A tripod’s adjustment range matters greatly. It should adjust high and low enough to shoot comfortably when standing or lying prone. (Photo by Richard Mann)
April 09, 2025
By Richard Mann
Portable shooting rests started out as nothing more than two sticks tied together with a leather strap near one end. That’s what the old-time buffalo hunters used. They just spread them apart and rested their rifle at the point where the sticks crossed. Of course, shooting sticks have since evolved, and many hunters are now even foregoing shooting sticks and bipods altogether and instead turning to tripods, onto which they can easily attach their rifle.
There’s a wide assortment of these tripods to choose from, and how and where you hunt will ultimately dictate whether a shooting tripod is compatible with your pursuit. If you hunt from a treestand in the timber, they’re probably not for you. But if you like to spot and stalk open country or hunt from a blind or shoot house, they can be ideal. If you think a shooting tripod might be right for you, here are some things to consider.
WEIGHT Unless you’re hunting in Africa, or have an agreeable guide, you’re likely going to be the one carrying your shooting tripod. This means that weight matters. Generally, the heavier the tripod, the more stable it will be, but the lighter the tripod, the easier it’ll be for you to carry. For example, BOG’s DeathGrip Infinite Carbon Fiber Tripod weighs 6.5 pounds, the Two Vets Tripods Recon V2 Tripod weighs 4.75 pounds, Spartan Precision Equipment’s Ascent Tripod weighs 3.08 pounds and Leupold’s Alpine Carbon Fiber Tripod weighs just 2 pounds. I don’t think there’s any question that most hunters would prefer the more lightweight options when trekking deep into the backcountry. But weight is only the beginning of things you need to consider.
SIZE There are two considerations when it comes to tripod size. The first is how compact you can make it for transport, and the other is the tripod’s adjustment range. Most hunters will strap their tripod to their backpack, and the ideal overall collapsed length for this is around two feet or less. Tripods that compress to longer lengths can be problematic to carry around.
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As for support height, you can effectively use a tripod that adjusts down to about 12 inches or, ideally, a little less, from the prone position. Regarding maximum support height, armpit high—roughly 75 percent of your height—is about perfect for a standing shot from a tripod. This means a 6-foot-tall man would need a tripod that he could adjust up to about 56 inches. With its 18.5-inch collapsed length and an adjustment range from 6.7 to 67 inches, Leupold’s Pro Guide Carbon Fiber Tripod is a good example that fits both these parameters.
ATTACHMENT METHOD There are several options here, and they all have their pros and cons. I really like the magnetic system Spartan Precision Equipment uses because of the wide variety of rifle interface adapters offered. However, the clamp systems that BOG (DeathGrip), Leupold (Tripod Shooting Saddle), Two Vets (Triclawps) and other manufacturers use are universal and can be adjusted to fit any rifle. Other attachment options include a Picatinny or ARCA rail.
A few different methods exist for attaching firearms to tripods. Clamp systems, like Leupold’s Shooting Saddle, will fit any rifle. (Photo by Adam Heggenstaller) The choice is personal but can also depend on your rifle. For example, Bergara’s Premier MgMicro Lite chassis rifle has an ARCA rail that’s integral to the chassis, and the Stag Arms Pursuit rifle has an integral Picatinny rail. With other rifles you may need to add an adapter, and this is where I think the Spartan Ascent tripod has an advantage. Spartan offers a wide variety of aftermarket connection devices that will work with a standard sling swivel, M-Lok slots, Picatinny and ARCA rails.
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ADJUSTMENT EASE When you’re shooting on the range, ease of adjustment isn’t that important because you’re not in a hurry. However, in the field you may need to deploy and adjust your tripod quickly because animals don’t wait around all day to get shot. There are two areas of adjustment to consider. The first is height, and most modern tripods utilize telescoping legs that lock in place via twist or cam locks. Both are practical, effective and work well, so pick the system you like best.
The other adjustment that matters is with the head. Head adjustment is what allows you to line your rifle up on the target, and most modern tripods utilize a ball head. However, some ball heads offer more adjustment range than others, so keep this in mind when comparing. Ideally, you should be able to adjust to target, but to also lock the ball so there’s no movement. This allows the tripod to fully support your rifle.
That said, it’s also nice to be able to move your rifle while on the tripod with a little bit of resistance. This keeps the rifle reasonably stable, but it also allows you to make fine adjustments with some tensioned support. Regardless of the leg adjustment and head system you choose, when you’re on the range shooting, practice deploying and adjusting your tripod quickly.
VERSATILITY I think it’s also important that anytime you’re considering gear you’ll carry afield, you should try to select an option that offers maximum utility. This is another reason I like the Spartan Ascent system. That manufacturer offers attachment devices that’ll work with spotting scopes, binoculars, cell phone mounts and even heavier cameras. This conveniently lets you use your tripod for necessary things other than as just a shooting support for your rifle.
Leupold is another brand that offers various heads and adapters for binoculars and spotting scopes, and, in general, more manufacturers are increasing their tripods’ versatility by providing these options.
PRICE If you’re new to shooting tripods, you might want to prepare yourself for a bit of sticker shock; they’re not cheap. If they were, the support they provided would not be very good. The BOG DeathGrip Infinite Carbon Fiber Tripod is one of the most affordable, and it costs $450—including the ARCA rail-mounted clamp head. Leupold’s Alpine and Pro Guide tripods are $399 and $599, respectively. The Two Vets Tripods Recon V2 is about $600 plus another couple hundred bucks for a head. And the Spartan Ascent tripod, with its MagnaSwitch head, is $900!
There are some less expensive options. Primos offers the Apex Carbon Fiber Trigger Stick with the Spartan MagnaSwitch head for $549. I really like this option because it combines the versatility of the MagnaSwitch head with the ultra-quick adjustment of the Trigger Stick. This tripod is also available with a clamp head for $500. On the downside, neither collapse into an extremely compact unit for transport.
If your wallet is too thin for either of these, Primos’ Gen 3 Trigger Stick Tall Tripod retails for less than $200. However, this is just a three-legged shooting stick to rest your rifle on. It’s very fast to adjust and, while not as supportive as those that can attach to the rifle, I guarantee any old-time buffalo hunter would have sold his soul for one.
This article was featured in the March 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe .
