Every hunter needs appropriate hunting equipment that would not only help in successful fishing but also add to the hunter's added comfort and convenience. These are different type hunting accessories. These are the different types of shooting stands - monopods, bipods and tripods (tripods). The names of the first two have Latin and Greek roots - "mono" and "bi" mean one and two, and "under" - feet, legs. And the word "tripod" comes entirely from the Latin "tripod is", which means "three-legged".
What is Monopod?
The monopod is the most common type of shooting stand. As its name implies (monopod = one foot), it is a single pillar that is used to mount and support hunting rifles, cameras, video cameras, binoculars, and other instruments that require precision use. Monopods provide stability, facilitate and support the activity of the hunter/photographer, and are a great tool for hand-wringing when prolonged standing and using the appropriate tool are required.
The main advantage of monopods over all other shooting stands is their lightweight structure, where weight is reduced to a minimum since there is only one pole. Another positive feature of monopods is its folding construction. This makes them easy to move quickly, compact to put in your car or with your luggage on the go, thanks to the small space they occupy. In addition to being a hunting accessory, monopods can also be useful camping equipment - if one is camping in a beautiful location and wants to capture nature with his or her camera, this compact stand comes to the rescue. The versatility of monopods justifies the other name by which they are called - unipods. Let's learn a little more about their use.
Use of monopods
Photography
The monopod serves as a camera stand. It provides stability, allowing the photographer to take sharper shots at slower shutter speeds and / or longer focal lengths. The monopod can also be used when shooting video - when held by the hands, the camera is not always stable, and by placing it on a monopod, there is no risk of blurring the picture in random movements or flickering. When the camera is held only by a monopod, the vibration in the vertical direction is eliminated. And when the monopod rests on another large object, a more stable stand is formed, eliminating horizontal jitter.
Some types of photography monopods are arranged so that the camera adheres to the chest, abdomen or waist of the photographer through a special adapter. This provides good but not excellent shooting stability for a subject. In this case, the camera moves with the photographer, without any flicker during the movements. These types of monopods are also extremely compact - they are retractable on the principle of a telescope quickly and easily, earning them first place in mobility among tripods and other types of photo stands.
The latest trends in terms of photography monopods are the so-called "selfie sticks". It helps with self-shooting and is a telescopic handle that can be retracted and unfolded, and a rubberized base holder that holds the phone or camera during self-shooting. The grip is firm and the rubberized bases do not allow the device to slip.
The materials that make monopods for photography are most often either carbon (lightweight, durable, at a higher price), or aluminium (also lightweight and durable, but at a more affordable price than a carbon monopod). The height, which usually allows for adjustment, varies between 150 and 210 cm in expanded form.
Hunting equipment
Monopods are also used as firing stands. They are suitable for holding small firearms as they do not provide the best stability. A preferred material for making monopods is aluminium, as it is lightweight and reliable. The folded position is compact in size, and the unfolded is usually about 1.80m (photography monopods offer larger sizes for high-angle shooting, but when the monopod is intended for a shooting stand, no great height is needed). The hunter can adjust the height to suit himself. Since hunting monopods are not the most stable weapon stands, it is recommended that they be driven into the ground for better security. In such cases, the rubber nozzle placed at the bottom of the arm to protect the monopod from sliding must be removed.
The top of the monopod usually has a V-shaped holder that can also be dismantled, thus extending the application of the device - a camera stand can be fitted in the place of the holder. Monopods have several sections that are adjustable by sliding and allow convenient adjustment of the length required in the particular case. Three-section monopod and four-section firing monopod are considered good helpers during hunting. Usually, an auxiliary arm is provided to the latter, which serves as an example of a rifle and provides even greater stability to the monopod. Using a special strap attached to the main arm, the additional strap can be fixed at different angles.
What is Bipod?
Bipods are another type of firing stand that includes not one but two pillars to provide more stable support for the weapon. They can also serve a variety of needs - both for hunting and photographic purposes. Their purpose is not only accurate shooting but also providing a stable support for the device in need of rest. The bipods guarantee stability on two axes of movement - vertically and horizontally. The concept of this device has been known since the last century and is widely used not only as photographic or hunting equipment but also widely used by agencies such as NASA.
The bipod can be placed on the ground, on a low wall, or other object for support. It can be either fixed or adjustable height, and just like monopods, it offers a telescope-folding function. Better types of bipods for hunting can be tilted and have a certain tilting point, allowing the weapon to move left and right, which helps to improve horizontal visibility in rough terrain, as well as for the comfortable position of the hunter, located on the ground. There are three ways in which some types of hunting bipods can be folded - away from the shooter, to the shooter, or vertically.
Bipods provide more stability than monopods, though the second "foot" makes it heavier and less compact than the other type. All types of bipods for firearms can hold rifles and machine guns, providing rest at the hands and reduces movement, which is an important factor during hunting. They can also be used for different types of long-range weapons.
Many types of bipods represent two monopods connected at the top, which, upon dissolution, form a V-shaped holder. The rifle is supported by the rifle holder, thus ensuring good precision and stability during firing. Folding bipeds (most often ones for compactness) have several folding sections that can be easily adjusted until the perfect firing position is found. The material is often lightweight and high-quality aluminium, although other types of metals, such as steel, are suitable for bipod production, this option is preferred. Steel is the strongest material possible for any structure, but compactness is an important requirement in this case. This is why aluminium legs are particularly useful hunting equipment that can be used as a stand for both weapons and cameras.
The principle of the two-legged ordinary design is also included in the design of NASA space shuttle launchers. The concept here, however, is different - NASA scientists use bipod design to create a launchpad for their rocket ships, ie. to serve as a runway. The "bipod start" system is a revolution in the way space shuttles fly into space in a straight vertical line.
What is a tripod?
The tripods have three pillars, providing better stability from the monopods and the bipods while keeping the appliance moving horizontally and vertically. Their only drawback is that it can be heavier and bulkier. Unlike bipods, tripods can be used to hold both smaller and large and heavy firearms. When the weapon is placed on the tripod, it is easy to use in the hands of the shooter and he does not feel pain in his arms and it is placed more securely. Shooting accuracy is another plus - the tripods also provide good precision and guarantee maximum comfort. Some types of tripods are specially adapted for holding a gun.
Tripods are best for shooting with a machine gun or very heavy firearm. They are not suitable for hunting equipment, weight and volume-wise. You should have as compact and stable as possible, so hunters prefer monopods and bipod.
Other applications of tripods
Culture
Many cultures including the ancient peoples of China and Greece comply with the principles of tripods in the construction of ornaments, trophies, sacrifices, cookware or pots, as well as decorative ceramic vessels. This type of pottery is an important part of the archaeological heritage of China, which was produced by the earliest Neolithic cultures of the 7th and 8th centuries BC. Ritual tripods characteristic of Ancient China, which were either ceramic or bronze. The ritual object was either three or four-legged.
The Chinese use the so-called Victims tripods, even in modern times, but symbolically. The bronze "Tripod of National Unity", presented in 2005 by the Central Chinese Government of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, Northwest China on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of that government, is a traditional Chinese sacrifice object symbolizing unity.
Photography
You can also find monopods and bipods, tripods, in photography. They are safe in the stability of the camera and are more useful when exposed at slow shutter speeds or when using telephoto lenses - in this case eliminating any movement of the camera that is created and opened to allow uses image viewer. Tripods with the means to get the best picture quality, so it is recommended to at least flicker on the device. Maximum brightness and precise framing of the image is achieved.
