Tripod setup, budget: $500-1000. Seeking advice

colt.45 · Monday at 1:49 PM

That's the for the total price including a ball head. I know people say to avoid the HOG/Pig saddles in light of modern options, but for my first setup I am drawn to its universal function, as none of my bolt guns have a rail. I figured I could simply use a Pig saddle in the meantime, to understand where I best like to balance/attach my rifles, before I make that permanent decision of screwing an arca plate into my fiberglass stock. That's my thinking anyways.

I'm most drawn to the Fatboy elevate and the two vets inverted models. Both are close in price.
Weight is not a concern. Ergonomics and quality of design are everything to me. RRS is not in the budget.
Anybody have opinions on the Patriot Valley Comp-40? Its the same price as the Leofoto LN364C but advertises a much higher load rating.

BipThatInstance · Monday at 1:59 PM

Can't speak to anything other than the Fat Boy, but I love it, having started with shitty camera tripods.

I've had it about 2 years now, it's the 3-section Traverse with a Levitate ballhead. I was looking at doing a clamp/saddle style and glad I didn't. I just throw a piece of thick cardboard and an Armageddon Gear bag over the top of it for rifles without ARCA/Pic rails. Could probably 3D print a flat base with a fixed section the same size of the ARCA.

Lot's of adjustment on it, I've had it in weird ass angles while hunting and it never let me down. Adjustments are easy and lock in securely. Once you get some practice with it, you can set it up one handed depending on your position. It's just "heavy enough" but I've rucked it our several kilometers strapped inside of and to the outside of rucks and it's never been an issue.

Sometimes I kick myself about the Levitate, but you can compensate for the lack of incline/decline angle by adjusting how the tripod stands and get into some goofy seated/kneeling positions. 15 degrees is fine until you get off of a long range and into the bush. It is a great ballhead though, two levels to reference between the tripod and the ballhead, and both the ARCA and Pic rail clamps are solid. You can also easily adjust the tension so I haven't had issue with different vendor's ARCA sections.

The adjustment on the Fat Boy is my favorite thing about it, built around one handed adjustment and actively tracking. I also have the "Side Kick" attachment to hold ATAK EUDs, cell phones, or Kestrels and it's a nice value add, if not a little floppy when adjusting.

colt.45 · Monday at 2:15 PM

BipThatInstance said:
Can't speak to anything other than the Fat Boy, but I love it, having started with shitty camera tripods.

I've had it about 2 years now, it's the 3-section Traverse with a Levitate ballhead. I was looking at doing a clamp/saddle style and glad I didn't. I just throw a piece of thick cardboard and an Armageddon Gear bag over the top of it for rifles without ARCA/Pic rails. Could probably 3D print a flat base with a fixed section the same size of the ARCA.

Lot's of adjustment on it, I've had it in weird ass angles while hunting and it never let me down. Adjustments are easy and lock in securely. Once you get some practice with it, you can set it up one handed depending on your position. It's just "heavy enough" but I've rucked it our several kilometers strapped inside of and to the outside of rucks and it's never been an issue.

Sometimes I kick myself about the Levitate, but you can compensate for the lack of incline/decline angle by adjusting how the tripod stands and get into some goofy seated/kneeling positions. 15 degrees is fine until you get off of a long range and into the bush. It is a great ballhead though, two levels to reference between the tripod and the ballhead, and both the ARCA and Pic rail clamps are solid. You can also easily adjust the tension so I haven't had issue with different vendor's ARCA sections.

The adjustment on the Fat Boy is my favorite thing about it, built around one handed adjustment and actively tracking. I also have the "Side Kick" attachment to hold ATAK EUDs, cell phones, or Kestrels and it's a nice value add, if not a little floppy when adjusting.

do you think it matters to have inverted legs? At first I didn't care, but after seeing how they work I have a suspicion all the companies are going to start doing that. It seems so intuitive, and like you said more 1 handed

BipThatInstance · Monday at 2:29 PM

colt.45 said:
do you think it matters to have inverted legs? At first I didn't care, but after seeing how they work I have a suspicion all the companies are going to start doing that. It seems so intuitive, and like you said more 1 handed

Ultimately it comes down to intended use case(s) RE: leg inversion. It's super easy to get setup in shitty terrain (read: muddy, rocky, loose sand, gravel, etc.) and uneven terrain. Plus I still turn the damn things the wrong direction all the time no matter how much I use it - but I am also very retarded - so that could be a con.

Some folks find inverted legs hard to use with the legs folded, but, you can just pull one out if you get your hands/fingers jammed.

That said, if it's just shooting from a shaded canopy on a concrete pad, it's pretty much just a boring design feature in that case and the Traverse is almost "too much" tripod if it's not gonna be used in comps or in the field.

Maurygold · Monday at 2:30 PM

Two vets

YotaEer · Monday at 2:39 PM

Please do yourself a favor and get a RRS setup off the bat. Nothing else compares (tried them all) and if you use a tripod frequently, it is very much worth the extra $$$. Its still the best $ I've spent in this hobby and changed the way i shoot/hunt forever.

colt.45 · Monday at 2:44 PM

BipThatInstance said:
Ultimately it comes down to intended use case(s) RE: leg inversion. It's super easy to get setup in shitty terrain (read: muddy, rocky, loose sand, gravel, etc.) and uneven terrain. Plus I still turn the damn things the wrong direction all the time no matter how much I use it - but I am also very retarded - so that could be a con.

Some folks find inverted legs hard to use with the legs folded, but, you can just pull one out if you get your hands/fingers jammed.

That said, if it's just shooting from a shaded canopy on a concrete pad, it's pretty much just a boring design feature in that case and the Traverse is almost "too much" tripod if it's not gonna be used in comps or in the field.

that's interesting you say you regret getting the levitate. That thing looks super nice to me. Before I saw it I was totally set on a ball head, but the ergonomic design and increased range of motion make me think it might be worth the trade off. Unless shooting extreme hi/low angles, do you really find that it limits you? I feel like with other leveling heads i've seen that would make sense but with the levitate it looks like it found a middle ground. So if you could buy it again you'd get the ball head?

clefairy · Monday at 2:45 PM

Go ro a match and you’ll be able to ask people about their equipment and you’ll be able to test their stuff with their permission. You won’t notice a difference in rrs or leofoto.

vanrichten · Monday at 3:17 PM

YotaEer said:
Please do yourself a favor and get a RRS setup off the bat. Nothing else compares (tried them all) and if you use a tripod frequently, it is very much worth the extra $$$. Its still the best $ I've spent in this hobby and changed the way i shoot/hunt forever.

I’ve had so many different tripods. From manfrotto aluminum to 5 different brands of CF. I’ve been happy with a leofoto until it broke this morning. I also have 3 RRS tripods now. From photography to shooting there truly is nothing better.

JohnDeereGuy1996 · Monday at 3:36 PM

I love my Fatboy. Use it 2-3 times a week and regularly shoot coyotes past 300 yards on it. The inverted legs are a dream to deploy and level to.

BipThatInstance · Monday at 4:01 PM

colt.45 said:
that's interesting you say you regret getting the levitate. That thing looks super nice to me. Before I saw it I was totally set on a ball head, but the ergonomic design and increased range of motion make me think it might be worth the trade off. Unless shooting extreme hi/low angles, do you really find that it limits you? I feel like with other leveling heads i've seen that would make sense but with the levitate it looks like it found a middle ground. So if you could buy it again you'd get the ball head?

I'd buy the Levitate again if I had to, I hate how my rifles often flop to the side on the bigger ballheads. For a curated long range shooting facility, I find the 15 degrees of inclination/declination to be more than fine, and you can also adjust the tripod down like I mentioned but there are times I wish I had more pan and tilt.

This past weekend in PA I was covering a deer trail on some public land by me, and of course the does breach through the damn razor wire perimeter that was probably another 5-10 degrees under. So that one occasion I was cursing but 95% of the time it is non obtrusive and makes scooting from one position to another a breeze since the rifle has a lower center of gravity on the center of the tripod.

mrmarklin · 2025-01-21T00:53:54-0500

The current issue of Gun Tests magazine compares four tripods and ballhead combinations. I recommend you get a copy.

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Tripod setup, budget: $500-1000. Seeking advice

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