The best spotting scope tripods keep your high-powered optics secure and supported whilst watching wildlife or the stars
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The Quick List ↩ 1. Best overall 2. Best premium 3. Best budget 4. Best for large scopes 5. Best for height 6. Best for travel How to choose How we test
Choosing the best tripod for one of the best spotting scopes takes work. It can be tempting to go for something lightweight and/or affordable, but before you go for mobility, above all else think about stability. It may seem like a necessary evil for using a spotting scope, but only a good tripod can help your observations stand up to the wind when you’re out birding, terrestrial viewing, or studying the night sky.
The rock-solid support of a tripod is crucial when using a spotting scope, but there are various designs on the market. The best choice is a full-sized tripod that reaches a head height, with other options including a more compact travel tripod and a super-compact tabletop tripod. Some tripods are sold as legs only, while others are sold as a kit with a tripod head included.
The price you’ll pay will depend on the brand and the quality of the engineering. Tripod kits that comprise a set of legs and a head can range in price from around $15/£10 to about $1,500/£1,250 for a top-of-the-range model. That’s a huge range, and each extreme is worth avoiding. Generally speaking, the best spotting scope tripods start at about $150/£150, though the use of carbon fiber will bump up the price alarmingly.
Jamie is the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com, and travels the world watching every eclipse he can and photographing the night skies. He’s our go-expert on optics such as spotting scopes and solar binoculars.
This travel tripod pairs beautifully with a spotting scope, thanks to a head that delivers fluid movement and a sturdy build beneath. Read more below…
This carbon fiber model combines reliable strength with a light weight, plus a nicely designed head to delivers precision movement. Read more below…
This eminently affordable option has an integrated pan-and-tilt head that teams up well with a spotting scope, and reaches a good height too. Read more below…
Best for large scopes
A head costs extra for this heavy-duty tripod, but that means you get to choose one you like, and the tripod itself has loads of useful features. Read more below…
This rig reaches a heady 186cm, and includes a fluid ball head and handle to allow you to line up your scope with precision. Read more below…
This travel tripod packs down pretty small, but still reaches a good height, while easy-to-use locks make setup a pleasure. Read more below…
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A flagship member of Manfrotto’s lightweight Befree line-up, this light travel tripod pairs very well with a spotting scope. Included in the kit is Manfrotto’s compact Befree 3-Way Live Head: its hydraulic damping system is made for videographers, helping them smooth, steady movements, and it’s a good complement to a spotting scope. The kit also includes a 200PL-PRO quick-release plate (which can take both Manfrotto RC2 and Arca-Swiss attachments).
The tripod itself has a lever leg-locking system, plus a strong center column to extend the maximum height to a respectable 150cm.
Read more: Manfrotto Befree 3-Way Live Advanced review
If you’re schlepping a big spotting scope around, you won’t also want to be carrying a heavy tripod. But you’ll sure need one that can reliably support your scope, particularly at high magnifications. Cue the 3 Legged Thing Jay with AirHed Cine, a pricey but impressive carbon fiber tripod that weighs an astonishingly low 1.41kg/3.1lbs yet can support a whopping 14kg/30.8lbs. That’s going to be overkill for most spotting scopes, but if you’re a videographer after a tripod capable of holding a lot of gear in various scenarios, the 3 Legged Thing Jay with AirHed Cine makes a good all-round choice.
There’s no center column here – something that almost always introduces stability – and its absence means that its maximum height is only 111.2cm/43.8”. That may be a deal-breaker for some, but if you’re most interested in stability, Jay’s leveling base will also appeal.
However, pride of place in this kit goes to the bundled AirHed Cine, a compact and controllable fixed drag head that comes with a screw-on handle for precision movements.
An entry-level aluminum tripod with a built-in fluid pan and tilt head that moves through 360º, the Svbony SA402 is an ideal partner for a spotting scope. Its all-in-one design will only suit those who plan to pair it with a spotting scope near-permanently, though elsewhere it’s got a lot going for it for outdoor use.
Weighing a mere 2.2kg/4.85lbs, it comes with a nice shoulder bag complete with an adjustable shoulder strap. It gets to 164cm/64.5” thanks to an extendable center column and, in our test, felt sturdy enough with a spotting scope mounted on top. We noticed some slight droop on the tilt axis, but nothing serious.
Read more: Svbony SA402 review
The Benro GoPlus Travel FGP18A doesn’t come with a head – but that may be a plus, because most heads bundled with tripods tend to be ball heads, which not all spotting scope users like. With your own head of choice in situ, the GoPlus Travel FGP18A is as versatile as they come, with bubble levels for easy leveling, interchangeable rubber feet, and spikes.
Two rather unusual features on a travel-friendly tripod are its pivoting center column (which gives locking angles through 180º) and the chance to use one leg as a monopod; neither is much use with spotting scopes, but if you’re after one tripod to rule them all, these options should work well for other kinds of photography. However, it’s the GoPlus Travel FGP18A’s ability to hold steady with a load of up to 10kg/22lbs that makes it ideal for larger spotting scopes.
The AD-01 3751 isn’t the strongest tripod around, but if you’re packing a relatively lightweight spotting scope then its affordability, ease of use, and precision movements make it a good choice. It may weigh just 2.86g/6.3 lbs and come with a shoulder bag, but it’s got a lot of girth; this is not the easiest tripod to travel with. Nor is it manufactured with the finest quality materials; it looks a little flimsy. However, its three-section double-shaft leg design and three-pronged spreader between the first and second stages add some extra stabilization, and its maximum height is a generous 186cm.
Crucially, it comes with a fluid two-way ball head (complete with leveling bowl base) and a detachable pan handle that makes precision movements possible. It’s compatible with DJI RS 2 and Manfrotto quick-release plates. There’s even a hidden magnetic hex key to make it easy to attach to the bottom of a sitting scope while you’re out in the field.
Read more: SmallRig Heavy-Duty Fluid Head Tripod review
Given the outdoorsy nature of spotting scopes, it’s tempting to use a travel tripod, but their reliance on an extendable center column can make them unstable. Not so the Manfrotto Befree Advanced Twist, whose center column adds an extra 23cm/9” while retaining stability. That’s largely thanks to a twisting lock at its base – hence the name – though we also loved its M-lock four-section legs. With a maximum height of 150cm, the tripod folds down to a convenient 40cm, making it easy to pack for a trip.
The included ball head is excellent, though it’s one area that may need upgrading if you’re after more precision.
heavy duty industrial tripod Read more: Manfrotto Befree Advanced Twist review