Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
This 1.5 lb mountain-ready kit pairs the Wiser Precision Ridge Warden head, Aziak Backcountry Lite Tripod, and Kowa TSN 550 to slash pack weight while staying rock solid for glassing and real shooting.
Why This Ultralight Glassing Tripod Setup Actually Shoots
When you spend real time in the mountains, weight stops being an abstract number and becomes something you feel in your hips, your knees, and your lungs. Ounces equal pounds, and pounds equal pain is not a slogan. It is a lesson learned the hard way. This setup exists because of that reality. The Kowa TSN 550 Prominar Spotting Scope, Aziak Backcountry Lite Tripod, and Wiser Precision BT-20 Ridge Warden Ball Tilt Head, combined with your premium binoculars, create what I believe is the lightest truly serious backcountry glassing and shooting platform available.
Table of contents
- Why This Ultralight Glassing Tripod Setup Actually Shoots
- Wiser Precision Ridge Warden Head: Tiny Weight, Big Control
- Aziak Backcountry Lite Tripod: 1.5 lb Mountain Combo With Muscle
- Kowa TSN 550 Prominar: Compact Spotter With Real Reach
- Real-World Results: Hike Lighter, Glass Longer, Shoot Better
- Specs And Weights For The Ultralight Glassing Tripod Setup
- Pros And Cons For Backcountry Hunters
- Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest
Wiser Precision Ridge Warden Head: Tiny Weight, Big Control
The Ridge Warden ball head is the heart of the system. As far as I know, there is nothing else on the market that delivers smooth panning, stability, strength, and ARCA compatibility at this weight. It is incredibly light but still feels like a real piece of equipment, not a compromise tool. The pan and tilt movement is smooth and controlled, which matters when you are glassing distant ridgelines for extended periods.
This is my favorite lightweight tripod head, bar none, and is worth every penny. It’s incredibly strong enough to handle my Kowa 99 spotter and shoot off of with a relatively heavy rifle.
The ability to lock it into tilt/pan-only mode for controlled glassing and then instantly unlock full ball movement to level a rifle on uneven terrain matters in the real world, where flat shooting positions are rare. It transitions from glassing to shooting in seconds without swapping hardware.
Weight: 3.3 oz (94 g) without handle / 3.8 oz (108 g) with carbon-fiber handle
Wiser Precision
MSRP: $299.99
Aziak Backcountry Lite Tripod: 1.5 lb Mountain Combo With Muscle
The Aziak Backcountry Lite Tripod is what makes the entire system viable as both a glassing platform and a shooting rest. This tripod is extremely light yet does not feel fragile. It packs small, deploys fast, and locks up solid. With the Ridge Warden mounted, this setup is stable enough to shoot a full-size rifle from real field positions. This is not theoretical. You can load into it and make precise shots when prone is not an option and terrain forces you into seated or kneeling positions.
Weight: 18.9 oz with short center column, 20.4 oz with long center column. Load capacity: 14 lb Collapse length: 15.5 in. Max height: 45 in (long column) / 35 in (short column)
Aziak Equipment
MSRP: $299.99
This tripod is purpose-built for backcountry hunters seeking weight savings and serious performance. The carbon-fiber legs, quick-deploy design, and solid 14 lb load capacity make it fully capable for optics or a light rifle when paired with Ridge Warden.
Kowa TSN 550 Prominar: Compact Spotter With Real Reach
The Kowa TSN 550 Prominar spotting scope is the perfect match for a lightweight system like this. It keeps overall pack weight down while still delivering optical performance sufficient for long-range spotting. The compact form factor works exceptionally well on this tripod, and the balance point sits right where you want it for smooth tracking.
There is a newer version of the Kowa, but the older version has very similar glass, is less expensive, and weighs less.
MSRP: $2,099.00 according to standard retail listings.
With the scope mounted, the set remains packable and manageable for long hikes. For binocular glassing, I pair with the most appropriate high-end optics I own (e.g., SIG 10K II for shooting focused or Swarovski NL Pure 12×42 with the Aziak bino clamp for glassing focused). That combo turns the tripod into a rock-solid binocular glassing station, allowing hours behind glass, then easily switching to scope or rifle without breaking down the tripod.
Real-World Results: Hike Lighter, Glass Longer, Shoot Better
What makes this entire setup special is not any single component but how everything works together in the field. You hike lighter. You glass longer. You stabilize better. You shoot more effectively when prone is not an option. There is no wasted weight and no weak link. It is rare to find a setup that legitimately excels at both glassing and shooting without compromise, but this one does.
For anyone who takes backcountry hunting seriously and wants to cut weight without sacrificing capability, this setup earns its place. It is not about chasing minimalism for the sake of minimalism. It is about carrying less while doing more, and this system flat out delivers on that promise.
Specs And Weights For The Ultralight Glassing Tripod Setup
| Head | Wiser Precision BT-20 Ridge Warden Ball Tilt Head |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.3 oz (94 g) without handle / 3.8 oz (108 g) with carbon-fiber handle |
| Mount | ARCA compatible |
| MSRP | $299.99 |
| Tripod | Aziak Backcountry Lite Tripod |
| Weight | 18.9 oz with short center column, 20.4 oz with long center column |
| Load Capacity | 14 lb |
| Collapse Length | 15.5 in |
| Max Height | 45 in (long column) / 35 in (short column) |
| MSRP | $299.99 |
| Spotter | Kowa TSN 550 Prominar |
| MSRP | $2,099.00 |
Pros And Cons For Backcountry Hunters
- Pros: True 1.5 lb class carry with tripod and head, smooth pan and tilt for hour-long glassing, instant ball-head unlock for leveling rifles, stable enough to shoot from seated and kneeling, packs short and deploys fast.
- Cons: Premium pricing across components, max height limits for tall shooters with short column, load capacity best with light to midweight rifles.
Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest
- Tripod Shooting Tips and Field Positions
- Spotting Scopes for Hunters: What Matters
- ARCA Rails and Heads for Mountain Rifles
Available on GunsAmerica Now
As the Editor-in-Chief of GunsAmerica, Hunt365, Decoding Darkness, and Suppressor Academy, True Pearce brings a rare blend of legal expertise, competitive shooting credentials, and deep hunting knowledge to the forefront of the firearms world. A former professional sponsored 3-Gun and Multigun competitor with multiple championships and titles, True’s shooting career began in long-range and tactical sniper matches—and he still burns powder in precision competitions, now branching into Hunter NRL.
A certified firearms instructor who has trained over 10,000 students face-to-face, True has also served on both sides of the courtroom as an attorney and currently as an elected Prosecuting Attorney. He has prosecuted and defended high-profile self-defense and firearms cases, giving him a unique, real-world perspective on the Second Amendment.
Outside the courtroom and off the range, True is a true western outdoorsman. A lifelong hunter and rancher, he rides and hunts off his own string of horses and pack animals, chasing elk, mule deer, wolves, coyotes, and anything else in season. He’s a longtime reloader, producing both precision rifle ammo and, back in the day, handloading over 40,000 rounds of 9mm and 5.56 annually for competition.
He’s also a thermal and night vision expert, known for his obsession with high-end optics, and is rarely found without a camera or a guitar nearby. Whether he’s glassing a distant ridge, reviewing cutting-edge gear, or deep in legal research, True brings passion, precision, and grit to everything he does.
Experience:
– Professional Shooter – Sponsored 3-Gun & Multigun competitor with multiple titles and a foundation in long-range and sniper/tactical matches.– Firearms Instructor – Certified instructor with over 10,000 students trained face-to-face.– Elected Prosecuting Attorney – Attorney with real-world experience defending and prosecuting self-defense and gun-related cases.– Hunter & Rancher – Horseback hunter with a working ranch, passionate about elk, deer, predator, and backcountry hunting.– Reloading & Ballistics Expert – Precision reloader and former high-volume competition handloader.– Optics Authority – Known for his deep knowledge and unrelenting standards in optics, thermal, and night vision gear.– Outdoor Creative – Avid photographer, guitar player, and outdoorsman with a sharp eye for gear and storytelling.– 2A Advocate – Committed to protecting the Second Amendment and educating Americans about their rights and responsibilities.