024SKVA5. They are written about all over the forum here. It is, by far, our most popular tripod we have ever had.
It's on special now and has a rebate as well

Feel free to call me at 516-217-1000

Joel

 

[sndmn11]

I don't know that light and stable in the wind go hand in hand. Especially as you start to get higher off the ground.

 

[Brian Fahs]

I can not believe it is a better option than what you currently own.

 

[Brightwhite]

I don't know that light and stable in the wind go hand in hand. Especially as you start to get higher off the ground.

I can not believe it is a better option than what you currently own.

I get it, its all a compromise.

I guess I should have just asked is the Outdoorsman compact going to be more stable and give me a less shaky image out of an ATX65 than a silk 624 in a side by side shootout.

 

[MTElkChaser]

Stick with your existing tripod and add one of these to it:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0051OGJQE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title



I bought this over two years ago and when you set up your tripod, fill the bag with rocks, sand, gear, whatever. Makes your tripod super stable and adds 3-4 ounces empty to your pack. I keep mine installed and just fold it up with the tripod. Good luck!

 

[Elkangle]

No

 

[Brightwhite]

No

Well ok. I have not been greatly impressed at the stability of the Sliks, but I have never been with an Outdoorsman, just assuming that it would be more steady.

 

[Elkangle]

The outdoorsman compact medium has a very small footprint...so the angle of the legs are steeper up to the apex and the optics are above apex...wide is stable...also the arca plates will help compared to the outdoorsman plates

Your not going to find a crazy stable 2# tripod...I would look at 3# tripods and look at other ways to shave one pound off your other gear

 

[fatrascal]

The compact Outdoorsmans sits too low to the ground. Its tough to straddle your leg to get it up close to you because the part where the legs go up to the head is low even when fully extended. I put a center post extension on mine to get the binocular up high enough for my eyes. I think the compact medium Outdoorsmans tripod is a better option. These tripods are made out of aluminum and at one time were the best option for compatability and being stable and lightweight all at the same time. In the last ten years other namebrand tripods have come along and can compete with the Outdoorsmans. But as stated above, if you go too light you lose stability. So in my opinion the Outdoorsmans is a great choice. Its still on the light side, still gives some great stability and its tough. The compact and medium sizes are sitdown tripods only. Some of the carbon fiber tripods go higher so keep that in mind when you make your choice. Fatrascal.

 

[Brightwhite]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! You’ve got me steering away from the outdoorsmans for the legs. I do have their micro head I plan on running (and their pistol grip if I run binos only).

I stumbled into a place called Two Vets last night reading around and ordered a No Name Jr model. It can be ran w/o the center post at just over 2lb and if you add the center post you can stand to glass. In goat country I cannot see any scenario where I stand to glass really. I am curious to try this one out and see if it’s more stable than the sliks and see if it can even unseat my slik 634 because they are very similar in size/weight. And the cost was worth a shot.

I also started looking at the RRS ascend model, which is at 3 lbs give or take like Elkangle said I needed to do. But I couldn’t find one instock at first glance. Might call RRS today to see how long that back order time looks like.

 

[Lawnboi]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! You’ve got me steering away from the outdoorsmans for the legs. I do have their micro head I plan on running (and their pistol grip if I run binos only).

I stumbled into a place called Two Vets last night reading around and ordered a No Name Jr model. It can be ran w/o the center post at just over 2lb and if you add the center post you can stand to glass. In goat country I cannot see any scenario where I stand to glass really. I am curious to try this one out and see if it’s more stable than the sliks and see if it can even unseat my slik 634 because they are very similar in size/weight. And the cost was worth a shot.

I also started looking at the RRS ascend model, which is at 3 lbs give or take like Elkangle said I needed to do. But I couldn’t find one instock at first glance. Might call RRS today to see how long that back order time looks like.

My buddy got the small two vets. It’s surprisingly stable, but the twist locks are all plastic. Not impressed.

RRS is constantly filling back orders. They are made in the states. If you want one I’d guess you put your order in and you’d have it in a month, have to call and ask. They have in the past recommended putting in an order and don’t charge till shipment.

Iv got an ascend that I use with an anvil ball head and no center column. It’s 3lbs 5oz and makes my old slik 624 feel like the piece of overseas junk it is. Another plus to the RRS is if you ever want to shoot off it, it will actually support a rifle. One of the best investments Iv made in shooting/hunting.

 

[Brightwhite]

My buddy got the small two vets. It’s surprisingly stable, but the twist locks are all plastic. Not impressed.

RRS is constantly filling back orders. They are made in the states. If you want one I’d guess you put your order in and you’d have it in a month, have to call and ask. They have in the past recommended putting in an order and don’t charge till shipment.

Iv got an ascend that I use with an anvil ball head and no center column. It’s 3lbs 5oz and makes my old slik 624 feel like the piece of overseas junk it is. Another plus to the RRS is if you ever want to shoot off it, it will actually support a rifle. One of the best investments Iv made in shooting/hunting.

Thank you for the info on the two vets. For $215 I figured it would be comparable to the Slik, but figured it wouldn't hurt to try.

The anvil 30 head was what I was looking at going with and the platform model of the ascend...or even the ultralight model legs. I have two chassis rifles that would make putting arca rails on them easy, plus I can run my outdorsmans heads when I want to shave about 7oz. For this particular hunt I am not the shooter and will not have a rifle that is setup or that we would modify to be setup to shoot off of it locking into an arca rail. I will have the outdoorsmans shooting V with me if we needed to shoot off the tripod in a pinch.

I assume you did you do the compact legs to get to that 3lb weight with the Anvil 30?

 

[Newtosavage]

I'm gonna be honest here - I'd never buy a tripod or head from Outdoorsmans. They are ridiculously overpriced. I do use their bino adapter and mount, but that's it. I've been a photographer for over 30 years and there are so many great choices for tripods at half (or less) the cost of the Outdoorsman's stuff that I just think it's silly what people pay for their gear. But it's their money.

RRS and Gitzo are overpriced too, but you see a lot of pros using them for good reason. They last.

For what you're trying to do, there are literally dozens of options and the suggestion you add a weight bag or use a weight hook to stabilize the tripod is spot-on.

 

[Brightwhite]

I'm gonna be honest here - I'd never buy a tripod or head from Outdoorsmans. They are ridiculously overpriced. I do use their bino adapter and mount, but that's it. I've been a photographer for over 30 years and there are so many great choices for tripods at half (or less) the cost of the Outdoorsman's stuff that I just think it's silly what people pay for their gear. But it's their money.

RRS and Gitzo are overpriced too, but you see a lot of pros using them for good reason. They last.

For what you're trying to do, there are literally dozens of options and the suggestion you add a weight bag or use a weight hook to stabilize the tripod is spot-on.

Thanks. I am a fan of the outdoorsmans heads, I’ve owned all 3 and the micro and pistol + panner have stuck with me. I really thought their tripods were the holy grail of stability, weight, and pack ability until I started looking at why not to buy one (versus previously reading all the rave reviews for them). Now I am understanding more of the downside, which is what I needed to figure out, thanks guys!

 

[Lawnboi]

Thank you for the info on the two vets. For $215 I figured it would be comparable to the Slik, but figured it wouldn't hurt to try.

The anvil 30 head was what I was looking at going with and the platform model of the ascend...or even the ultralight model legs. I have two chassis rifles that would make putting arca rails on them easy, plus I can run my outdorsmans heads when I want to shave about 7oz. For this particular hunt I am not the shooter and will not have a rifle that is setup or that we would modify to be setup to shoot off of it locking into an arca rail. I will have the outdoorsmans shooting V with me if we needed to shoot off the tripod in a pinch.

I assume you did you do the compact legs to get to that 3lb weight with the Anvil 30?

If your not a fan of cheap feeling plastic on pieces that are needed for operation, I’d skip the two vets.

That is the weight for the compact. I got the compact, without a center column. I’m a short guy, 5’6 and can just barely shoot standing with it. I don’t really ever glass standing, and have an angled spotter, so weight and size took priority. Center columns just cause a loss of stability, whether it glassing or shooting. I got so used to using a tripod without a center column and now prefer it; one less thing to fiddle with.

RRS will sell you the tripod without a center column. That said the anvil is kind of a jack of all trades head with an emphasis on shooting. If your mainly glassing is look into one of their balls, or possibly the ascend head(havnt personally used it). I bought the tripod legs and put my anvil on it which I already had. The usability of a good tripod be it for shooting or glassing is something

If you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask, I bought budget tripods twice and wish I would have just bought the rrs to begin with. It’s made in the US to boot.

 

[Brightwhite]

If your not a fan of cheap feeling plastic on pieces that are needed for operation, I’d skip the two vets.

That is the weight for the compact. I got the compact, without a center column. I’m a short guy, 5’6 and can just barely shoot standing with it. I don’t really ever glass standing, and have an angled spotter, so weight and size took priority. Center columns just cause a loss of stability, whether it glassing or shooting. I got so used to using a tripod without a center column and now prefer it; one less thing to fiddle with.

RRS will sell you the tripod without a center column. That said the anvil is kind of a jack of all trades head with an emphasis on shooting. If your mainly glassing is look into one of their balls, or possibly the ascend head(havnt personally used it). I bought the tripod legs and put my anvil on it which I already had. The usability of a good tripod be it for shooting or glassing is something

If you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask, I bought budget tripods twice and wish I would have just bought the rrs to begin with. It’s made in the US to boot.

Looks like a great setup!

I already ordered the Two Vets, so I will get it and see what I think and also give RRS a call!

Thanks again!

 

[sndmn11]

I went the other way from the typical Promaster 525c and Sirui carbon fiber tripods when looking to address my tripod needs. I found a stout three section carbon and it rocks in the wind. The trade off was 2lbs or so, but it is actually usable where I had previously found that the lightweight tripods were a coin flip on if the view would have too much vibration or not.

055 Carbon Fiber 3-Section Tripod with Horizontal Column

Shoot more accurately than ever before. The new 055 carbon fibre-3 section photo tripod offers outstanding rigidity and is incredibly lightweight. This engineering masterpiece from Italy has been manufactured to very high standards, and features a 90° column that can be extended vertically or...

www.manfrotto.com

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Stick with your existing tripod and add one of these to it:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0051OGJQE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

View attachment 301259

I bought this over two years ago and when you set up your tripod, fill the bag with rocks, sand, gear, whatever. Makes your tripod super stable and adds 3-4 ounces empty to your pack. I keep mine installed and just fold it up with the tripod. Good luck!

Never knew such a thing existed interesting...I always just hang a water bottle or 2 from the hook, depending on wind speed. Nalgenes work great as the already have a loop built into them.

 

[sndmn11]

I use these pullout thingies from Seek. One loop goes around the leg, put rocks or whatever in the zippered part, and the other loop goes on the hook. It minimizes wind swaying with two points of contact.

https://seekoutside.com/possibles-pouches-4-l-set-of-2/