Viper-Flex^® Minor – for prone shooting

Hunting tripod – the ultralight rest for prone shooting

Prone is the most stable shooting position a hunter has. The body rests on the ground, the centre of gravity is low, and pulse and breathing transfer less to the rifle than in any other position. But the position demands one thing: a solid rest for the fore-end at the right height. The classic answer is a bipod mounted on the rifle – but more and more hunters choose a small, freestanding tripod instead.

What is a tripod for prone shooting?

A tripod is a three-legged support that stands on the ground in front of you and carries the fore-end for prone shooting – the rifle stays exactly as it is, with no mounts and no extra grams. Viper-Flex® Minor is exactly that kind of tripod: carbon fibre, just 220 grams, and so compact that it rides in a pocket or on the binocular harness until needed. The height adjusts telescopically from 27.5 to 36.5 cm, and the rubber feet hold on both hard and soft ground. Lean gently into the tripod in position – and you add stability to the rest yourself.

See the product: Viper-Flex® Minor 3 – short tripod for prone shooting, 220 grams of black carbon fibre.

Tripod or bipod – which should you choose?

A bipod is a two-legged support mounted directly on the rifle's fore-end and folded out when the shot is to be taken prone. It is widely used on the range and for hunting styles with long, planned shots – but it stays on the rifle all day, and the weight and balance change with every step, including all the hours it is not in use. The tripod solves the same task freestanding: the same low, calm rest, but the rifle carries nothing, and the support only comes out when it is needed.

When do you shoot prone while hunting?

Prone shooting belongs where the terrain is open and the distances long: on farmland, on the range before the season opens, and on hunts in open country where you have time to get all the way down and perfect the rest before the shot. Precisely because the chance often comes after a long wait or stalk, it pays that the tripod weighs so little that it is always with you – instead of staying at home because it was too heavy or awkward to bring.

Part of the Viper-Flex® system

Minor is built on the same principles as the rest of the Viper-Flex® range: black carbon fibre, low weight, fast handling in the field – and every part can be replaced individually, so your investment lasts for many seasons. If your rest also needs to work standing and kneeling, a set of four-legged shooting sticks is the natural next step: see the full range under shooting sticks.