If you have an extra $949.98 you might take a look at the
Outdoorsmans lightweight tripod (tall) and pan head. The few that I have had the pleasure of handling seemed sturdy and smooth operating. Unfortunately, the price is far out of my reach, and probably out of reach for most people.
Knowing the importance of a good tripod and head, I searched high and low for an affordable setup. I could only spend a couple hundred dollars, but wanted something reasonably light, sturdy, and smooth
operating. I was expecting to purchase the tripod head and legs separately and wasn’t sure that I could get both, of any quality, in my price range.
After a month of searching, I settled on the
Velbon Sherpa 600RF. I purchased this setup, with the 3-way pan head, for $99 dollars. After doing some weight comparisons, I was surprised to find that Outdoorsmans lightweight tripod with the pan head weighs approximately 3.64lbs and the Sherpa with 3-way pan head weighs 3.8lbs (a mere .16lb difference). Granted the Outdoorsmans tripod/head are of higher quality, more compact, smoother, and will probably endure longer in a hunting environment, but it is difficult to justify the price tag.
The Sherpa has served me well with only a couple negligible faults. The tripod is bulky when packing and the pan head is a little slipshod. It is worth noting that the pan head can be removed and replaced with another such as the Outdoorsmans and Jim White heads.
It is my opinion that the Velbon Sherpa 600RF is a perfect tripod for use with heavy glass. It is sturdy in high winds, the legs independent for setting up in boulders, it is tall enough to use standing, and the head operates smoothly enough. For $90 I couldn’t find a better tripod for glassing big game in the West.
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