Excellent optics are worth their weight in gold. However, you’ll never spy as many critters as possible without a top-end tripod, head, and other optic-mounting accessories. Tricer makes kingpin tripods and optic-mounting devices you can trust!
by Jace Bauserman
As a western hunter, I rely heavily on my optics. However, for years, I struggled with the idea of toting a spotting scope and tripod into the mountains and canyon lands where I hunted.
Why?
Weight, mostly. Plus, I assumed my offhand glassing was good enough. As has often been the case in my life, I was wrong.
Year ago, I embarked on an intensive scouting journey after being fortunate enough to draw a once-in-a-lifetime bighorn sheep tag. My trusted hunting partner and best friend, Grafton Singer, was by my side. Graf, who had successfully hunted Desert Bighorn Sheep and his Rocky Mountain Big Horn four years prior, was a wealth of knowledge and experience.
The author’s best friend, Grafton Singer, is an optic guru. Singer uses the best glass possible along with top-end tripods and heads.
As I set up my binos on a pair of Primos Shooting Sticks for our first evening of glassing, I couldn’t help but be impressed by Graf’s setup. He effortlessly attached his 15-power binos to a lightweight, top-tier tripod, a sight that piqued my curiosity.
I’d finished scanning a distant hillside and moved on to the next. That’s when Graf said, “Rick (he calls me Rick), got nine rams.”
I stepped behind him, propped my binos on the shooting sticks, and lined up with his position.
Nothing.
Then, after watching him lock his binos in place, I peered through them. Sure enough, nine rams bedded in a rocky crag I’d scanned three times.
That evening, I learned the importance of excellent optics and a winning tripod.
Enter Tricer!
The Tricer-AD
I smiled when I opened the box containing my new Tricer-AD Tripod and put it in my hands. The tripod came with a 16-inch center column with a hang hook attached, and the total weight was only 33 ounces. This is partly due to streamlined engineering, 8x carbon fiber leg construction, and lightweight but durable aluminum.
I applaud the 1/4-turn Twist Locks—each leg has two. The locks are as smooth as silk, and the rubber, easy-to-grip over-molding ensures precise functionality. The tripod, with the 16-inch center column, has a maximum height of 64 inches and a folded standard height of 23 inches without the LP Head attached.
The Turn Twist Locks are grippable, smooth, and the legs adjust easily.
Both legs have rounded rubber feet that come to a slight point, and I found them to grip any terrain I tested them on. Plus, the rubber feet are quiet, and the tripod can hold 26.4 pounds of weight; the last thing you want is leg slippage when your pricy glass is attached. I love the design of the feet.
Another super-sweet feature of the AD is when all legs are folded in, a downward press on any of the three aluminum levers located above the top Turn Twist Locks allows you to adjust the angle of each leg individually. When glassing on uneven ground, this feature is worth its weight in gold. And because your tripod doubles as a shooting tripod via the addition of the FG or RG shooting heads, you’ll be thrilled to know the tripod comes with a four-inch center post, and with the legs kicked out a full 85 degrees, you can shoot prone.
The Tricer-LP Head
My go-to head attachment is Tricer’s-LP. The ultra-compact head weighs 4.5 ounces, accepts Arca-Swiss mounts, and the carbon handle sports a padded rubber over-mold grip. I found the grip comfortable, and it operates efficiently with sweaty hands or if Mother Nature gets moody.
The 3/8-16 threads fit all standard tripods, and the twist/lock in-and-out head locks mounting plates down firmly. You can run the handle in front of or behind your optics. I know many western hunters prefer to run their handle out in front of them, but I’m an oddball. I like the handle behind the optic. With the Tricer-LP Head, you can place the handle wherever you want it. A counterclockwise turn of the handle unlocks it, allowing up/down movement. A clockwise turn locks up/down movement in place. For left/right movement, unlock the black locking lever, make your adjustment, and then lock the lever down.
Not only do I applaud the head’s functionality, but once attached to the tripod, it is one of the quickest and most simplistic tripod systems to deploy. It will serve you well in the backcountry or during any hunting mission, regardless of the terrain.
Field Test
I never stop scouting for elk, and this past weekend, I put my Trice-AD, LP Head, and Bino Adapter in my ALPS’ Elite Frame +3800 Pack and did some glassing from a canyon rim.
No elk were spotted, but I did glass turkeys, deer—whitetail and mule—and a lone black bear.
I always start my glassing sessions with my 10-power binos. With the AD and LD Head, attach the Bino Adapter, add your binos, and viola; your glassing mission gets an upgrade.
The LD Head is remarkably smooth, which allows you to grid slopes from left to right, drop down, and come back from right to left. Of course, you can glass however you wish. This system works for me, though. When an animal is spotted, lock-down is absolute, and you can quickly remove the Bino Adapter, add your spotting scope with an attached Arca-Swiss plate, and zoom in to confirm.
This is one of the most functional tripods I have ever tested, and it will be my go-to tripod, head, etc. for all of my 2024 hunts. My first hunt of the year is a Nevada bowhunt for mule deer hunt. The season begins August 10, so it won’t be long before I can provide another report on what appears to be the best tripod system I’ve ever used.
