FatBoy Elevate tripod review: the inverted-leg shooting tripod, 3-section vs 2-section
Our verdict: 4.4/5. The FatBoy Elevate is a heavy, thick-legged shooting tripod whose legs extend from the top down. FatBoy lists both versions with a 42.5 mm tube, a 71.5 inch maximum height, a 150 lb max weight rating and 5 lb 14 oz with the bowl. The difference is collapsed size: with the legs collapsed and spread, FatBoy measures the 3-section at 26.5 inches to the top of the threads and the 2-section at 36.25 inches. Buy the 3-section if it has to ride on a pack or fit a small space; the 2-section makes sense if length does not matter and you want one joint per leg. Owners on OpticsPlanet rate both 4.8/5 and praise stability above all. The trade-offs: 5 lb 10 oz without the bowl per FatBoy, before you add a head, a price several owners call steep, and one leg problem reported on each listing. Compare it with our Warrior Tripods review, another shooting tripod family, or see our best rifle bipod guide if you shoot prone.
OpticsPlanet shoppers rate the Elevate 3-section 4.8/5 from 16 reviews and the Elevate 2-section 4.8/5 from 13 reviews. The 3-section (FBTELEVATE3) is around $680; the 2-section (FBTElevate2) is around $680. Check price and availability on OpticsPlanet.
How we reviewed it: a research-based review built from the OpticsPlanet listings for the Elevate 3-section and 2-section, all 16 and all 13 reviews on them, FatBoy's own product pages for each model, FatBoy's warranty page and blog, and a FatBoy video carried on the 2-section listing. We have not used either tripod ourselves; the score is our editorial opinion and owner ratings are shown attributed to their source. Where the retailer listing and FatBoy disagree, we use FatBoy's figure and say so. See how we evaluate.
What the Elevate is, and what it is not
The Elevate is a shooting tripod: a rifle rest you stand, kneel or sit behind. FatBoy's 2-section page calls it "the ultimate inverted shooting tripod" with three non-crossing inverted extendable legs, built from carbon fiber and aluminum. "Inverted" means, in FatBoy's blog post comparing the Elevate 3-section with its Traverse, that "the Elevate's legs extend from the top down", and the same post says the configuration "is designed to make deploying and adjusting the tripod quicker when you need to establish a shooting position." The OpticsPlanet feature list adds spikes in the feet, adjustable leg sections, a bubble level in the apex, rubber leg locks and non-crossing legs.
It is not a spotting-scope tripod pick of ours. If you are shopping for glassing, our best spotting scope tripod guide covers tripods chosen for that job; the Elevate is not one of them.
Plan on a head. FatBoy's spec tables list "What's included" as Tripod & Tripod Bag, and OpticsPlanet's package contents list the tripod and a carrying bag. FatBoy quotes the weight both with and without a bowl, and the OpticsPlanet 2-section spec table names a 70mm bowl as the head type; neither source lists a rifle head, so confirm what ships on top of the legs with the retailer. Four reviews on the 2-section listing mention a head bought along with the tripod.
3-section vs 2-section: the one real difference
FatBoy's two spec tables match line for line on weight, maximum height, tube diameter, leg thickness, leg locks, feet and max weight rating. They split on how small the tripod gets. Every value below is from that model's own FatBoy page.
Key specifications
| FatBoy spec | Elevate 3-section (FBTELEVATE3) | Elevate 2-section (FBTElevate2) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight with bowl | 5 lb 14 oz | 5 lb 14 oz |
| Weight without bowl | 5 lb 10 oz | 5 lb 10 oz |
| Legs extended and not spread | 71.5 in | 71.5 in |
| Legs extended and spread | 66 in | 66 in |
| Legs collapsed and spread, to top of threads | 26.5 in | 36.25 in |
| Footprint width, legs fully collapsed | 22.5 in | 30 in |
| Footprint width, legs fully extended | 55 in | 55 in |
| Tube diameter | 42.5 mm | 42.5 mm |
| Leg thickness, widest to narrowest | 1.68 in (42.8 mm) to 1.52 in (38.75 mm) | 1.68 in (42.8 mm) to 1.52 in (38.75 mm) |
| Wide leg locks | 49 mm | 49 mm |
| Leg adjustment tabs | Locking Tabs | Locking Tabs |
| Feet | 47.5 mm rubber feet with integrated spikes, 0.5 in spike | 47.5 mm rubber feet with integrated spikes, 0.5 in spike |
| Max weight rating | 150 lbs | 150 lbs |
| What's included | Tripod & Tripod Bag | Tripod & Tripod Bag |
| OpticsPlanet rating | 4.8/5 from 16 reviews | 4.8/5 from 13 reviews |
| Price (OpticsPlanet) | around $680 | around $680 |
Specs from fatboytripods.com, read October 2026. The OpticsPlanet spec tables differ: they list 5.14 lb for both models, a 38.5 inch closed length for the 2-section (FatBoy's 36.25 inches is measured with the legs collapsed and spread, to the top of the threads, so the two may not measure the same thing), and two values in several 3-section height rows. We use FatBoy's numbers. No editorial award is claimed.
What that means in use is our reading of the numbers, not a FatBoy claim. With the legs collapsed and spread, the 3-section measures 26.5 inches to the top of the threads against 36.25, almost ten inches less, so it starts lower before you extend anything, and its shorter collapsed legs should matter if it straps to a pack (FatBoy does not publish a folded transport length). The 2-section's legs have one extension joint each instead of two, so there are fewer locks to open and close. Neither is lighter: FatBoy gives both the same weight.
One reviewer on the 3-section listing who says they own both, "I own both the Elevate 2 and 3", calls them "very very stout and sturdy!" and does not pick between them.
What owners say
OpticsPlanet shows 16 reviews on the 3-section listing (15 five-star, 1 two-star) and 13 on the 2-section listing (12 five-star, 1 three-star): 29 reviews across two separate listings, every one read. On the 3-section listing, 14 of the 15 reviews in the list carry a Verified Owner tag, and the dated reviews run from August 2024 to September 2026. On the 2-section listing, 10 of the 11 listed reviews carry the tag, the dated reviews run from June 2024 to August 2026, and two reviews are signed Brad from Ohio, possibly the same person. Each listing also shows "Most Helpful" box reviews without a date or tag.
Stability is the theme on both listings. A verified 3-section owner opens with "Very well made steady as a rock". A verified 2-section owner calls it "Solid well built and quiet." Another verified 2-section owner writes:
“The deployment and adjustment with the inverted legs is just super easy.”
Luis (FL), verified owner, Elevate 2-section, via OpticsPlanet
On the 3-section listing, the leg locks get specific praise:
“The quarter turn lock for each leg and location are excellent.”
Vince (CA), verified owner, Elevate 3-section, via OpticsPlanet
A verified 3-section owner finds it "very easy to deploy the legs, that seems almost magical." Competition use shows up once: a verified 3-section owner writes, "Already used it with a PRS competition and it performed flawlessly." Three 2-section reviews describe moving up from another tripod, one in plain words: "Upgraded from a bog death grip. No comparison."
The honest catches
A leg problem on each listing. The only review below three stars is a verified 3-section owner whose tripod broke a month in:
“One of the legs sections fell off completely, exposing how it's made and what's inside.”
JimL (FL), verified owner, Elevate 3-section, 2 stars, via OpticsPlanet
The same owner writes that it "Was not user fixable." and "It's sent back for service now." On the 2-section listing, the "Most Helpful" negative review reports that "2 of the legs did not slide easily and would bind when extending them, Fatboy did send me 2 new legs via warranty." That reviewer still recommends it and says they "would have given it 5 stars if it weren't for the leg issues." Two leg reports in 29 reviews is not a pattern we can measure, but both involve the legs, and both needed service or replacement parts.
Price. Owners keep coming back to cost, while still giving five stars. On the 2-section listing 6 of the 13 reviews mention it, such as "A high price but worth every penny". On the 3-section listing 4 of the 16 do, one listing its only con as "Price (buy once cry once)".
Weight. FatBoy lists 5 lb 14 oz with the bowl for either model, and that is before a head. The reviewer on the 3-section listing who owns both models finds them "light at about 6 lbs"; whether that is light depends on how far you carry it.
Where it is made is unclear. The FatBoy Elevate pages we read do not state a country of manufacture. Reviewers disagree: one 3-section reviewer lists "Not made in the USA" as a con, another 3-section owner writes "American made quality through and through.", and the 2-section's negative review says "assuming its made in China".
Warranty
FatBoy's warranty page states: "All manufacturing defects are covered under our Lifetime Warranty." It adds that "the original receipt is required for RMA processing", and it excludes intentional damage, excessive force or irregular use, modified products, charging cables and tripod bags. One verified 3-section owner counts it in the value: "with the lifetime warranty it makes it worth it."
Trade-offs, plainly
- Heavy: 5 lb 14 oz with the bowl per FatBoy, for either model, before a head.
- No rifle head listed in the box by FatBoy or OpticsPlanet; budget for one.
- Price is the most repeated complaint in the reviews, even among five-star owners.
- One leg failure (3-section, sent back for service) and one leg-binding report (2-section, new legs sent by FatBoy via warranty).
- The 2-section measures 36.25 inches with the legs collapsed and spread per FatBoy, almost ten inches more than the 3-section.
- Country of manufacture not stated on the FatBoy pages we read.
Should you buy it?
- Buy the Elevate 3-section if you want a heavy, stable rifle tripod with the shorter collapsed legs (26.5 inches collapsed and spread, per FatBoy) that starts lower before you extend them.
- Buy the Elevate 2-section if packed length does not matter (truck, blind, range) and you would rather work one joint per leg.
- Compare the Warrior Tripods line in our Warrior Tripods review, another shooting tripod family with two models.
- Prone, not standing? A bipod may be all you need: see our best rifle bipod guide, or our MDT CKYE-POD Gen 2 review for a tall, adjustable precision bipod.
FAQ
Should I buy the FatBoy Elevate 3-section or 2-section?
Pick by collapsed size. FatBoy lists the same 71.5 inch maximum height, 42.5 mm tube, 150 lb max weight rating and weight for both, but with the legs collapsed and spread FatBoy measures the 3-section at 26.5 inches to the top of the threads against 36.25 inches for the 2-section, with a 22.5 inch collapsed footprint against 30 inches. FatBoy does not publish a folded transport length, but shorter collapsed legs make the 3-section the more compact package if the tripod rides on a pack or in a small vehicle. If size does not matter to you, the 2-section has one extension joint per leg instead of two, so there are fewer locks to work.
How much does the FatBoy Elevate weigh?
FatBoy lists both the Elevate 3-section and the Elevate 2-section at 5 lb 14 oz with the bowl and 5 lb 10 oz without it. The OpticsPlanet spec tables show 5.14 lb for both; we use FatBoy's figures.
Does the FatBoy Elevate come with a head?
Neither source lists one. FatBoy's product pages give the included items as Tripod & Tripod Bag, and the OpticsPlanet package contents list the tripod and a carrying bag. FatBoy quotes the weight with and without a bowl, and the OpticsPlanet 2-section spec table names a 70mm bowl as the head type, so confirm with the retailer what ships on top of the legs and plan on buying a head separately.
What warranty does the FatBoy Elevate have?
FatBoy's warranty page says all manufacturing defects are covered under its Lifetime Warranty and that the original receipt is required for RMA processing. It excludes intentional damage, excessive force or irregular use, modified products, charging cables and tripod bags. One owner of each model on OpticsPlanet describes a leg problem: the 2-section owner writes that FatBoy sent new legs via warranty, and the 3-section owner writes that the tripod was sent back for service.
Where is the FatBoy Elevate made?
FatBoy's Elevate product pages that we read do not state a country of manufacture, and OpticsPlanet reviewers disagree: one 3-section reviewer lists Not made in the USA as a con, another writes American made quality through and through, and a 2-section reviewer only assumes it is made in China. We do not print an origin until FatBoy states one.