VortexOptics Mountain Pass Tripod Kit - 2-Way Pan Head, 22 lb Max Load, Arca-Swiss Head Mount - Unlimited, Unconditional Warranty

I bought this Vortex tripod for birding to go with my Celestron scope after the pan head mount fell apart on the Celestron model. I'm am avid birder and use my scope frequently. Since I also carry a camera and binoculars, weight is important. The 3 pound weight is great for trail transport. So far, it seems very stable and it's easy to set up. The one thing I wish was different is the quick mount. It's a slide in, which is fine but has no stop. The height is good and the compact size is perfect for my needs. The lifetime warranty is much appreciated plus that I hope I won't need to take advantage of.

I compared this tripod to two others - one was a Nikon and the other was an off-brand. The Nikon is more compact and a little lighter, but it didn't extend tall enough to stand and look through my spotting scope. Also the Nikon was more wobbly. The Vortex is made of quality material and is very stable. It does take up more room in my pack while hiking, but it's worth it. Highly recommend.

High quality materials and easy to use. The only thing I dislike is how the sight glass mounts. Seems they were just shy of enough room to tighten it down. Otherwise, great product. Everything moves smoothly and sits without movement.

This version is like 1/3 of a pound heaver than the carbon and less than half the cost. It's solid and works great.

Hey if you have a sizable spotting scope you have to have a tripod. This one works, I have little to compare too because I have a personal pair and a pair at work... The scope I use at work is a vortex and the scope I use at home... A vortex. It's probably a little harsh to give 4 instead of 5 stars due to ignorance, but these are pricey, and I know when you buy a bipod for a rifle you get what you pay for. I don't want to take the risk of being irritated by a cheap pair so I went with these... Are they better or worse than other choices... I think you could probably find something close to this quality without paying the price I paid... But they do pack okay size wise, aren't too heavy, and have a positive grip on your expensive gear. I like that it came with an adapter for holding binoculars with another $10 ish piece... It's pretty easy to scan and spot areas with this tripod and the connections are positively firm. It might be worth going to a sporting store and touching 10 different pairs before making a decision... If in doubt and don't care about the price, absolutely go with these then, they work, are solid and easy to use/adjust.

Very solid. Easy to set up. It's not the lightest (but wouldn't call it heavy either) but that wasn't what i was looking for. Collapses down very nicely and could be fit into a pack fairly easily.

I've been looking at Vortex for a while now and I'm happy with that they sent me. It's just a very rugged Tripod that not only looks great I think it could potentially survive a year with an active seal team, ranger team it's built to take a ton of ***t. Ordered this Tripod to film and spot Wolves behind and on my property and have owned many Tripods this happens to be one I feel I'll never be able to destroy this one within reason will last most backpackers a lifetime, it's very rugged and I paid less than 150 Dollars on Amazon.Big thumbs up to Vortex and Amazon who found this for me.

I own an 80mm Vortex spotting scope, which is a quite good quality optic. I thought I would pair it with a Vortex tripod (the Amazon listing actually shows the Vortex scope attached to the tripod). Now that I own the tripod, I find that the quality is not quite what I expected for the over-$100 price (it wasn't one of those knockoffs priced under $100). Particularly, the tripod head itself seems cheaply made. The 1/4" - 20 screw thread attachment made it easier for me to change the head out for a higher quality head, so for now the setup is adequate for my needs, which is casual spotting scope use and maybe still photography. However, if the buyer needs a high-quality tripod for serious videography, look elsewhere and expect to pay much more. The stock tripod head does not allow any kind of smooth tracking movement for any kind of panning operation. You can only set it and tighten it. Only time will tell if the tripod itself holds up to use. There are enough plastic parts that could eventually fail, but nothing obvious for now. It sets up takes down easily enough. Each individual leg has its own 2-position lock, so there is no master knob to set leg width. However, you'll have to be content with the 2 leg positions, narrow vs. wide stance.