Spartan Precision has forged a name with its hugely popular Javelin bipod, but as Will O’Meara discovers, the new Ascent tripod is set to give the legs a run for their money
First Ascent is a mountaineering term given to the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route. In this article I want to share with you my experience of the new tripod from Spartan Precision Equipment – the Ascent. Spartan Precision prides itself on the innovation of its products. There is a huge focus on quality, functionality and weight. It struck me that the name of this tripod, ‘The Ascent’, is particularly apt, as it not only reflects the mountaineering experience of Spartan Chief Rob Gearing, but also embodies the spirit of lightweight multifunctional gear and at the same time symbolises how Spartan Precision strive to lead the way to the top using new routes and methods.
I have tested the Ascent prototype over the past year and I have really put it through its paces, I have also been in direct liaison with some other testers. In this way I was able to compare my demands to those of a serious backpack hunter in the Rocky Mountains, for example, where 10 day trips for mule deer and bear are the norm. It was interesting to compare my own findings to that of another hunter chasing similar experiences half a world away.
SPARTAN HUNTING SYSTEM
To get an idea of why Spartan produced the Ascent it is useful to look at its heritage. Spartan is probably best known for its Javelin bipod, an ultralight carbonfibre bipod that attaches magnetically, providing a bipod when you need it and minimal weight penalty when you don’t. In the early days you could buy a longer lower leg section to give you a sitting or kneeling bipod. This led to a tripod that is now the Sentinel Tripod, it uses the same spigot mount that the bipod uses and in true Spartan style it is not just a tripod – it is a monopod, a bipod, a quad or pent system, a set of trekking poles, and a tent frame system. The Spartan tripods are more than a tripod – they are an expedition hunting system.
Whilst the Sentinel was an excellent shooting tripod it did lack some of the ergonomics to make it a great tripod for glassing. Using a tripod for your binoculars and spotting scope is extremely beneficial in open mountain terrain, the use of 12x or 15x power binoculars is extremely common in the Western United States and the spotting scope is a well established tool for judging mature age class stags the w
