Outdoorsmans G2 Carbon Innegra Tripod and G2 Pan Head Review

“Stability is not a simple matter; it requires constant effort and vigilance.” -Dalai Lama.

I think the folks over at Outdoorsmans must have that quote printed on the wall somewhere.  If they don’t, they should.  I have used the older “Medium” aluminum tripod from Outdoorsman’s for the past decade.  Paired with their excellent Outdoorsmans Pan Head, it has been my reference standard glassing stability option for western hunting.  I tried lighter tripods and newer systems over the years.  Some were pretty good, but some had parts break or performance issues.  It can be pretty frustrating to suddenly have a tripod leg snap off in the cold.  Trust me, glassing with a spotting scope on a “bipod” sucks. Through the pile of tripods I’ve tried, I always returned to the old Outdoorsmans tripod when backcountry durability was the priority.

Built To Last

The Outdoorsmans products were obviously designed by hunters.  Everything folds tight, leg lock tension is adjustable, the legs have adjustable angle ranges, and everything works as it should.  Durability is the key factor, though.  Outdoorsman’s have a reputation for reliability that’s been earned in the field.  My tripod looks and functions as new, after hundreds of days of hard use, bouncing around in backpacks, truck beds, and horse panniers.

Innegra

When Outdoorsmans started looking into building a carbon fiber tripod, maintaining this durability was a primary concern.  Traditional carbon fiber had the strength they wanted, but not the high level of durability they were looking for.  They ended up finding a carbon fiber/ innegra composite material that satisfied their standards.  Innegra is a proprietary fiber that has superior benefits to traditional carbon fiber, including high resistance to moisture, chemicals, and (importantly) impact.  The resulting G2 Outdoorsmans Carbon Innegra tripod is not only over 6 ounces lighter than my G1 Medium tripod, but also reaches over 14 inches taller.

Gen 2 Features

The Carbon Innegra tripods also received other “Gen 2” upgrades, including push-button angle adjustment and threaded, replaceable feet.  The threads are 3/8-16, so aftermarket feet can be used.  The center column is also threaded for 3/8-16 for an aftermarket weight hook or other accessory.  I don’t use a weight hook, so I like the idea of keeping a spare foot there in case one is lost.  One thing that hasn’t changed is Outdoorsman’s excellent, user-adjustable, lever-lock leg adjustment system.  I am a big fan of the security lever locks provide, and the Outdoorsmans version is my favorite.

Outdoorsmans Gen 2 Pan Head

To go along with the Gen 2 legs is the new Gen 2 Pan head.  I still use the original Outdoorsmans Pan Head on a nearly daily basis.  The Pan Head is an engineering work of art.  Like the legs, the stability-to-weight ratio is excellent.  There is no better head for grid glassing. With independent pan and tilt tension adjustment (which is conveniently marked on the adjustment levers), the user can grid with confidence that they aren’t missing any of the landscape. As a shooting support, certainly, a ball head is more convenient for getting the weapon on target and level, but the G2 Pan Head is certainly stable enough to make for a solid shooting platform.

Dual Compatibility

My only complaint with the original Pan Head was the proprietary Outdoorsmans dovetail adapters.  Don’t get me wrong.  They work great, and I have a drawer full of them.  Like a lot of hunters, though, I have moved to the Arca-Swiss standard for my photography and rifle support needs.  I must not be the only one, as Outdoorsmans updated the Gen 2 Pan head to accommodate both the Outdoorsmans dovetail and Arca-Swiss.  This is the best of both worlds for me, as I can quickly switch from the Outdoorsmans bino adapter to an Arca-plated optic with a flip of a lever.  That’s right, a lever.  Outdoorsmans switched from screw-tension to a lever that cams over for tension.  I was a little skeptical that it would have enough tension, but after mounting every Outdoorsman adapter and Arca plate I had, it worked perfectly.  Another bonus is it won’t vibrate loose like a screw tension system.

Field Use

I got plenty of field use with both the Gen 2 legs and the Gen 2 Pan Head.  I used them for summer scouting, photography assignments, a shooting school, a mountain goat hunt, deer hunting, and elk hunting.

What did I learn?

Unsurprisingly, the Gen 2 Outdoorsmans tripod and head had class-leading performance for hunting applications.  That is, they were similar to the Gen 1 products, but … well … better.  Stability remained unchanged.  The legs and head easily stabilize spotting scopes from 50mm objectives up to 88mm.  I would be absolutely confident with the over-100mm spotters, even the Swarovski with BTX.  Why the confidence?  I shot off the legs and head with an 8-pound rifle setup and was able to get rock solid.  My full frame camera with 500mm telephoto lens?  No problem.  The Gen 2 Carbon Innegra tripod has all the stability of the original but at an even better stability-to-weight ratio.  The Gen 2 Pan Head is actually a couple of ounces heavier than the original, but I’ll haul it for the Arca Swiss compatibility.

Innegra Tripod Center Post

I love a center post for intensive glassing hunts.  I can sit in one spot and make small center post adjustments to keep a good head angle while glassing low and high in a basin or drainage.  However, that tall post makes it hard to get the tripod really low to the ground, which is really handy when using the tripod as a shooting support.  I contacted Mark Denham at Outdoorsmans about it, and he gave me some exciting news.  Outdoorsmans will be offering a telescoping center post that gets a little shorter than the current post, but also taller.  Also, a “Pro” center post will be coming with removable sections that allow for three different center post lengths, including one that is short enough for the tripod to get completely flat!  I find a short center post that allows for small vertical adjustments, but also gets the tripod low to the ground to the best compromise.

I did have a foot unscrew, but luckily, I found it on the floorboard of my truck.  A little dab of Loctite solved the issue.

Fit And Finish

The Outdoorsmans nailed the fit and finish on both the tripod and head.  The machining is like a work of art.  It is notably better than the imported competition and is on the level with the very best high-end photographic support gear available.

Price and Value

There is no doubt about the quality and durability of the Outdoorsmans Gen 2 Carbon Innegra Tripod and Gen 2 Pan Head.  That level of quality comes at cost.  With a retail price of $1399 for the Gen 2 Carbon Innegra tripod, and $499 for the Gen 2 Pan Head, these products are certainly in the high-end category.  There are many less expensive options available to hunters.  There are many lighter options out there as well.  But there aren’t a lot of better options out there.  Add in the fact that these tripods are 100% made in America, and there certainly is value there.  I see the value proposition being similar to the optics that the tripods support.

Many hunters fork out over $4000 for their spotting scope.  There are really good spotters available for less than half the price of the high-end spotters.  But those spotters aren’t the best.  The high-end spotters are the best.  It is a similar value proposition with the Gen 2 products from Outdoorsmans.

Limited Lifetime Warranty

Outdoorsmans offers a limited lifetime warranty.  It isn’t a no-fault warranty, but a really cool feature of the gear is that if you break a part of the tripod, you can order just the replacement part(s) and many repairs can be done at home by the user.  Outdoorsmans has an excellent well-earned reputation for customer service, although I haven’t had to use it myself.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

The Carbon Innegra Gen 2 tripod is for hunters that want the best.  It is for hunters that have top shelf optics and don’t want to compromise on stability.  For those hunters that can budget it, the Gen 2 Carbon Innegra tripod and Gen 2 Pan Head from Outdoorsmans are just great gear that is going to work as intended and last for years … or even generations. Available here.

Comment or ask Matt questions here.