[Dave Smith]

At the Lee Valley bash, I took my 4 year old tripod, a Velbon Delta, to the In Focus stand to arrange a repair. One of the lever catches had snapped off on a very frosty morning.

It was returned yesterday, repaired free of charge. Not bad eh!

Dave

It's nice to know that important members of the birding fraternity, like BF members, can still get excellent service Dave! Well done to In Focus.

[Dave Smith]

Only one snag Peter. This evening I was getting my stuff ready for a birding trip tomorrow when one of the tripod legs snapped off at the top :-((

Is somebody trying to tell me something?!

[Andrew]

You didn't wanna do it like that!!

That is a real b****r of a thing to happen, I would be swearing like a docker if that happened to me at that moment. I hope you can arrange an alternative course of action.

Sorry to hear about your bits dropping off Dave. It comes to us all in time. Where did you buy the tripod?

[Dave Smith]

I bought it with the scope from In Focus. I'm rather tempted to cut my losses and not bother to go back to In Focus as there isn't a store near here. It was a fairly cheap tripod. The trouble is I want one NOW but am somewhat confused with the wide range available. The carbon fibre Manfrottos seem rather too expensive to me. They don't improve the view through the scope, just hold it steady and not be so heavy to carry. Is that really worth £300 ?

[Andrew]

I got the metal Manfrottos and really love them but with experience I would love two. A carbon one would be worth is lightness in gold (good word play there?) on full days' birding. I do curse having a metal manfrotto on long day's. It is great for steady viewing though.

I think Andrew is right. If you've got the dosh, a carbon fibre beastie is well worth it for a long day's walking. The ideal scenario is to have two tripods.

[Andrew]

I'll have to start putting pound coins in my penny jar!!

[digi-birder]

I recently changed from the metal Manfrotto to the carbon fibre one and the difference in carrying around with scope attached is well worth it - and it's warmer on the hands if you have to touch the legs. I find it every bit as stable as the metal one, although I haven't been on a Norfolk beach with it yet! Then again, the metal one couldn't stand that very well.

[Dave Smith]

Thankyou for all the replies. After reading all the threads on tripods I have decided to go for the Manfrotto 443 with the 200 head.

[Dave Smith]

Thanks Kevin. I already have the 443 with 200 head from Kay Optical. Ordered it Tuesday, it arrived Wednesday. My first impressions are extremely favourable. I haven't tried it in the field yet but it seems very stable, smooth to control the scope and very comfortable to carry. In Focus don't really deal with Manfrotto tripods, otherwise I'd have gone to them. I didn't really think of Abberton even though I bought my scope from an In Focus display there and more recently bought my bins from the centre. I tried Kay Optical because of two personal recommendations. They were extremely helpful. Thanks for the tip, I should have thought of it myself.