Shop the full FatBoy Tripods line — shooting and thermal scanning tripods built for night hunters.
Night Hunting Depot is an authorized FatBoy dealer carrying every leg, head, and rail in the system,
including the inverted Elevate™ tripods designed for seated thermal scanning.
A steady tripod is the difference between glassing all night and holding a two-pound
thermal scope at arm's length.
Free shipping over $150 — and the buying guide below builds your setup piece by piece.
FatBoy is a system — legs, head, and rail matched to how you hunt. Here's how the pieces fit.
Why Inverted for Thermal Scanning
The Elevate™ line inverts the leg design so the hub sits low and stable while you scan seated — the position night hunters actually glass from. Smooth panning at coyote-spotting height, without hunching over a photo tripod.
Legs: 2-Section vs 3-Section
Two-section legs are faster to deploy and stiffer; three-section legs pack shorter for the truck and climb higher for standing shots. If your hunts start and end on the tailgate, take the 3-section — if speed matters most, take the 2.
Heads: Ball vs Leveling
The Invert® ball heads lock a rifle or optic fast and pan smooth — the do-everything choice. The Levitate® leveling head keeps your sight picture level on uneven ground — the precision choice for longer shots.
Complete the System
FBT Arca rails put any rifle on the tripod in seconds, and the Revive™ recharging bowl keeps thermal batteries topped off in the field — because the tripod that holds your optic all night should power it too.
Tripod Questions, Answered
What tripod do I need for thermal scanning?
One built for seated glassing — low, stable, and smooth-panning. That's exactly what FatBoy's inverted Elevate™ design is for: the hub rides low so you can scan for hours from a chair or the ground without arm fatigue, then lock on when a heat signature shows.
Ball head or leveling head?
A ball head (Invert® series) is the versatile default — fast to lock, smooth to pan, happy with rifles and spotters alike. A leveling head (Levitate®) shines when the ground isn't flat and your reticle needs to stay level for precise shots. Many hunters run a ball head first and add the leveler later.
Will a FatBoy tripod hold a rifle with a thermal scope?
Yes — the system is built for exactly that load. Pair the legs with an Invert® ball head and an FBT Arca rail on your rifle, and the full rig locks in solid for shooting off the tripod, not just spotting.
What's an inverted tripod?
A design that flips the leg geometry so the widest, most stable section sits at the hub instead of the feet — lowering the center of gravity for seated use. For night hunters who scan seated with a thermal monocular, it's steadier and far more comfortable than a standard photo-style tripod.
2-section or 3-section legs?
Three-section legs collapse shorter (easier packing) and extend taller (standing shots); two-section legs deploy faster with one fewer lock and flex slightly less. Hunt from a vehicle and shoot seated? The 2-section is all you need. Want one tripod for everything? Go 3-section.
