LENSCOAT Ground Pod floor tripod - black Black

LensCoat Ground Pod ground tripod when you really want to get on eye level with your subjects

There are moments when a normal tripod simply isn’t enough. When you literally have to get your camera down into the dirt, but don’t actually want it to end up in the dirt, the LensCoat Ground Pod ground tripod, black comes into play. This skimmer tripod is specially designed for ground-level photography and helps you capture animals and landscapes from an extremely low perspective without letting your camera and lens sink into the mud.

Especially with waders on tidal flats, ducks on the edge of a pond, or deer in a dew-covered meadow, you can photograph almost at eye level with the Ground Pod. You lie flat on the ground, your setup glides in front of you, and yet everything stays dry and clean. Quite pleasant, especially when you’re out for longer periods.

Ideal for wildlife photographers who really want to get close

For wildlife photography, this ground tripod is basically a small game changer. Instead of shooting from the typical “from above” perspective, you can capture your subjects the way they see their world. The result immediately looks more intense and vivid. Especially with shy animals, it’s helpful when you can move forward slowly and quietly while your equipment glides calmly and in a controlled way over the ground on the Ground Pod.

Whether you’re photographing birds in the mud, foxes on a sandy clearing, or waterfowl in the snow, the Ground Pod supports you in working close to the ground without constantly having to worry about your gear. For many who are seriously getting into telephoto photography or already working professionally, such a ground tripod quickly becomes a standard tool in the bag.

Lightweight polymer, 3D printing and robust design for outdoor use

The LensCoat Ground Pod is made from a lightweight yet surprisingly sturdy polymer produced via 3D printing. That may sound technical at first, but in practice it means you’re holding a very precisely manufactured tripod with a well-thought-out design. Weighing only about 0.315 kg, the ground tripod is pleasantly light to carry and hardly adds any burden to your camera backpack.

Despite its low weight, the Ground Pod is stable enough to safely support heavy gear. The material is resistant to moisture, dirt and cold, which is extremely helpful when working on tidal flats, wet meadows or in snow. You can simply wipe it off and keep going. No rust, no swelling, no drama.

Circular skimmer design for gliding movement on mud, grass and snow

The Ground Pod is designed as a skimmer and has a circular shape with a diameter of around 25.5 cm. This special, slightly curved construction ensures that the tripod doesn’t get stuck but instead glides smoothly over soft surfaces such as mud, sand, grass or snow. You can carefully push your setup forward without constantly having to lift it.

The smooth underside further supports this gliding and prevents dirt and water from splashing upwards. This keeps your camera and telephoto lens reliably dry and clean, even when you’re moving through wet areas. Especially on tidal flats or at lakes, this is a real advantage because you can focus on composition instead of constantly watching out for puddles and mud holes.

Extremely low working height for a true ground-level perspective

With a minimum working height of about 2.3 cm, the LensCoat Ground Pod gets you as close to the ground as is practically possible with a tripod. This low position is ideal when you need an extremely flat perspective, for example with birds in the water, amphibians, or small mammals in the grass.

The camera rests securely on the ground tripod while you lie comfortably behind or beside it. This lets you achieve that typical “ground line” look, where the foreground and background blur softly and your subject appears almost isolated. For many subjects, this is exactly the look that makes images stand out from the crowd.

Designed for heavy telephoto lenses and super-telephotos up to 600 mm

The Ground Pod was explicitly developed for use with heavy telephoto lenses and super-telephotos up to about 600 mm focal length. It supports such combinations securely without wobbling or tipping, as long as you place it properly. Long focal lengths in particular benefit from the low, wide base because vibrations are minimized.

So if you work with large telephoto lenses, for example in sports or wildlife photography, the LensCoat Ground Pod is a reliable partner. It’s perfect for situations where a classic three-legged tripod would be too bulky or too tall, but you still don’t want to compromise on stability.

Compatible with common tripod heads thanks to 3/8 inch UNC photo thread

In the center of the Ground Pod there is a 3/8 inch UNC photo thread mounting bolt. This standard thread makes the ground tripod compatible with almost all common tripod heads. You can therefore easily mount your preferred head without needing special adapters or exotic solutions.

Whether you’re working with a compact ball head or using a massive telephoto tilt head, the connection is stable and reliable. This ensures familiar handling because you can simply keep using your usual head and only adapt the base – the tripod itself – to the ground-level situation.

Perfect for gimbal, ball head and Wimberley telephoto tilt head

The LensCoat Ground Pod is particularly well suited for use with a gimbal or a solid ball head. Especially with long focal lengths, a gimbal head is popular because it makes balancing heavy telephoto lenses easier and allows smooth movements. Mounted on the Ground Pod, this creates a very stable yet mobile unit for telephoto photography.

Special telephoto tilt heads such as the Wimberley WH-200 can also be attached directly to the mounting platform without needing additional risers. If you do need a bit more height, you can mount suitable risers or intermediate plates. The construction is flexible enough to sensibly support different setups.

Stable ground tripod for working close to the ground in nature

As a ground tripod, the Ground Pod is consistently designed for working close to the ground. Instead of shooting from hip or shoulder height, you literally move your vantage point down to the ground. This is not only exciting for wildlife photography, but also for creative landscape shots, macros in the field, or detailed studies of structures near the ground.

The tripod remains stable even when you lightly brace yourself on it or change your position. The wide, round base distributes the weight well so the setup doesn’t sink in easily. On softer surfaces such as sand or snow, this is a clear advantage because you can work in one position for longer without constantly having to readjust.

Low weight, high mobility, ideal for longer trips

At only about 303 g to 315 g (depending on measurement method), the LensCoat Ground Pod is surprisingly light. You can easily stow it in your backpack or attach it to the outside of your camera bag without it slowing you down on longer trips. This low weight really makes a difference, especially on hikes, journeys, or long stakeouts.

Despite this lightness, you don’t have to sacrifice stability. The polymer material and solid manufacturing ensure that the tripod can withstand the stresses of outdoor use. In everyday life it’s almost “uncomplicated” because you can simply pack it, use it, wipe it off and stow it away again.

Glide instead of carry: working on sand, mud, snow and grass

The underside of the Ground Pod is intentionally smooth so that you can move it over a variety of surfaces. On sand you can gently push your setup forward, in mud it glides without suctioning itself down, and in snow the contact surface remains wide enough to prevent it from sinking immediately. This principle also works very well on short grass or soft meadows.

As a result, you don’t have to keep lifting or repositioning your camera, but can instead move forward slowly while lying flat on the ground. This is not only more comfortable but often also quieter and less conspicuous, which is a real plus with shy animals. At the same time, you protect your equipment from direct contact with wet or dirty surfaces.

Flexible use for telephoto photography and creative perspectives

The LensCoat Ground Pod is primarily designed for telephoto photography and ground-level work, but it can also be used for other creative ideas. For example, you can use it for low landscape perspectives where the foreground is particularly emphasized, or for macro shots when you’re working with a tele-macro lens.

Because the tripod is so low, it opens up angles that are difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional three-legged tripods. Especially when you deliberately want to play with unusual perspectives, this ground tripod is a useful addition to your existing equipment.