Oberwerk TR3 Hardwood Tripod for the XL Series
$779.95 – $829.95
Oberwerk TR3 Hardwood Tripod for the XL Series
$779.95 – $829.95
Built to order, usually takes 2-3 days.
Oberwerk TR3 hardwood tripods are the finest, safest, and most beautiful tripods on the market. They are custom-built from solid American maple (light honey finish) or optional walnut (dark and rich). They feature Slip-Stop (U.S. Pat. No. 10,281,081) leg clamps to prevent an accidental crash from a change in humidity levels. Conventional wood tripods that are left set up are prone to leg slippage due to changes in humidity. A leg clamp that was tight can loosen when humidity levels drop, causing the wood to slightly shrink- possibly resulting in a catastrophic crash of whatever the tripod is supporting. Our Slip-Stop tripod legs incorporate a visually-imperceptible reverse taper in the center section, so if a leg clamp slips due to a drop in humidity, it will re-tighten after slipping an inch or two. Simple, but effective! The legs are laser-engraved with a length scale in 1/8″ increments, for precise height adjustments. All the non-wood components* of the tripod are aluminum (no plastic), including the adjustable spreader, with engraved leg angle markings. All screws and bolts are stainless steel. This version of the TR3 tripod is specially-configured for use with our XL Series binocular telescopes up to 100mm in size (not for the BT-120XL-SD or BT-127XL-SD). It includes our carbon-fiber elevator (for 18″ of instant height adjustment) and the new SmallRig DH10 head, with dual panning handles. The Smallrig DH10 head is a substantial improvement over the Oberwerk 5000 head that we used to use on this tripod, therefore it’s now the default head for the “TR3 for the XL Series”. The Manfrotto NitroTech 608 head, with a continuously variable counterbalance system, is the ultimate for easy steering. It can also be configured with the Oberwerk XL-240 Fork Mount. Need a case? The Oberwerk Padded Tripod Case is a perfect fit.
*some parts imported
Additional information
| Weight | 20 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 48 × 8 × 8 in |
| Product Weight | 12 lbs. |
| Height range | 40"-81" |
| Leg angle range | 16-25 degrees |
| Wood | Maple, Walnut |
Jack Estes (verified owner) –
I bought the Oberwerk TR3 hardwood tripod and the upgraded Manfrotto Nitotech N8 head. I needed a more heavy duty mount for my Garrett Optical 100mm 45 degree astronomical binoculars. I also had Oberwerk engrave my name, etc. The tripod is a work of art and the Manfrotto head is perfect for heavy optical equipment. It “stays put” in any angle including straight up. I especially like the carbon fiber height elevator. I leave the tripod legs un-extended and use the elevator for height adjustment. That makes for a more stable platform.
David Hubbard (verified owner) –
I purchased the tripod for my Stellarvue 80mm birdwatching scope. Very impressive build quality in the woodwork and attention to detail of the tripod. Very attractive, especially in the dark walnut finish. I find the engraved height markings very helpful. The height elevator is very solid and works smoothly. I have the standard head that comes with the tripod and I am reasonably pleased with it. The tension adjusment needs to be adjusted when I go from horizontal to a higher angle, but it is a minor thing and once adjusted it stays put. the tripod extends to an impressive height and with the elevator fully extended you can stand under it and look thru binocs with no problem. Mount is fairly stable although there is a bit of tuning fork vibration at higher magnifications when the wind is blowing. Really does pretty well for a medium weight tripod. Overall very happy with it and it looks great sitting in the dining room looking out at the bird feeders.
Gerret Paulsen (verified owner) –
Lovely tripod, solid wood, nice colour (maple), I had ordered my Oberwerk BT from Italy, Oberwerk.eu — but they do not sell the Oberwerk tripods… Everything with my order here went smoothly 🙂 Delivery with “FedEx” took place within less than a week (Ohio to Berlin, Germany ) bravo !
No custom-fee up to now (did I escape that ? )
Matthew Wheeler (verified owner) –
High functionality meets art with this tripod. I am using this with Manfrotto 612 head and BT100XL. Excellent quality and looks great in my living room. Very easy to set up and sturdy.
Don Pasqualini (verified owner) –
This is a most beautiful and well made tripod. I purchased the walnut version. which is pure eye candy. For most users this is the only one you could ever want. It is solid as a tank, easy to setup and the head that came with it is more than adequate. I had to reluctantly return it because of my lower back pain. Without a crank style center shaft it caused discomfort to my lower back when raising and lowering it. I ordered the metal version with a crank shaft, it works well but doesn’t share the beauty of this one. I liked this one so much that if I find the right mount for my telescope I will order it for that. I almost never need to raise the shaft for a telescope. I highly recommend this product.
George Plumfield (verified owner) –
I bought the BT-82XL-ED with this tripod and the Nitrotech 608 head and all have worked wonderfully. It was great having the head attached by the great Oberwerk folks prior to delivery.
The fit and finish of all the tightening screws etc. are exceptional and easy to use in the field. Leveling with the N608’s leveling bubble is quick and darn if the leg screws do just require a bit of tightening at the correct height and then never need re-tightening. I’ve never had to worry about slippage during observing sessions with a variety of temperature/humidity conditions. And the measurement scales on them really do help.
The elevator also has proved to be quick and sure. At times I’ve had it almost fully extended with no worry of it slipping or the tripod being out of balance.
The tray is a great accessory and quick to screw on.
And the overall finish is beautiful and folks have commented on that (and my Name personalization) which is great to hear.
All heartily recommended.
Richard Kunz –
I have a Manfrotto tripod rated at handling up to 17 pounds, and I tried to make it work with my BT100XL binoculars, but it couldn’t handle the weight, and I was worried that one of the legs would give out and I’d have an expensive lesson to learn.
The TR3 is obviously designed to handle the weight and it is by far the best most functional tripod I’ve ever owned. Frankly, it should be for the price, but there are times that you have to pay for this kind of value. I’ll own the binoculars for the rest of my life and now I have a system that I have confidence in and that has increased my enjoyment of the binos.
DJ (verified owner) –
Tripods tend to be objects that are treated like stepchildren in fairy tales – ignored until you feel the need to kick something. I think the ergonomics of tripods has a significant effect on the viewing experience.
I’m annoyingly fussy about tripods – the legacy of a lifetime spent in large format photography. In that world, they have a saying – a tripod should be stable, light and cheap – you get to pick 2 out of the 3. Which is a pungent way to remind you that the word ‘tradeoff’ is sometimes used to charitably describe ‘compromised’ design.
This tripod is a superb, no-nonsense, uncompromising design. The sole purpose is to hold that load firmly, steadily, without any shift and then get out of the way. There isn’t the slightest hint of play or wobbles or vibrations, even in breezy conditions. The reverse taper is a clever idea and has the added benefit that you stop worrying about it which frees up a little more attentional resources to observing. The wood makes it much nicer to deal with in cold weather – metal will suck the life out of you whenever you touch it in cold weather, gloves or no gloves. All movements are smooth, firm and precise. Locks lock. Straps strap. Everything does what it is supposed to without slip, imprecision or fiddling. The scale on the legs is a simple thing but makes setup so much quicker and precise. The first time you use it, figure out the height you need the tripod at to ensure comfortable viewing and note the height markings on the legs. After that, you know exactly how much to extend the legs at the start of each session.
The eyepiece/beverage tray is a really good addition. Have not yet used it with beverages but the ability to have sets of eyepieces readily to hand is a joy. I put the eyepieces there and then move all the eyepiece/equipment boxes out of the way – nothing to trip over in the dark.
An excellent tripod…