Vortex Optics Summit Carbon II Tripod Kit, Black

For context, I was in the market for a sturdy, compact, durable tripod to be used with a spotting scope while backpacking. I needed to have a tripod that would fit in my backpack that I could trust to mount my spotting scope on. Originally, I purchased a Vortex High Country II tripod as this was affordable but also carried the Vortex warranty. I had to return the High Country II tripod as there was no way it would fit inside my backpack, though admittedly it could have been attached to the outside. Instead I opted to spend the extra cash to get the Summit Carbon II.Upon arrival, I knew immediately this was the correct size to go hiking with. Each leg has three "joints" which permits the legs to telescope further, leading to a more compact piece of equipment. Although I wasn't originally concerned about weight, this was noticeably light and I'm sure my back will be thankful in a few years. I also liked the leg locking mechanism that prevents legs from flipping up to a larger angle from the body (picture a tripod doing a split). This can be unlocked with a single press, but it's a thoughtful mechanism to prevent equipment from dropping to the ground if you suddenly put pressure on it. I did try putting a little bit of weight on it (15lbs) and it didn't even wiggle. The design is intuitive and I can get my entire kit (tripod + scope) setup in under a minute without rushing. The sturdy feel to this product is a testament to the ongoing quality of Vortex products, and though I doubt there will ever be problems with this product I have no doubt they'd stand by their extensive warranty.Yes, it hurts the wallet to spend quite a bit of money on a piece of equipment you could technically buy at your local box store, but if you can't trust the tripod then you're less likely to use the whole setup and will be anxious the whole time it's being used. You pay what you get for, and this tripod feels like it'll be a lifetime purchase. If you plan on backpacking this is the tripod for you. I only wish that I would have bought this sooner instead of dragging my heels due to price anxiety.I'll be taking this out to a 10-day adventure in Glacier National Park, and will update upon return.UPDATE:This tripod worked excellent. We were able to setup within 1-2 minutes (depending on terrain) when we spotted wildlife. We had no issues with the locks disengaging, and were able to mount the scope quickly. We didn't have to hang a hiking back from the weight hook because we felt it was stable enough and didn't have extreme winds at the time. The only issue we came across was how tight the pan head is. When viewing long distances, having to push the handle with a bit of force so that it "unsticks" was frustrating, as it caused the field of view to jump around. I understand this "stickiness" improves stability but I wish there was more of a middle ground. I still would recommended this setup to anyone who is interested in a high-quality product that also needs to think about weight & size.

When weight matters, this is the one. Compact and light for crazy travels.

The following is a cut and paste from someone's review from 2021, because the EXACT same happened to me this weekend.Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2021 was excited to use this as it was lighter and had better features than both the outdoorsman brand and older heavier vortex that my brothers used hunting. After my first glassing setup the one leg became hard to collapse and then wouldn't retract all the way. After trying to extend and collapse the leg and get it to operate smoothly a couple of times the leg came out and the small black plastic collars that hold the legs from coming out fell out.

sturdy enough to hold my 300 Winn mag in a clamp

Best packable tripod.

First one had a leg seize up and break internally on the first day of use. Vortex overnighted me a new one. The second one the “pitch ledges” broke off one by one. The metal inside is bubbly pot metal. This is the second Summit Carbon II going back to Vortex. Otherwise Light and easy to use.

This tripod is worth the money to me. It is everything I wanted. I’ve tried the less expensive tripods and this time I didn’t want to compromise. I’m content. Thanks Vortex!

I love vortex products. But for the price you pay for this you expect it to be amazing. I loved everything about this but the swivel. I just got this for my archery hunt & wanted it for how light weight it is. The only downfall to this which is probably the most important is the swivel. It is not smooth at all! It is very bouncy. It never bonded up but just isn’t smooth, trying to glass with it isn’t the end of the world but is very annoying & just paying over $400 for something I expected way more. I know I can put a different swivel on it but the fact is I spent $400 on something I expect to not have to put a different swivel on it. I look at the swivel & can point out couple different simple things they could have done to make the swivel way better. I love how light weight it is but just the swivel. Almost tempted in returning it just because of it. I’ve bought $100 tripods which had better swivels on them.