Tripod stone bag? (1 Viewer)

[michaelmorris]

My wife and I are looking forward to a week relaxing and birdwatching in and around Blakeney in a few weeks time. We've been to area before and tried to do some seawatching from the beach at Cley. However, we were hampered by high winds buffeting/nearly blowing over the tripods on which we mounted out spotting scopes. Are stone bags such as the one below any good at stabilising a tripod with a spotting scope on?

http://www.premier-ink.co.uk/photog...pod-bags/vanguard-sb100-stone-bag-p-3998.html

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/130634723381?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&cbt=y

If yes, There don't seem to be many available. Any good sources?

 

[Keith Dickinson]

I've used a supermarket bag for this purpose in the past, awkward but cheap.

However at Cley you are best getting hunkered down on the shingle with the tripod set low to the ground for sea watching. If there are any boats drawn up on the shingle get in the lee of them.

 

[michaelmorris]

Thanks for the advice on lowering the tripod, that's something we already intended to do. Can anyone tell me whether these stone bags are any good?

 

[Merlin]

Hi Michael

I have a Velbon tripod stonebag that attaches to the legs using straps with velcro, creating a saggy hammock for stones, it was really quite cheap and works well. However I have not seen one to buy for a few years.

Prior to that I used a pull string bag attached to the bottom of the centre pole, some tripods already have a hook on, or at least have a thread so that you can you fix something on that you can hook the bag on.

I hope this may help.

regards

Merlin

 

[Stewart J.]

As above I have a Velbon one and use a carbon fibre tripod, light but with a Leica 77 telescope very top heavy and prone to toppling in high winds, the stone bag really helps with stability. But as others you cannot beat shelter.

Good birding.