BT-20 Ridge Warden Ball Tilt Head

Haven’t had the chance to use Timon the field yet, leaving this week. But so far this seems like an awesome solution to the panhead/ballhead issue, and an incredible weight,

The Wiser Ridge Warden blew me away the first time I used it. At just 3.8 oz with the carbon fiber handle, it’s ridiculously light, yet somehow still rock solid and smooth in every movement. You’d expect a head this light to have some play or chatter, but it feels as stable as setups two or three times its weight. The adjustable carbon handle is a huge plus—it lets me dial in the feel depending on whether I’m glassing or shooting, and it packs down easily in my kit. The smooth pan and tilt motion make long glassing sessions effortless, and you can tell Wiser really refined this from their Nighthawk design. Built in the USA from billet aluminum and stainless, it’s tough as nails, and the anodized finish holds up great in the elements. For anyone who values ultralight gear without sacrificing performance, the Ridge Warden hits the sweet spot.

I paired the Ridge Warden with my Swarovski 10x42 NL Pure binoculars, Aziak Bino Clamp, and Backcountry Tripod. It securely held both my binoculars and my STS 65 spotting scope with confidence.

I’ll admit, I debated this purchase. My first thought was, “There’s no way this little ball head can really do two things—pan and tilt like a panhead, and orbit like a ball head.” Add in the fact that it isn’t cheap, and I hesitated. But Wiser’s 30-day satisfaction guarantee gave me the confidence to give it a try.

After a full week of use in the field, here’s the bottom line: the Ridge Warden truly does both jobs well, blending the control of a pan head with the orbiting freedom of a ball head. That versatility didn’t fully click until I had several days of glassing under my belt. With my binoculars locked on the tripod, I mostly used it as a pan/tilt, but whenever I needed to adjust to new angles on the hillside, the ability to rotate and orbit the head in any direction made glassing feel far more natural than with a traditional pan head.

The result? Less time repositioning my body or tripod, and more time staying in the glass. The action is smooth, arca-swiss clamp is solid and the ability to easily change the handle’s orientation is a thoughtful, practical feature.
In short, Wiser nailed it.

Started using this ball head and it’s working great so far.

This thing is awesome, it's extremely lightweight and yet still smooth as butter. So far I've only glassed with it, and shot at targets but I'd def rec it if you're looking for a ultralight setup.

This pan-ball head combines the best features of a traditional pan head and a ball head into one incredibly versatile setup. It’s smooth and fluid for precise movements, yet it locks down solid when you need absolute stability. So far, it’s the best tripod head I’ve used.

Great product very light weight!

Awesome performance when paired with BA-7 sparrow and NL pure 10x42. Super smooth. Super solid.