Celestron Tripod, TrailSeeker Fluid Pan

The perfect tripod should be stable yet lightweight and easy to operate, requiring minimal knob twisting and lever flipping. The Celestron TrailSeeker was designed to be your perfect tripod. It is lightweight (3.94 lb.) and compact, yet it can hold up to almost 9 lbs of equipment.

The aluminum legs of the TrailSeeker Tripod are fully adjustable, not just in length, but in their angle as well. With the center column fully extended, the maximum height achieved is 70.5 inches (58 inches with the column down). Each leg is made up of four sections that can be shortened or lengthened with the flip of a simple lever lock. This makes it easy to make the tripod a little taller or a little shorter as your terrain or needs change.

Each leg can also be set to three different angles. If the place you need to set up your tripod is not perfectly flat, the ability to adjust the angle of one or more legs makes all the difference.

The center column of the TrailSeeker tripod does more than just go up and down. The bottom end of the column holds a retractable balance hook. This simple device can make all the difference in the stability of your tripod, especially on windy days. Just hang something heavy from the hook like a backpack and you’ll be amazed at the difference. When the hook is not needed, it retracts up into the center column to stay neatly out of the way.

Two of the legs come with padded wraps, providing protection for your shoulder when carrying and making it a little more comfortable to make adjustments during cold weather. The legs also feature rubber feet to keep them from sliding on slick or wet surfaces.

The Celestron TrailSeeker Tripod is topped with a two-way fluid pan head. The single handle makes it easy to move the head around, and one oversized knob adjusts the tension and locks the head in place. A quick release plate with standard 1/4-20 thread mount makes it easy to attach a spotting scope, binocular, camera, or small telescope to the tripod. The plate snaps into place when inserted into the pan head.

Other features include bubble levels, located on the top of the tripod as well as on the side of the pan head, and a tripod carry case. The case is the perfect place to store your tripod when not in use, and makes it easy to transport via the shoulder strap.