Are Spotting Scope Tripods Universal or Do I Need a New One?

Are spotting scope tripods universal? If that’s your query, you are exactly in the right place.

Since there are uncountable tripods on the market, it becomes tough to say if these spotting scope tripods are universal? And if they are, which one is the best one?

The answer to your question solely depends on the tripod type you choose. If you use a tripod that can support spotting scopes at trivial conditions, in such case, YES it is universal.

However, the answer is No, if it doesn’t stabilize spotting scopes in diverse and non-friendly conditions. 

There are other factors that assist in driving the answer to this question that you need to know. Let’s plunge into it and discover it in greater detail.

Universal tripod choice for spotting scopes 

There are certain factors that you need to know before making a selection choice.

First and foremost, the tripods’ legs should be balanced enough to ensure stability. Ideally, you should go for a pan head (mostly preferred) having screws of ¼” and 20 mm in diameter, which is universally acceptable for all spotting scopes except for table tripods.

The universal tripod doesn’t mean a single tripod could be used across the world for different purposes. It is impossible to even think of such a tripod.

The universal tripod means, some specifications ensuring its usage in diverse conditions across different parts of the world in extreme conditions.

A tripod can be called universal if it is stable, light in weight and portable enough to carry. Let’s dig further:

The stability for a universal tripod

The tripod’s height plays an integral role in making it stable. When you increase your tripod height, its area expands, which means it has to encompass more air pressure. The longer the distance from the center column to the end of the tripod’s legs, the more the air pressure.

In such conditions, you need a solid tripod base or tripod legs that can easily cope up with the unfriendly situation and doesn’t affect its stability and your viewing experience.

Although there are a variety of tripods available on the market, however, Bushnell Advanced Tripod rules the den due to its stability and adjustability. Bushnell tripods are specially designed for hunters, nature explorers, and photographers. Whether you are heading into the wild or you sally forth to find nature’s beauty. You can use Bushnell advanced tripod without any hesitation.

Vortex Pro GT tripod is my favourite one since it comes with non-slip rubber feet which gives much-needed stability to hold spotting scope, in deserts, forests, on mountains – you name it.

Of the two tripods, Vortex Pro is slightly lighter than the Bushnell Advanced tripod and thus has a slight edge over the Bushnell tripod. Never the less, both can be used effectively.

These two tripods provide stability which ensures a clear, uninterrupted and non-blurry object view.

Spotting scope weight for a tripod

The spotting scope weight is also a crucial factor to consider. Spotting scopes with 60mm to 80mm or more lens diameter generally have more weight. This implies the need for more robust tripods. But if you go for hunting in forests or on mountains, you need a compact spotting scope with appropriate magnification power. For compact spotting scopes, you might need lightweight tripods.

You can’t get away with the mismatch of spotting scope weight and tripod weight. You can only use the word universal here if the spotting scope weight is supported by a pertinent tripod.

…but there is a problem with heavyweight spotting scopes. For heavyweight spotting scopes, you need to carry a tripod which is heavy too. You don’t want heavyweight tripods for backcountry hunting or nature viewing. Compact spotting scopes with lightweight tripods do the job for you in most of the cases.

Portable Universal Tripods

Portability is another important factor to consider for tripods used universally. What if you have a stable tripod that can balance spotting scope and is lightweight but not portable, would you be still using it?

When you set out for hunting you don’t just wander aimlessly without proper equipment but you equip yourself with all the necessary items to assist you in your adventure. So, portability is a great concern.

You need a portable tripod that you can carry with ease along with the stability that thwarts blurriness.

Are spotting scope tripods universal? Let’s Summarize

The term ‘Universal’ can be anything that ensures the perfect match of the spotting scope and the tripod.

This article revolves around the significant features of universal tripods. And what makes a tripod universal.

I did my best to explain the stability factor in the easiest way, which is by far the most important factor to consider before making a purchasing decision. In addition, you should never overlook the weight aspect of your potential tripod.

More often than not, hunters love to carry lightweight tripods to mount spotting scopes. The two tripods mentioned are light in weight and easy to carry.

Finally, I discussed the portability and its importance. I hope this article gives you a congruous answer to your query.