I bought a great Manfrotto tripod and ballhead to use with Canon 1DMII and 300 f/2.8 with extenders. But toting it around is so much more awkward than my monopod that I'm about to abandon the tripod for field trips and only use it when I'm not on long treks. I can't even imagine setting up the tripod quickly enough to take a photo of a bird in flight, something I've often done with the monopod. Are there any tripod experts out there who care to weigh in on how to turn a tripod into a useful hiking tool? I'll be trekking through tropical rainforests for about 3 weeks early next year and I have a bit of time to improve my technique.