Make your own Tamrac Zipshot

About a decade ago, Tamrac introduced an innovative tent pole based, fast deploying tripod for light use. It was called the Zipshot and you can still buy them on the used market but they don’t appear often which likely means their owners like them. I’m off to Africa in a few weeks and could use something that’s easy to pack and even easier to set up. Here’s how to make your very own.

519ZcmfU8YL._AC_SL1500_ — This is a tent pole tripod. It had 8 mm diameter holes in each foot to insert tent poles. The conical top unscrews to reveal a very useful 1/4″x20 threaded bolt which is compatible with all photographic tripod heads. The lower section unscrews downward to adjust the angle of the legs, about 30 degrees between each leg is optimal since the stresses are conducted axially down each tent pole leg and each pole is at maximum rigidity. That gives you a working height of 53 inches, more than adequate. There is even a hook to hang a weight for extra stability.

61lPqzhL1dL._AC_SL1500_ — I bought two sets of these very long aluminum tent poles and only used three segments of poles per tripod leg including the finished ends to act as the tripod foot. You have to cut the elastic cord running inside the poles and tie off the end in a big knot. The open end with the knot was inserted into the feet of the first component.

The tent poles have an outer diameter of 9.5 mm. I don’t have any metric sized drill bits so I drilled out the original 8mm opening with a 3/8″ bit and tapped it with a M10x15 thread to increase the diameter enough to allow the tent poles to be secured by friction alone when they are hammer driven into position.

Screen Shot 2023-10-25 at 8.59.24 AM — Adding a tripod head and a Velco cinch strap was the finishing touch.

Total costs came in about $50 Cdn, not including the tripod head which most of you probably have several lying around.

Zipshot2 leaning against my portable full sized tripod which takes nearly a minute to get all the segments extended and tightened.

Addendum: December 24, 2024

The Zipshot is in fact so popular that over the past year I have received exactly two overnight eBay alerts of a Zipshot listing being posted but they both sold almost instantly when I checked them!

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