Waterproof tripod leg covers? How to protect when shooting in salty water, mud, etc?

[l2oBiN]

I am looking for disposable plastic tripod leg covers that I can attach to extended tripod legs while shooting in mud, sand, salt water etc.

I initially thought of disposable umbrella bags but I can't seem to find where to buy them.

I did find a photographic store that sells these tripod leg covers, but 25euro seems a hell of a lot for a couple of pieces of plastic.

https://www.barkerphotographic.ie/Tripod-leg-covers-protect-water-sea-sand-set/camera-accessories

Perhaps the members here would have some suggestions on where to purchase cheap disposable leg sleeves or perhaps alternative solutions for protection?




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[locutus]

Trashbag and tiewraps/tape?

[LabRat]

If you are not actually immersed in water, but rather just mounting your tripod on wet, soggy ground, I have used small plastic plates or tea saucers under the feet to keep the tripod from getting wet or sinking in the soft, wet sand...

If you know a business that has a long heat sealer (in the shipping dept, etc), you can ask them to use their machine to easily make a # of covers from a sheet of heavy plastic sheeting, or ask them if you can use it...

Military surplus sellers might have different long covers that can be used, also...

Steve K

[Drew Bedo]

Ummmmm . . . .

I have seen, but never used, disposable glolves used for artificially inseminating cattle. They are shoulder length to a tall man . . .and disposable.

Check with a lartge animal vet.

[LabRat]

How about some thigh-high vinyl go-go boots??? The stiletto heels could be used to anchor the spread into the mud, sand etc...

The problem would be to get them in a set of 3... ;-z

Steve K

[RichardRitter]

After ruining 2 metal tripod and one carbon fiber due to sand, mud, cold weather and water freezing in the tubes. I switched over to a wooden tripod I have not had a problem since. I photograph around water and swamps a lot and sometime the temp is sometime around 0 degrees F.

Problem with plastic bags is that one hole made by the feet will let a lot of water in.

[Jim Noel]

I second Ritter. This is just one more good trait of wooden tripods.I take the time to apply a good coat of paste wax about every 6 months and have no problem from moisture including submersion.

[LabRat]

Also, maybe getting 3 pieces of PVC or ABS thin walled pipe with some end caps to slip over the lower sections of the legs????

Making it a non frustrating process is up to you...

(I prefer Richards "wooden" method using a beater set of sticks...)

Steve K

[MrFujicaman]

Here in the US, Walmart and Amazon sell vaccum sealing machines to make bags for food to be frozen. The bag material comes on 8" (203mm) and 11" (275mm) wide rolls. You seal one end and then stuff whatever in the bag and pump the air out and seal it. I can't see why you couldn't just make bags the right length and just seal the bottom and use those.

Check and see if they sell such a machine over there.

[Vaughn]

Ummmmm . . . .I have seen, but never used, disposable gloves used for artificially inseminating cattle. They are shoulder length to a tall man . . .and disposable.Check with a large animal vet.
Might be able to get used ones for free.

I have used a metal pod (Gitzo Studex) for decades -- in mud, water and whatever. never a problem. At one point I did ask for and received for free, replacement inner parts of the locking mechanisms from B&H. One thing that does help is to always extend the lower legs all the way first. This keeps mud, etc away from the locking mechanisms.

I use a Ries for my larger cameras -- wood is nice!

[Doremus Scudder]

I use both aluminum and wooden tripods and just set them up in the mud, sand, water, whatever. I try not to get dirt in the locking mechanisms, but other than that, I just clean them up after shooting with a rag I carry and give them a good cleaning at the end of the day. My wooden tripod is from the 19th century. I refinished it with tung oil and it has held up superbly.

Doremus

[locutus]

After ruining 2 metal tripod and one carbon fiber due to sand, mud, cold weather and water freezing in the tubes. I switched over to a wooden tripod I have not had a problem since. I photograph around water and swamps a lot and sometime the temp is sometime around 0 degrees F.

Yes let me second this, i shoot in swamps and seawater quite often and a wooden tripod has no problems at all with it and in addition to the environmental resistance you get a super robust and stable tripod.

[Old_Dick]

Richard, do you have any problem with water getting into the spikes? My concern is water would get trapped and rust them out.

[stawastawa]

This sounds like a promising idea,


Also, maybe getting 3 pieces of PVC or ABS thin walled pipe with some end caps to slip over the lower sections of the legs????

Making it a non frustrating process is up to you...

(I prefer Richards "wooden" method using a beater set of sticks...)

Steve K

Also, a tacking iron or regular iron might work to melt plastic bags together. there are some 'Tough' trashbags, or 3mil or thicker plastic might work.
Perhaps building in a PVC cup at the bottom of the bag would help prevent punctures too... Though having something too buoyant might compromise the tripod's stability (doubt it)

[jp]

I'm a big fan of tiltall tripods and used them for years, but they are not good for sand/mud/salt water for the reasons discussed in this thread.
And I shoot around those materials quite a bit and have ruined two of them, despite rinsing them off when I got home.
So I'll still say they are great tripods for other situations.

For sand/mud/salt outdoors stuff, I have become a fan of the wooden Ries tripod. They use materials that have worked well in those conditions for thousands of years. Wooden tripods are well proven if you can handle the slightly increase in size and weight over newer materials.

[Two23]

I carry a 12 pack of Trojans with me, because you just never know when you might need them.


Kent in SD

[l2oBiN]

The pvc pipes are impractical for carrying.

An idea of carrying some cling wrap might work?




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[John Layton]

I like the vacuum-seal idea - as this would be lightweight/compact, likely rugged enough as freezer-spec bags are usually a bit more rugged than non-freezer ones, and you'd have plenty of material to make quick replacements, at whatever length makes sense.

(but...really...the Go-Go boots would be stellar!)

[RichardRitter]

Vacuum sealing the legs.
Do you do this at home?
At what length does one vacuum seal the legs full closed or opened?
How does one change the height of the tripod in the field?
Is the vacuum sealer portable so if you want to change the leg length in the field you have it with you.

Looks like a lot of work and a pain.

I have been to and taught at a lot of workshops and have seem my share of good and bad equipment. At one workshop student put a brand new Ebony camera on a brand new carbon tripod tighten every thing down turned his back. I was walking up to the car watching the camera tilt over as one of the legs slowly slipped. The more it tilted over the faster it started moving. I caught it just in time. It was headed for a 4 foot drop over the edge into the stream. Stream was carved out of granite.

I have two wooden tripods one is about 40 years old the other is about 25 it's a Reiss J100 I sometime put a 20 x 24 camera on it with no problems and the camera that is put on the tripod.

But in the same time frame of 25 years I have gone through a lot of non-wooden tripods. Mud. sand . and water is almost impossible to keep out of the legs and the locking system. Water freezing in the legs or locking system is sometime very bad for he life of the tripod.

[Pfsor]

I did find a photographic store that sells these tripod leg covers, but 25euro seems a hell of a lot for a couple of pieces of plastic.



A hell of a lot, really? Perhaps not, considering the physical properties the sleeves must have. In any case, buying a wooden tripod is a hell more expensive option, it seems.

[Jerry Bodine]

How about some thigh-high vinyl go-go boots??? The stiletto heels could be used to anchor the spread into the mud, sand etc...

The problem would be to get them in a set of 3... ;-z

Steve K

Get 3 pair, then you're good to go-go with a backup set. :)

[Swig]

Thanks Steve - that made my morning 😊

[Drew Wiley]

Be careful or you'll have a set of pontoons making your tripod float.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Somewhere here I posted a photo of my very old Berlebach tripod. I got a ration of grief regarding its ugly, worn and weathered condition but it has been set in muddy water, the sea, sand, all kinds of conditions, and cleans up under a hose just fine. Open channel legs cannot be beat.

Oh, found the closeup.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=153614&d=1470503291

[Jim Noel]

Get a wooden legged tripod. Mine have been in creeks, muddy lakes and the ocean. When I take them out I wipe them off,then when I get home they get a good cleaning and rewaxing, and metal parts get a good oiling.

[ricolm]

I have Berlebach tripod also. It has good damping characteristic and stability.

[Drew Wiley]

I never worry about saltwater with my Ries tripods. All the metal is nonferrous, and I don't even bother re-oiling the maple legs. I Just rinse it off at the end of the day. I'm more concerning about the damage salt water can do to my leather hiking boots. They get well-rinsed too, the sooner the better, but are routinely oiled.