Spotter tripods

[Fisher-Dude]

What's your experience with the brands out there? I need something better than the crap I have now (Optex). Any "must have" features? TIA.

[bigwhiteys]

If you are all about quality and never buying another tripod again then this is who you deal with:

http://shop.outdoorsmans.com/category.sc?categoryId=3

The Manfrotto tripod often recommended on here is a nice tripod I own it... But it won't stand up to supporting the larger spotters, hardly holds my Zeiss 85mm steady and it broke the quick release plate.

I am going to buy one of the above mentioned tripods.

Carl

[Kody94]

I just use a Slik tripod. Got it at London Drugs. Lightweight and very durable. Has worked well for me for about a dozen years.

Cheers,
4ster

[BlacktailStalker]

Slik 613 CF tripod with the Jim White Head from the site Carl has posted.

[BlacktailStalker]

I'll add to what I said because I know that when researching, I didnt find a lot of answers I wish I had, as with everything. I tend to research things a lot, even if its just for reference.

Looking at the med outdoorsman tripod, basically it goes from 11" to 22" (add $100 for another 10" center tube) for a total of $470, the slik goes from 16" to 47" with the center tube extended and is $209.
The slik weighs a mere 1.5lbs (.3 lbs lighter than the outdoorsman and almost half as much $) and the rubber feet are a nice feature (they dont fall off, I reefed on them)
The outdoorsman has those stupid "wings" for adjustments on the legs that get caught in your pack when you go to pull your tripod out (maybe not a big deal if its strapped to the outside)
The Slik carbon fiber is extremely sturdy (thick legs), you don't get any of that "shiver" that you get with real lightweight tripods (I looked at those too, real skinny legs like on the Gitzo, titanium, but twice as much. With these you'd have to add a rock bag which is an unnecessary pain in the ass imo. Only person that I know of that has that one is Allen of Bolen and Lewis, off another site)

A lot of guys use and like the pistol grips, but I prefer the pan head.
The fluidness of the Jim white head is second to none. Its made specifically for hunters. The pan handle is barely 4" long and the whole unit is machined aluminum (14oz) your pan adjustment is made by tightening/loosening the side knob (can be adjusted so its sturdy but can still pan without continuosly tightening/loosening it) and the vertical tilt is by twisting the pan handle, this one you have to tighten after you move the scope up or down.
The only thing I dont like is that the scope (well the swaros) call for a 1/4" stud and the head attatchment plate has a 3/8" thread so you need to add a reducer (forget what they're called right now) which is the only weak point of the set up.
Ideally you'd drill it out and put in a 1/4" threaded stud, which another guy has told me he did and was no big deal to do.