The head is where the tripod meets the gear. The wrong head makes a great set of legs feel sloppy, while the right one makes the whole system feel locked in.
Ball heads
A ball in a socket lets the gear move in every direction with one knob. Look for a separate pan lock and a friction or tension control so a heavy rifle does not flop over when the knob is loosened. Bigger balls hold more weight.
Pan-tilt and fluid heads
These move one axis at a time with a handle. They are the classic choice for spotting scopes and video cameras because they track smoothly side to side. Fluid heads add damping for silky camera pans.
Saddles and clamps
A saddle is a padded cradle that the rifle forend rests in, often with a clamp that locks the gun in place. Saddles are fast to load and unload and keep the rifle centered over the legs.
Quick-release plates and ARCA rails
Most modern heads use the ARCA-Swiss dovetail. An ARCA rail on the rifle forend clamps straight into the head and can slide forward and back to balance the gun. Check that the plate, rail and clamp all share the same standard.
Next step: Choosing a Tripod.
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