AllOutdoor Review: The Vortex Optics Mountain Pass Tripod
Nicolas Lenze 06.28.23
The Milky Way spins at a speed of 130 miles per second. The Earth orbits the sun at about 68,000 miles per hour. The Earth is constantly spinning, and tectonic plates shift without pause beneath your feet. As your heart beats and lungs expand, your body moves. Stability is an illusion and keeping still is impossible. However, we crazy humans have found ways of keeping our cameras, optics, and firearms as stable as possible. Perhaps the most stable invention is the tripod. First invented in the early 1800s, the modern tripod has a long lineage of improvements. As time has passed, materials have gotten lighter and stronger. Vortex Optics recently released their Mountain Pass tripod, made for those who need to carry (perceived) stability with them in the field.
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The Vortex Mountain Pass Tripod: Specifications
- Minimum height: 9″
- Maximum height: 56″
- Maximum weight: 22 lbs.
- Weight: 3.1 lbs.
- Head: ARCA-SWISS
- MSRP: $224.95
From The Box To My Table
Upon opening the box, I removed the tripod itself, a carrying case, tools for assembly, and the manual. The tripod offers adjustable leg angles and three points of height adjustment per leg. The feet are rubber for traction in less-than-ideal terrain and weather. It uses an ARCA-SWISS head, making it perfect for a camera.
The pan handle is adorably tiny, but rigid and has a feeling of durability. The operation is smooth enough, but don’t accept the butter that often accompanies tripods with a price tag higher than Tommy Chong.
The Vortex Mountain Pass is clearly meant to strap to your backpack as you hike through the backcountry. Its minimal weight is immediately apparent and my mind went straight to wildlife photography. Many of us who enjoy the outdoors also enjoy immortalizing it in photographs.
Standing Tall And Snapping Photos
Thinking of the Vortex Mountain Pass from the perspective of nature photography covers both the subject of photography and its use as a spotter’s tripod. I wandered into the plains of eastern Colorado to see what I could capture. We’ve had an incredible amount of rain this summer, and life is abundant. I had the Mountain Pass attached to the outside of my AttackPAK 249 Pack. I tend to be a bit rough on my things and may have bumped and scratched the tripod a few times. Aside from the banging noises, I was completely unaware of the added gear.
I made it to my destination and set up shop. I was shooting on a Canon EOS M3 with an EF-M 18-55mm lens. Without a more powerful lens, wildlife was elusive at best. That doesn’t mean that there was no beauty. The Mountain Pass held the camera steady for some good shots.
One of the issues I have a lot is edge blurs that occur when I’m zoomed all the way in and taking unsupported photos. With the Mountain Pass, this was no longer an issue.
The ability to quickly adjust the length and angle of each leg was incredibly valuable. There were a lot of prickly plants that I needed to walk through, and getting in and out quickly made it not so bad. If you’re using the Mountain Pass to stabilize a spotting scope, quickly getting in and out of position is even more important.
On Its Own Three Feet
The Vortex Mountain Pass tripod delivers. The entire time I’ve been writing, which has been about three years, I’ve been taking photos without a tripod. If you’re getting serious about your photography or spotting for your friends, a tripod is an invaluable tool.
The feet are nothing cool or innovative but they work well. I never had the tripod slip, even when I was on questionable terrain. I don’t know why we tend to equate heavy with durable, but even at three pounds, the tripod felt formidable. None of my abuse led to any obvious problems.
At the top of each leg is a simple locking mechanism that keeps the Mountain Pass from crumbling under the weight of your gear. Pull out to adjust, then push in to lock. I’ve been using the Mountain Pass tripod quite a bit. I took it on a recent family camping trip, and the stability I gained was complimented by the ability to wait for the right shot, like this image of my baby daughter enjoying her pool.
If you’re interested in picking one of these up, head to the Mountain Pass product page on the Vortex Website. Make sure you also look out for Vortex on their social media pages. You can find them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Go outside, be active, and enjoy the world around you. Maybe even take a camera!
