Don replied: "I'm 6 ft tall and use a Bogen
3021. This is sort of a standard photographer's tripod, much more
stable than the typical lightweight scope tripods or less rugged
tripods sold for photographic purposes by the likes of Slik (yecch)."

IMHO the Bogen 3010 with the smallest fluid head is *more* than adequate
for a scope of any magnification. It also builds strong muscles twelve
ways; its weight increases as the square of the distance you carry it. It's
not the weight of the scope, it's the weight of the tripod that's a killer.
I've gone in the opposite direction and use a Bogen for photography where
camera shake *is* important and a Slik (!) for my scope where the human
eye, being gimbaled, can keep the object centered while the scope may move
around it (slightly). The fluid head with a removable mounting plate
allows you to switch between a scope and a camera, so you need carry only
one tripod. The fluid head avoids all that monkeying around with knobs
when you move the scope to follow something. (Incidently, when you use a
center post on a tripod you've turned it into a monopod.)

Unless there's a local sale I suggest mail-ordering to either B & H or
Adorama in New York (ads in Popular Photography).

I recommend duct-taping some water pipe insulation to the legs if you're
going to carry the scope on your shoulders for any length of time. The
alternative is a carrying strap or a small pack. Although Bogen makes a
strap, it's not padded so I suggest an Eagle Creek "Ultimate Travel Strap"
(available from Campmore, among others), or one of the neoprene bino/camera
straps, slightly modified.

(Don, Bogen will sell you nice, new flip locks unless you *like* using a
wrench!:-T)

Herb Curl
Seattle WA


h.curl at hazmat.noaa.gov "You may be only young once but you can be
Hazmat/NOAA, 7600 Sand Pt. Wy., NE immature the rest of your life."
Seattle, WA 98115-0070
(206) 526-6272