My experience with the evolution of tripods and mounting is that it really is worth it to pay if you want the gear to actually perform and hold up to the rigors of field use.
A lot of things have happened with tripods and mounts during my life, and it has only gotten better by leaps and bounds.
We started off using old aluminum leg with cheap plastic camera tripods in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, spray-painted and rigged with MRE cardboard and OD green duct tape for rifle rests.
Dudes got tired of this and started making quality pods and rests, and the market for them has only blown-up since then.
Ive been happy with the PIG and HOG saddles on heavier tripods.
Those with handguard bottom sockets use a lot of Arca Swiss heads.
If the ball head and tensioning socket arent made from quality materials with hard coatings, the continual exposure to dust and sand will degrade the surface coatings and eventually fail to provide that solid lock-up, and thats if the socket doesnt crack.
Like with everything else, it does not pay to go cheap because you spend the initial $150-$250 on the chinesium, which will fail (not if, but when), then you have to go buy the one that actually works for $300-$400.
Ive seen some recent complete package options at Cabellas that look really nice, but the clamps are plastic.
I know what happens to 90 degree plastic angles with stress placed on them in extreme cold (common hunting conditions for a lot of us), and I will never buy those units, which off the top of my head were in the $499 range for the tripod and mount included. They will break, no 2 ways about it.
A lot of things have happened with tripods and mounts during my life, and it has only gotten better by leaps and bounds.
We started off using old aluminum leg with cheap plastic camera tripods in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, spray-painted and rigged with MRE cardboard and OD green duct tape for rifle rests.
Dudes got tired of this and started making quality pods and rests, and the market for them has only blown-up since then.
Ive been happy with the PIG and HOG saddles on heavier tripods.
Those with handguard bottom sockets use a lot of Arca Swiss heads.
If the ball head and tensioning socket arent made from quality materials with hard coatings, the continual exposure to dust and sand will degrade the surface coatings and eventually fail to provide that solid lock-up, and thats if the socket doesnt crack.
Like with everything else, it does not pay to go cheap because you spend the initial $150-$250 on the chinesium, which will fail (not if, but when), then you have to go buy the one that actually works for $300-$400.
Ive seen some recent complete package options at Cabellas that look really nice, but the clamps are plastic.
I know what happens to 90 degree plastic angles with stress placed on them in extreme cold (common hunting conditions for a lot of us), and I will never buy those units, which off the top of my head were in the $499 range for the tripod and mount included. They will break, no 2 ways about it.
NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO
CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor
6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:
www.AR15buildbox.com
CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor
6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:
www.AR15buildbox.com