5 Best Spotting Scope Tripod for Hunting (2024 Reviews)

Today I’ll share with you 5 best spotting scope tripod for hunting reviews. In this ultimate guide, you’re going to know how to choose a good hunting tripod stand, which helps you to glass longer and more comfortable. Here’s the deal:

Best Tripod for Hunting Spotting Scope:

Best Spotting Scope Tripod for Hunting Reviews:

1. Sirui W-2204 Waterproof Carbon Fiber Tripod

The unique thing about the Sirui W-2204 Tripod is it offers a maximum height with no need for an extended center column.

As a waterproof tripod with a rock-solid design, the W series, is an excellent collection for avid hunters who need a super-lightweight, low-vibration, and stable tripods.

This is the truth:

With a 4 lbs, lightweight design and 70.9 maximum height coupled with 39.7 lbs load capacity, this tripod comes with a 10 layer carbon fiber, that can easily absorb shock and shake and still make you use the tripod like a champ.

Leg Angle Locking Mechanism

The leg angle mechanism makes the tripod a total joy to use. This function lets the leg to lock automatically when folding down.

Highest Load Capacity

With a 39.7 lb load capacity, the Sirui W-2204 Waterproof Carbon Fiber Tripod is impressive and can easily be used to carry large spotter glass.

Head Support Plate

With an aluminum head support plate and a set screw, this tripod offers the perfect fit to secure the head and to switch from ¼” – ⅜ rapidly.

Highest Height—Right For Tall People

One of the groundbreaking features is the center column that lets you adjust and split the spotting scope up.

The best part is that you can adapt it to any position of your choice and take a perfect shot at any given position of your choice. In other words, you can easily increase the height and take ground-level shots as well.

Waterproof Legs

Another nice feature is that the Sirui W-2204 delivers waterproof twist locks with rubber grip to ensure the tripod is dustproof and waterproof.

With this, dust or water will NOT find its way into the specially sealed legs, and you can easily disassemble the leg for maintenance.

Easy to Transfer to A Monopod

As a tripod, the Sirui W-2204 did a nice job of keeping your spotters safe during raining days and transform itself into a monopod, with a hand strap.

Here's how this spotting scope does it:

The Metal Spikes Show their Strength on Soft, Uneven Ground.

Just like other high-end spotting tripods, the Sirui W-2204 also sports a rock-solid three stainless steel metal spikes and three rubber feet to hold the tripod on the soft and uneven ground.

Downsides

It does not come with an included head. Also, for a top dollar price, the Twist locks take a little more time to set up than flips.

Pros

Cons

2. Manfrotto MT190XPRO3 3 Section Aluminum Tripod Legs with Q90 Column (Black)

The Manfrotto MT190XPRO3 is the best spotting scope tripod for the money that offers a lot of unique features to make your shooting much fun. With a gimbal head, it is stable and won't wobble even in a moderate wind.

Flip Lock

It comes with a flip lock system that allows you to extend the legs of the tripod with a single hand opening. You can also release all the lock on the leg with a single movement and with one hand.

It also sports a portable and compact design, thanks to its collapsing horizontal column mechanism, that allows you to extend the tripod, and also the slot right back into the case when you're done with it.

Quick Power Lock

Made from an aluminum material, and 4.4 lbs lightweight design, coupled with 62.99" height, setting up the device is not only easy but gives you the freedom to quickly change each section of the tripod from horizontal to vertical format without disassembling the tripod. This ensures everything is safe, stable and in place.

Center Column Can Turn 90 Degrees

One huge feature is that you can shoot from any angles with this 90° rotating camera tripod--thanks to its center column mechanism, which allows you to turn 90 degrees.

You can also draw out all the legs at 90 degrees and shoot 4 inches from the ground. To do this, fold the leg towards the column. After that, push on the metal latch and try to lift the legs out.

Rotating Level Bubble

As if that isn't enough, the Manfrotto MT190XPRO3 did not only offer a sturdy mid-weight for the windy season but also has an inbuilt spirit level bubble to give you an accurate view while on your shooting angle.

This feature lets you to fully rotate the head without any hindrance on your movement.

Rubber Grip Legs

The hard textured rubber grip legs, apart from being smooth and easily adjustable, is positioned on the two sides of the legs to ensure the legs have a sturdy design compared to high-intensity foam found on other tripods.

And the individual leg control delivers a smooth, and sure movement.

Downsides

One of the drawbacks is that this spotting tripod doesn't have an included head, a carry bag, and no weight hood. Also, another major gripe is that the tripod is a bit heavy, making it difficult to backpack, but great with a suitcase.

While this is true, our test revealed that its advanced settings are more suitable for camera/video shooting than spotters. So, if you want to use it for multipurpose, then it will be a good fit.

Pros

Cons

3. Manfrotto MT055CXPRO4 055 Carbon Fiber 4-Section Tripod with Horizontal Column (Black)

The Manfrotto Pro 4 Tripod is simply a piece of art that offers an aesthetic and solid design- thanks to its carbon fiber material.

High Load Capacity

Unlike its brother--the Manfrotto MT190XPRO3, the MT055CXPRO4 came out strong by offering a higher load capacity of 19.84 lbs safety payload weight to hold huge spotter glass with less hassle.

While it weighs a bit more than its predecessor, with a 4.6 lbs weight and a maximum height of 66.93”, all this adds up to its rock-solid design and stability.

Compared to the previous generation, the MT055CXPRO4 offers a more sturdy design that absorbs shocks in a windy situation.

However, all this upgrade comes with a sacrifice; it is a bit costlier than other products in Manfrotto's lineups.

Versatility

With a 0-degree column and 4 leg angles, this tripod will allow you to reach any given position of your choice.

Easy Link Attachment

The Pro4 also features an easy link attachment for connecting videos or photo such as LED light or accessory such as a reflector--all connected via a bracket or extending arms. All this will allow you to transform your tripod into a mobile studio.

Rock Solid Stability and Easy to Use

It comes with a flexible 90° center column mechanism with durable carbon fiber, which absorbs shocks and is more stable compared to an aluminum design.

Quick Power Locks

The quick power locks feature a high locking power to give maximum stability. It also comes with locking levers that let you apply extra locking power to the leg locks to increase the stiffness of the tripod and also support a higher payload.

Downsides

One of its downsides is that you can't rotate the base and loosen the extension just like previous versions. Also, it has a big size head and it's heavy compared to previous lineups, which is not fit for the most backpack.

We also discovered that even at an expensive price, the tripod doesn't have an included head. Similarly, we noticed that it doesn't include foam on a couple of the legs for convenient carrying or a weight hood.

Pros

Cons

4. Vortex Optics Pro GT Tripod Series

With an Aluminum material, and lightweight design of 4.4 lbs, and 67.1” maximum height as well as 10 lbs load capacity, the vortex is a sturdy tripod that performs well with more massive optics and can withstand the wind.

Quick Release Plate

While this tripod offers a sturdy anodized leg, it also offers a 3-way quick-release pan to give you a sturdy support and smooth vertical and horizontal adjustments for your optics.

3-Way Pan Head

It comes with a 3-way pan head that has a fluid vertical and horizontal adjustments that don't creep or wiggle.

The head is very fluid and allows you to glass pinpoint and hillsides spots with ease. With the head rotating smoothly, you can spot a deer and wouldn’t have noticed using a low-end tripod.

Flip Lever Leg Locks

The flip Lever leg-lock feature paves the way for a quick assembling and hassle-free height adjustment. With an anodized aluminum legs, the Vortex Optics delivers a rock-solid design that can withstand the wind.

It also does an excellent job by featuring a solid footing to firmly hold on slick surfaces.

Balance Hook

Unlike other spotting tripods, the Vortex Optics moved a step further by offering an additional weight on the lower part of the center column to give the tripod extra sturdiness in a windy environment.

Downside

One major complaint about this spotting tripod is that it doesn't have a high capacity, so it can be used for small spotting scopes only. Besides that, it has no leg pads.

Pros

Cons

5. SLIK Sprint Pro II GM Tripod with Ballhead - Supports 4.5 lbs (2kg), Gunmetal (611-849)

When it comes to a tripod that offers a ball head, lightweight design, and it's perfect to handle up to a mid-range distance, the SLIK Sprint Pro II comes to mind.

Ball Head

It features an all-metal compact ball head as well as a quick release system for easy and fast mounting of a spotting scope or camera.

You can decide to change the ball head if you want--thanks to its quick release plate that lets you easily dismount or mount the camera quickly.

It also houses two rubber gripped handles to let you move the camera accurately in both horizontal and vertical position.

If you're thinking how the tiny ball head will work with a medium SLR on? Well, the ball head will hold it like a pro at all angles.

Best Lightweight Hunting Tripod

The SLIK Sprint Pro II is easy to backpack - thanks to its lightweight, low mass and collapsible, 3-section leg design of 2.1 lbs, that can hold up to 4.5 lbs and allows you to use this spotting tripod on the fly.

The spotting scope tripod also sports maximum height of 64 inches, which reaches the eye level of most users.

Easy to Use SLIK Speed Release Leg Locks

Included also is adjustable legs angles that allow you to lower the tripod and splay the legs out.

The 3 adjustable angles also ensure that the legs are well positioned in steps or uneven ground. The leg quick-release levers are smooth and robust with all other controls that hold very well.

Quick Release Plate

The SLIK Sprint Pro II also offers a quick release plate that is attached to the base of the camera to enable you to remove or connect the camera from the tripod. With this feature, you won't end up wasting unnecessary time with the threaded mounting.

Downsides

Just like every other product, this tripod has its own drawbacks. One of my complaints is its low load capacity of 4.5 lbs, which happens to be the lowest on this list.

And this translates to the fact that this is suitable for small spotting scopes. Also, the center column is not removable and the rubber padded legs do not spike.

Even worse, it doesn't feature a center weight hook, making it unreliable to use when it's windy.

Pros

Cons

How To Choose a Good Spotting Scope Tripod for Hunting:

In this part, I'll share with you how to choose a best rated tripod for hunting spotting scope. So keep reading:

Purpose

Before anything else, ensure you choose a spotting scope that fits your purpose. You want to consider the height of the tripod that will work well with your scope and applications.

Weight

The weight of a tripod is crucial when choosing a brand for hunting. The spotting tripod should be lightweight enough to backpack--at most 2 lbs.

While having a tripod that is easy to backpack is crucial, you also want to consider the size of your spotting scope. The bigger objective of the spotting scope, the more load capacity needed.

So, if you are looking for something that is compatible, and lightweight, then consider a tripod stand that is not too heavy but has a solid base and can carry your spotting scope no matter how big the objective of the scope is.

Stability

When choosing a spotting tripod for hunting. You want to go for a tripod that has a stable and rugged base to work with, to give you the most steady view on your shot. 

It should be steady once you lock it in to allow you zoom/review what you are glassing.

Material

The design of most Tripods for hunting are usually divided into aluminum and carbon fiber.

Aluminum

Spotting tripods that offer aluminum designs are sturdy, and at the same time heavy. While they are cheap, they are also a safe choice if you want to use a larger spotting scope.

Drawback

However, one of their major downsides is that they are prone to scratches or other damages in the long run. Even worse, if they are constantly exposed to the elements for a long time, they will bend and eventually break.

Carbon Fibers

On the other hand, spotting tripods with carbon fiber designs are lightweight. The reason is they feature carbon fiber legs, that help cut down the weight of the tripod. While they are stable, they also prevent the tripod from shaking or vibrating during use.

If you want a tripod that works perfectly with high-magnification spotting scopes, you can swear with tripods with carbon fiber legs--they are the way to go.

Drawback

However, the only drawback is that they are more expensive compared to tripods with aluminum legs.

Tripod Heads

The type of tripod head you have will determine the amount of flexible they are when mounted. They do come in two types: Pan and tilt or ball.

So, which do you need? Which one of those can effectively do the job?

Here's a brief comparison with a table

From the table above, it can be deduced that spotting tripods with pan heads are extremely flexible, and allow you to move your scope in all direction until you get a perfect view.

However, while they are portable, they are quite a bit hard to fix.

On the other hand, tripods with tilted heads are flexible, easy to fix and allow pan around the axis easily. The downside, though is they aren't portable and come in big sizes.

Twist Locks vs. Flip Locks

There has been a conflicting view on which lock is better: Twist Locks or Flip Locks.

Well, I'd say it is personal preference. Both twist and flip locks work very well, depending on the quality of the tripod itself. The only major difference is that the flip locks often need adjustments while the twist locks don't.

What's the Bottom Line?

Getting the best tripod stand hunting is all about knowing what works best and what doesn't.

The best brand that claimed number one spot on our list is the Manfrotto MT190XPRO3 3 Section Aluminum Tripod Legs with Q90 Column (Black)

Editor's Choice:

If you're looking for quality and durability with high-end design, then the Manfrotto MT190XPRO3 3 Section Aluminum Tripod Legs with Q90 Column (Black) is the perfect choice for you?

Do you have any best spotting scope tripod for hunting you have had experience and would like to talk about? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.