Best Spotting Scope Tripods

Tabletop Tripods

These are the smallest in terms of height as they do not extend beyond 18 in/45.72 cm when the center column and legs are fully extended. As a result, they are typically used for shooting on a table or a shooting bench. They lack telescoping legs, an essential feature found in compact and full-size spotting scope tripods. Some may also exclude the center column, limiting its ability to extend further. They are quite limited in their capacities to hold any substantial spotting scopes but they are ideal to use in prone and sitting positions.

For these reasons, the tabletop is not mentioned in this guide since the same features can be found in compact spotting scope tripods and they’re mostly used indoors rather than outdoors. Just an additional note, the tabletop that you usually get with your spotting scope is great for occasional and quick use, but I wouldn’t recommend relying on it. While tabletops are excellent for prone and sitting positions, they’re not the best for stability and long-range applications.

Compact Tripods

Compact tripods are much larger in height than tabletop tripods and can be used in a sitting position or a crouched, or a standing position depending on your height. Since they are generally lighter than full-size spotting scope tripods, they can be carried around with great ease, which makes them a popular choice amongst backpackers, hikers, and travelers. They are ideal with scope objectives between 45mm to 70mm and they strike the perfect balance between portability, stability, and sturdiness due to their lightweight design. Compact tripods can extend up to 60 in/152.4 cm, although some can extend a little higher, making it easier to pack away swiftly.

Full-Size Tripods

Full-sized tripod can be used in a standing position since they can extend upwards to 70 in/178 cm. While compact tripods can also be used while standing up, the difference between both options is that full-size tripods support heavy-duty spotting scopes of 80mm and more with great ease. You’ll want to be mindful that full-size tripods for spotting scopes have one downside, which is that they can feel a little heavy to carry around due to their size. With full-size spotting scope tripods, you may not need to fully extend the center column and the legs. Slightly raising the center column and the legs may be enough for you to reach your desired height. Stability may be comprised if you decide to fully extend the legs and center column so it’s best to avoid it unless if you are very tall and absolutely need it.

(Pro tip: If your full-size spotting scope tripod includes a ballast hook under the center column, which is often the case, I would recommend placing support like your camera bag under the hook for additional stability). If you’re still not sure about what type of spotting scope tripod you would be interested in getting for yourself, I recommend watching this video. Cody explains the differences, advantages, and disadvantages in purchasing a lightweight vs heavy-duty tripod in simple and easy-to-understand terms. And I agree with him regarding purchasing both types, I keep one lightweight in the back of my car so if I’m even on a drive and I feel like walking around, I can set up my equipment at any moment (I also keep a pair of extra binoculars in my car too). My heavy-duty tripods are reserved for special hikes when I have to use heavier spotting scopes.

Other essential features to keep in mind while on the hunt (pun intended) for a spotting scope tripod are:

Where do you intend on taking yours? What kind of activities do you plan on doing with your tripod? Will you hike with it or simply keep up in your car for the occasional birdwatching? If you plan on moving a lot with it, I absolutely recommend lightweight just to keep it simple and convenient for you. Some kits may also come with a smartphone adapter like the Ballachy 56- Inch Tripod and can be used for multi-tasking. Do you want additional accessories bundled with your spotting scope tripod that comes with a carrying bag and other additional accessories are always great because you don’t need to purchase them separately and you never know when you’ll need them? You want to make sure you get the best value with your purchase.

You don’t need to necessarily purchase the most expensive one because that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best quality. However, you do want to make sure that your tripod supports the weight capacity of your spotting scope and any additional accessories you might use. I mention the weight payload as well as its weight so you can know if those specifications work for you. Other details such as maximum height, minimum height, head type, leg type, and the materials with which it is built with are also mentioned to simplify the relevant pieces of information in bullet points for a quick and informative read.