Lightweight Tripods

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Mar 8, 2011
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My Slik Sprint Pro II is in need of replacement. Looking to go carbon. I think I am going to purchase the Slik Pro Carbon CF-634. It is soley dedicated for my Swaro 15's. I will not be using it for a spotter.
 
Carbon has its draw backs, When I was in the Outdoorsman store a few years ago the salesman showed me that metal is better by mounting some binos to both types. He then thumped each with his finger while I was looking through them. The carbon resonated quite a bit and made the image blurry while the metal ones took the shock and did not do the same. His point was that carbon does not have the stability of metal.
 
These things are stupid expensive but they are a rad tool. If I didn’t already have a tripod and trekking poles that I really like I would consider getting one. This company also makes awesome little 5.5 ounce carbon bipods. I am thinking about picking one of those up. The sentinel tripod system is a tripod, trekking poles, shooting platform, tent support and probably some other stuff I’m missing. I know you just bought some new trekking poles John, so this might not be for you right now but it’s a pretty slick system.

 
So I am looking for under 2 lbs less the head (have the Outdoorsmans micro Pan head @ 7 ounces). It also needs to be tall enough to stand and glass and short enough to sit as well as easily fit into my pack (needs to be less than 19" compressed). The outdoorsmans are nice but to heavy for what I want and dont compress very short.
 
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Pretty soon all of us over fifty five or sixty will realize that you body cannot support you anymore the way it used to no matter the weight you carry, Yes for now it helps make a dfiference but not forever. Pounds become ounces and become nothing in the end . It's all about what your body can bear as it sucomends to the things you bring it to bear and time.
 
I'm diggin on their concept of using the Tripod for the needed tent poles... for the weight savings. But was just thinking how I leave the tent up and at it's setup spot so I don't have to lug that extra weight and space around when actually hunting. Then realized how with this design you'd have to break it down each morning. The tent is not much of a big deal, but the bivvy an airpad would be kind of a P.I.T.A to fold up again every darn morning. And sometimes ya wanna leave the bivvy inside to dry a bit in the heat of the sun before bothering to fold it up in the PM before ya leave.

But they are definitely onto something hear with this multi-function aspect of the tripod!
 
I'm diggin on their concept of using the Tripod for the needed tent poles... for the weight savings. But was just thinking how I leave the tent up and at it's setup spot so I don't have to lug that extra weight and space around when actually hunting. Then realized how with this design you'd have to break it down each morning. The tent is not much of a big deal, but the bivvy an airpad would be kind of a P.I.T.A to fold up again every darn morning. And sometimes ya wanna leave the bivvy inside to dry a bit in the heat of the sun before bothering to fold it up in the PM before ya leave.

But they are definitely onto something hear with this multi-function aspect of the tripod!

In the scenario where you don’t want to move your camp you could just take the pole out, leave it all there and put a rock on it. There’s a number of backcountry shelters that use trekking poles as a support. These are all minimalist shelters designed for saving weight, not maximizing comfort.
 
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After some research and weighing in on others opinions, I purchased the SLIK CF-634 Pro-Carbon. It meets all of my criteria. Should work great with the Swaro 15's mounted to the ultra light micro pan head.
 
Don't forget to order the Bushing converter/adapter! The Outdoorsmans pan head isn't your standard 1/4" 20 Threads like most products seem to be. It's 3/8". You can get em on amazon, like packs of 6 for cheap. I had to go thru that when I rec'd the Micro pan head.

If you only plan to run the 15's, have you considered just running their pistol grip and a panner attachment? Seems like that would be a faster / better setup if you're only doing the 15's.

I'm just saying this because now having used the Micro Pan Head for a bit with 15's... it sure seems like that Pistol Grip + Panner would be a better setup for 15's. Would make you be doing less movements which could get you seen. And sometimes every once in awhile I don't screw back down the up-and-down handle lock tight enough and when I go to move the whole setup over to check another area I'll be rudely reminded when the binos fall back and whack my fingers a lil.
 
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Don't forget to order the Bushing converter/adapter! The Outdoorsmans pan head isn't your standard 1/4" 20 Threads like most products seem to be. It's 3/8". You can get em on amazon, like packs of 6 for cheap. I had to go thru that when I rec'd the Micro pan head.

If you only plan to run the 15's, have you considered just running their pistol grip and a panner attachment? Seems like that would be a faster / better setup if you're only doing the 15's.

I'm just saying this because now having used the Micro Pan Head for a bit with 15's... it sure seems like that Pistol Grip + Panner would be a better setup for 15's. Would make you be doing less movements which could get you seen. And sometimes every once in awhile I don't screw back down the up-and-down handle lock tight enough and when I go to move the whole setup over to check another area I'll be rudely reminded when the binos fall back and whack my fingers a lil.
I don' t have the breath anymore to explain what I experienced with outdoorsman gear over the last 12 years and that I have used both I can only suggest that maybe your opinion is just an opinion like mine no more and no less and that you may not have learned how to use their products properly. The pistol grip is not as finely adjustable as the pan head, been there done that many times with both their products.
 
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Don't forget to order the Bushing converter/adapter! The Outdoorsmans pan head isn't your standard 1/4" 20 Threads like most products seem to be. It's 3/8". You can get em on amazon, like packs of 6 for cheap. I had to go thru that when I rec'd the Micro pan head.

If you only plan to run the 15's, have you considered just running their pistol grip and a panner attachment? Seems like that would be a faster / better setup if you're only doing the 15's.

I'm just saying this because now having used the Micro Pan Head for a bit with 15's... it sure seems like that Pistol Grip + Panner would be a better setup for 15's. Would make you be doing less movements which could get you seen. And sometimes every once in awhile I don't screw back down the up-and-down handle lock tight enough and when I go to move the whole setup over to check another area I'll be rudely reminded when the binos fall back and whack my fingers a lil.


I already have the micro pan head and have used it for about 3 years. The pistol grip is too heavy for what I want. And I purchased the thread conversion in a five pack when I bought the pan head. My setup should weigh in at about 2.5 pounds with the pan head attached. Perfect for what I am looking for.
 
Yeah I have both and the pistol grip just sits on a shelf.

Hmmph... Really? Wow....well alrighty then. Thanks for your insight. Guess I lucked out by getting the Micro first! (since I also have a small spotter). Duly noted.
 

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