primos gen 3 trigger stick (tripod)

[kripton]

Son-in-law has been given primos gen 2 trigger stick tripod for his birthday - It is brand new, hasn't been used and obviously works perfectly and the idea seems brilliant. However reading the comments on this forum there seem to be issues with the legs corroding or jamming following a wet stalk. Has anyone tried the gen 3 version and if so with what result - have the issues been resolved and if so, how?
Also can anyone recommend any alternative trigger sticks (particularly tripods) which have a better reliability record after, say, a year or two of use? I am a very amateur stalker and only get out about once or perhaps twice a month (including foxing) so any stick would have relatively little use in a year.

 

[stubear]

I cant remember which version I had but I had a set of the Primos trigger sticks and they did indeed fail as you mention after being out in heavy rainfall.

Basically one of the legs jammed fully extended and then eventually went completely loose so you couldnt put any weight on it, and then shortly after the other two legs seized. In the end I sent them back to Amazon and they refunded me.

Its a shame because I think when they work they are excellent, and the trigger function is very useful.

In the end I replaced them with a set of Bog Pod tripod sticks. They're not trigger but I borrowed a set from Marcel when I was out with Malc at his ground earlier in the year and they were ludicrously stable and very well made. I also noticed that a lot of the YouTube hunting channels use them - Keith Warren for one.

If they're good enough for Keith then they're good enough for me

 

[Greymaster]

The trigger sticks rely on the outer legs gliding over the inner legs when the trigger is activated, locking into position when the trigger is released. This is a very useful feature when on even ground as the rest can be leveled one-handed. The later generation allowed the legs to splay out so that they could be used while kneeling or even sitting.

They are a useful piece of stalking equipment.

However, there have been a number of complaints that after use in heavy rain. Basically, people are complaining that their neglect has led to deterioration of their trigger stick.

I once left a damp carbon steel bladed knife in its plastic scabbard and next time I came to use it the blade had rusted. A friend put theirs in the dishwasher cutlery tray and the blade came out completely covered in rust. I have not seen fit to post a complaint that misuse and abuse of my stalking equipment has led to deterioration of same.

I have had my Primos trigger stick for 5 years and it still works as well as it did on first use.


However, my extendable hide poles often fail to work reliably because they were left out in the rain and not dried out after use. I'd love to blame the manufacturer but I know whose fault it really is.

 

[Orion]

Haven't had a look at a Gen III unit but I did a strip and service on the Gen II version which may assist anyone with sticky leg syndrome:

https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/showthread.php/132613-Primos-Gen-II-Trigger-Stick-strip-and-maintenance?

 

[mchughcb]

Dont extend them until you are read to shoot. Wipe with a rag before retraction in wet conditions. Should last a few years of hunting.

 

[ashray]

morning ,i have the primos 2 sticks and they are in daily use.they work well and after 2 years use one leg is slower to lower than the others but not a particular problem.it still does its job.i would have had to pass up a few shots with out it so it has paid for its keep.

 

[FISH BOY]

Had mine for a few years now and still as good as new.

I wipe any gun I've used with an oily rag every time afterwards - I also do the legs of the trigger stick if its been used.

Awesome bit of kit with the cradle.

 

[Bandit Country]

Basically, people are complaining that their neglect has led to deterioration of their trigger stick.

I'm amazed that you are so well informed about how I looked after my Primos Trigger Sticks. I'd be fascinated to learn how you know so much about the level of care I devote to my equipment...

I'm afraid the reality is that the design is incapable of reliably excluding grit, crud and moisture. You may well have a set that work faultlessly for a number of years. You may be unfortunate and suffer a significant equipment failure in a very short time. I suspect a number of factors will apply, including total hours of operation, your care and maintenance regime and a range of environmental factors?

 

[Sako75Hunter]

Son-in-law has been given primos gen 2 trigger stick tripod for his birthday - It is brand new, hasn't been used and obviously works perfectly and the idea seems brilliant. However reading the comments on this forum there seem to be issues with the legs corroding or jamming following a wet stalk. Has anyone tried the gen 3 version and if so with what result - have the issues been resolved and if so, how?

I'm in the market for a shooting tripod, but haven't been able to decide on which is best. The ground I shoot on is mostly VERY rough/uneven, and the distances would rarely be over 100 yards, so I'm not interested in quad sticks.

I very much like what I've seen (only online videos) of the Primos Trigger tripod, as the trigger operation looks really handy and quick to set up in the sort of rough terrain I'm in. On the downside a lot of people have complained (on here) about the legs sticking if not maintained attentively, especially in wet conditions. And where I live is super-wet! I look after my stuff fairly well, but at the same time am instinctively nervous of gear that needs too much mollycoddling, especially as these sticks are not at all cheap.

I'm also having difficulty working out whether there's much difference (that would matter to me) between the Primos Gen 2 and Gen 3 tripods, particularly regarding the OP's original question as to whether the earlier reliability problems have been resolved with the Gen 3 tripod. Does anyone here have any experience with the Primos Gen 3 tripod, and can they make a comparison with the Gen 2?

Cheers

 

[JTO]

Haven't had a look at a Gen III unit but I did a strip and service on the Gen II version which may assist anyone with sticky leg syndrome:

https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/showthread.php/132613-Primos-Gen-II-Trigger-Stick-strip-and-maintenance?

I've got two sets and both have failed in circumstances described above. I went to your thread, but the visual stuff doesn't work.

 

[Sako75Hunter]

I've got two sets and both have failed in circumstances described above.

Two sets of Gen 2?

 

[JTO]

Two sets of Gen 2?

Yeah! I bought a second one after the first one was stolen, but it was found and returned.
I had a video of a couple of toerags walking off with it, I found out who they were via facebook, told the police, who said they could not go on information from social media. It was the drug fraternity that got them back.

 

[Sako75Hunter]

Yeah! I bought a second one after the first one was stolen, but it was found and returned.
I had a video of a couple of toerags walking off with it, I found out who they were via facebook, told the police, who said they could not go on information from social media. It was the drug fraternity that got them back.

Well, you got a good story out of it anyway!

Anyone have any experience of the Primos Gen 3 tripod?

 

[biffo]

My primos sticks were great for a couple of outings. Now next to useless. I have to use them fully extended as one leg is distorted and sticks. And they are bloody heavy! Garden canes are best....

 

[User00035]

I cant remember which version I had but I had a set of the Primos trigger sticks and they did indeed fail as you mention after being out in heavy rainfall.

Basically one of the legs jammed fully extended and then eventually went completely loose so you couldnt put any weight on it, and then shortly after the other two legs seized. In the end I sent them back to Amazon and they refunded me.

Its a shame because I think when they work they are excellent, and the trigger function is very useful.

In the end I replaced them with a set of Bog Pod tripod sticks. They're not trigger but I borrowed a set from Marcel when I was out with Malc at his ground earlier in the year and they were ludicrously stable and very well made. I also noticed that a lot of the YouTube hunting channels use them - Keith Warren for one.

If they're good enough for Keith then they're good enough for me

I bought a Gen 2 Trigger-stick tripod a while ago. I've had a Bog-pod tripod for about ten years. Good sticks if a bit clacky. The cradle has snapped a couple of times and is only held together by the rubber lining now and a lot of the paint has rubbed off the legs but I can forgive that. They've had an awful lot of use. They're well made and a pretty much fail-proof design but I thought it was time to get some replacements lined up.
But I've found for night shooting of rabbits and foxes I'm still using the Bog-pods because they're actually quicker to deploy (probably because I'm so used to them). I only ever use them standing at night and they're slightly taller than the Triggers. I also prefer the half-round cradle to the V of the Trigger sticks as well.

The Trigger sticks are quieter though and the feet are more secure on hard surfaces. The legs splay further than the Bog-pods (the gen 3's splay further still) and the quick one-handed adjustment is extremely useful in daylight and for stalking when you're likely to be shooting from cover using whatever stance the situation demands. I think the lanyard will have to go though.
Both good sticks IMO but I won't be throwing the Bog-pods out any time soon.

Fortunately I don't shoot that often in the rain because I don't need to. I live right next to my ground and I can afford to be flexible and most of my land is cultivated so it gets very boggy very quickly in the wet. However, can't always be avoided and as all my rifles are wood and blued and I've managed to maintain them in tip-top condition over the years it shouldn't be too much hardship to do the same with the sticks.

 

[liongeorge]

I have had the gen 2 for a three years now and they have been great though I did have to strip and lube legs, I also completely removed the white rings in there and have had no trouble since. Unfortunate I fell on rocky ground and snapped the handle completely...multiple cable ties sorted it but it is slightly wobbly and a handful so was looking forward to the gen 3.
I have had the gen three for a couple of weeks and about 6 outings, they seem very good and the swivel seems more stable and strong. The main difference is with a twist lock set up for the leg angle. (By the way the fully open sitting/kneeling angle is much the same perhaps slightly more on the gen3) The twisting ring allows you easily to set the legs at the correct angle for a standing shot which is great, the only down side I can see is that to set the legs wide you need both hands which may be a pain and a fiddle in the heat of the moment but I have not had to try it in the heat of the moment.

Long and the short of it that they are both great, not sure whether the gen 3 is worth the extra £40 . Nothing beats them for woodland stalking particularly Fallow and Munty and would have missed many oportunities without them

 

[Sako75Hunter]

Long and the short of it that they are both great, not sure whether the gen 3 is worth the extra £40 . Nothing beats them for woodland stalking particularly Fallow and Munty and would have missed many oportunities without them

Thanks for that input, it's great to hear the experience of someone who's familiar with both Gen 2 and 3.

It seems that the trigger function that sets the Primos apart from other shooting tripods is what makes it both better (easier and quicker to deploy, especially on irregular ground) and worse (more complex, so more prone to problems). I'm swinging between a Primos (not sure which Gen) and Bog-pod, but I'm long enough in the tooth now to know that when I'm having doubts like this it's usually better to hold off making a decision.

 

[Sako75Hunter]

I bought a Gen 2 Trigger-stick tripod a while ago. I've had a Bog-pod tripod for about ten years. Good sticks if a bit clacky. The cradle has snapped a couple of times and is only held together by the rubber lining now and a lot of the paint has rubbed off the legs but I can forgive that. They've had an awful lot of use. They're well made and a pretty much fail-proof design but I thought it was time to get some replacements lined up.
But I've found for night shooting of rabbits and foxes I'm still using the Bog-pods because they're actually quicker to deploy (probably because I'm so used to them). I only ever use them standing at night and they're slightly taller than the Triggers. I also prefer the half-round cradle to the V of the Trigger sticks as well.

The Trigger sticks are quieter though and the feet are more secure on hard surfaces. The legs splay further than the Bog-pods (the gen 3's splay further still) and the quick one-handed adjustment is extremely useful in daylight and for stalking when you're likely to be shooting from cover using whatever stance the situation demands. I think the lanyard will have to go though.
Both good sticks IMO but I won't be throwing the Bog-pods out any time soon.

Fortunately I don't shoot that often in the rain because I don't need to. I live right next to my ground and I can afford to be flexible and most of my land is cultivated so it gets very boggy very quickly in the wet. However, can't always be avoided and as all my rifles are wood and blued and I've managed to maintain them in tip-top condition over the years it shouldn't be too much hardship to do the same with the sticks.

Many thanks for this Finch.

I'm surprised to read that you find the Bog-pods quicker to deploy, given that there are a number of locks (2 on each leg?) to adjust and secure before the tripod is ready, and it doesn't 'self level' on uneven ground the way the Primos seems to:



As I said in previous posts, I'm having serious difficulty making up my mind on this, as where I shoot is VERY rough, with practically no level ground and a lot of dense vegetation (making the Primos ideal), but it also rains A LOT, which seems to be the undoing of the Primos, making the legs stop functioning properly. I could just buy the Primos in the almost certain knowledge that very soon I'd have to take it apart and remove the white rings or whatever they are, and lube the legs etc. And maybe that's what I'll do, but it goes against the grain to spend a significant amount of cash on a new piece of equipment knowing I'll probably have to do a repair job on it almost straight away.

Decisions, decisions...

 

[User00035]

The deployment speed I was referring to really relates to shooting at night in the standing position. Most of that will be rabbit shooting with a .22 and NV, so its close range where speed, silence and the minimum of faff are essential. When every shot is taken with the same stance there's no need to alter the height you just have to throw the legs to get the tripod into position. However my ground is mostly cultivated with some pasture and it pretty even underfoot. I haven't got rocks and holes and tussocks to negotiate. If you have then the one-touch trigger adjustment to straighten them up would be a real boon. I do find though that at their full height the Primos sticks are just about right for me on level ground and I'm 6' tall. A slight adjustment one way or the other and they feel a bit low. The bog-pods are definitely taller.

The leg pivots on the Bog-pod are a lot freer than the Primos (may loosen with use) and I can throw the legs out with much less effort. I hold the closed sticks with two legs towards me and one facing forwards. The forward leg pretty much falls out under its own weight when released, I then step back and tip out the right hand leg and then the left. It takes a second and can be done one-handed while I taking the rifle off my shoulder. The Trigger sticks I find need to be positively planted with two hands. But, as I say I've used the Bog-pods for such a long time I've got the knack. I also find that when I do want to adjust the legs on the Primos sticks, by sod's law the trigger never falls to hand and in turning the handle to get it in position the lanyard often gets in the way.

The Trigger's feet are quieter though and they stop the legs clacking together. The Pog-pod's legs touch one another when folded and clack like a bundle of fishing rods. You have to carry them with an index finger keeping the legs apart and if the feet touch down down on a stone in the dead of night with a rabbit 40 yards away it sounds like you've dropped a spanner on a concrete floor. the Pog-pods have rubber feet for hard ground which can be screwed in to expose stainless steel points for soft ground. I always prefer them screwed out so the rubber feet are in use but they never stay where I've left them. The rubber walking-stick feet on the Primos sticks are much better and more discreet.

Both sets of sticks are expensive. The Bog-pods feel a bit old fashioned but they're well made and dependable. Unless you're very tall, in which case the Triggers might be a bit short for standing shots especially if you've got one foot in a hole, I don't think you'd be disappointed with either. Whether the Triggers will cope with the wet conditions is a chance you take. The supplier I bought mine from did say the makers where very good at repairing and replacing and I've always got the Bog-pods to fall back on. If you'll just have the one set of sticks and you shoot in a wet climate that's a calculation you have to make I guess.

 

[flytie]

I had a look at this problem recently. I was out after a roe buck and had the chance of a quick shot at a muntjac in another direction, I was using a quad stick set up (which are extremely steady) and found that a briar had stuck through them and I couldn't move the sticks without making a lot of noise and movement. Needless to say I missed the chance at the munty!

The chap I was out with (Stan Coxon) showed me the reason he uses tripods, it was enough to make me realise that while they may not be quite as steady as quad sticks it is much easier to swivel around the already deployed tripod than pulling up and moving quad sticks in thick cover.

So I started looking at tripods. Now I can be a little unsteady on my feet (no feeling in my right foot and back and leg spasms from spinal injuries) so having a set of sticks to walk with is useful to me. Also I spoke to several people I know who go regularly to Africa, America and Canada shooting and asked them what they used. All of them said the PH's and outfitters that they had been with used tripods, mainly Bog-Pods.

I know of people who have had nothing but trouble with their "trigger" tripods (yes Vernon, I mean you), but I don't yet know of anyone who regrets buying a set of the bog-pods. So I bought the bog-pods. The might not suit everyone, especially on really rough ground, but they suit me for shooting in the Cotswold's and down in Wiltshire with Stan.

Simon

PS; I forgot to say that the feet on my bog-pods are shod with rubber and I get no clacking from them when I am using them to walk with.