Three-Legged Friend?

It’s generally accepted these days that some form of bipod is nearly mandatory for hunting and target shooting, where allowed. With the ability to be quickly deployed and used, they allow more accuracy and therefore a greater effective range. Tripods, too, have been around forever, perhaps even longer, but have mainly been employed as optical mounts for spotting scopes or cameras.

All change
I suppose the only problem with bipods is their inability to be used over uneven terrain or tall cover, where you could be too low to see the target. Alternatives have been single, double, or quad-type sticks, which are especially useful when shooting deer in high crops or at greater distances. Tripods have also made inroads with Primos’ Trigger Stick range and the more modern, Bog’s Death Grip design. 
In the early 2000s, I crafted a tripod using three cut-down broomsticks. The sticks were sharpened at one end, drilled through at the top, and bound together with paracord. Bulky but light, they proved worth their weight on many occasions, allowing comfortable sitting or kneeling shots at extended ranges.

Carbon-fibre
My Blue Peter approach cost me around a fiver to make, and I’ve seen several similar home-rolled variants. But the industry will step up. Now is the era of the dedicated carbon-fibre (CF) shooting tripod, first offered by Spartan Precision Equipment with their Capita and later Sentinel designs.
In this case, I’m looking at a product from Nieload of Denmark. They are a new name but with a flair for design. Called the Red Mist, there are three options - Ground Pod (GP), Quick Deploy (QD), and the OPS.

Built!
Apart from the dimensions, the build is identical, all featuring telescopic carbon-fibre legs secured by friction lock rings. They can hinge outwards to alter their gape, and three preset positions are locked by push/pull catches. As standard, rubber feet are fitted. Removing these reveals metal spikes, which can be replaced with metal mud/snow baskets. All of these, along with a carry bag and a set of Allen keys, are included in the package.
The GP and QD use two-section legs, while the OPS uses five. Rifle attachment is by a ball and socket head, locked by a single lever, with a combination ARCA/Picatinny rail clamp on top. Underneath is a centrally mounted triple hook, for hanging extra weight to aid stability. The build quality is good.

Weights and measures
The GP is the smallest and lightest, weighing in at 5.57 lbs and measuring 20.86” stowed. The working height at minimum gape is 20.07”. Extending the legs increases this to 27.5”. The lowest position, with legs at full gape, is 6.10”. It’s a dedicated design that cannot be used standing, only prone and sitting.
The QD weighs 6.97 lbs and measures 42.51” stowed. This is down to its greater length, due to it only having two leg sections. The first extension offers 39.37” and the second, 67.71”. The minimum height is 8.26”. It offers full standing, sitting, and prone use.
The OPS is the daddy of the bunch. It weighs 8.09 lbs and has a stowed length of 28.74”. Its five sections make it more versatile, giving working heights of 20.07”, 27.95”, 51.18”, 64.56” and 80.31”. At maximum, it offers the ability to support high, angled shots with ease. The lowest working height is 6.69”.

ARCA Swiss
The head is a ball and socket joint, with a Delrin bearing for smooth operation. It offers 360º of rotation and 45º of cant. This assembly is locked/unlocked by a large single lever, so offering varying tension, giving smooth and sure control.
Locking is by a swinging lever that moves one side of the ARCA/Picatinny clamp laterally, to engage with whatever fitting you favour. On the opposite side is a tensioning screw to ensure positive engagement. Once set up, it’s a fast and secure ON/OFF operation.
Both ARCA and Picatinny are very specific and are usually seen on dedicated forends. However, you can also buy the rails separately and fit them to any rifle with a suitable stock. This can be done by screwing direct or using M-LOK adaptors, or similar.

Daddy long legs
The leg sections are locked/unlocked by a 1/4-twist of the friction collars, and the sections slide smoothly. The gape is controlled by press-in catches that allow the legs to be set in three pre-set positions. However, to stow them, just pull them back, overriding the catches. The hinge pins can be adjusted for tension by opposed Allen-headed screws (keys provided). I did find some too tight and one actually unscrewed too. If it was me, I’d set them up and maybe a tad of Loctite to keep things secure.
Nieload also provides a nylon carry bag that is long enough to hold the tripod in one section and the scoped rifle in another. It has loops, so can be hung on the back of a car seat. However, it lacks centrally mounted handles, which would make carrying it easier.

In use
Each model has its strong and weak points, but all offer a very solid shooting platform, with the ball head clamp giving practical operation. The GP is very specific and can only be effectively used sitting or prone, although it is reasonably light and the easiest to carry.
The QD gets around the problem of deploying multiple leg sections, so is fast to get into operation. However, it is long, even when stowed and folded. But at nearly 7 lbs, it’s starting to get a bit heavy to carry. Plus, at minimum height, its footprint is very wide.
The OPS is also getting heavy at 8 lbs+, meaning it weighs about the same as a scoped/moderated stalking rifle. So, it’s not really a portable option. The maximum to minimum height is versatile, but slower to set up due to the five leg sections. It can, however, easily be used prone, and I see it more in the realm of Precision Rifle shooters, or for serious deer culling.
Interestingly, Nieload quotes all models capable of holding a 110 lb payload. The central hanging point allows something, like a pack perhaps, to add weight and stability. Conversely, extended to 80.31”, you could easily hang a Roe deer off it for gralloching!

Worth it?
Overall, some very impressive tripods that do have their uses for the hunter and precision shooter alike. Prices are steep, but anything carbon-fibre is the same if you want lightweight and stability. One aspect of the design I feel is missing is an optional, universal rifle clamp, to replace the ARCA/Picatinny unit, as it will accept any rifle, without modification. I have also been testing Nieload’s other carbon tripod, the Drakensberg Hunting Pod Lite, which offers both systems and, in some ways, I prefer it. But as always, it’s horses for courses and what you the buyer want or need.