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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Colin" data-source="post: 1305553" data-attributes="member: 97">I never use a hide clamp because of the flexing of the shelf etc as outlined above.  Also, a tripod is useful en route sometimes so unless you have one of those tripods with a hide clamp assembly down the centre tube and which is very heavy it is a case of clamp or tripod.  I use a tripod with just 2 legs extended either side of mine when I am sat down and the third leg fully retracted and its foot on the seat alongside my hip.  No one is obstructed and if necessary I close the extended legs a little and put them just inside my feet.  As far as not being able to get high enough to see through the eyepiece if you have an angled scope, simply turn the scope through 90 degrees either using its bracket or with the tripod head if there is the means to do it with your tripod.  I don't have that trouble as I have always had a straight through scope.  The ones which are into sun in the afternoon are not in the early morning when generally speaking there is more activity.</blockquote>