7dayshop 2in1 Duo Trek Multi-Purpose Photo Video Monopod with Anti-Shock Walking Pole with Accessories

First of all it is what it is, namely a walking stick that has a ¼” whitworth camera attachment thread on top protected by a removable cover with a built in compass. It does both things in a reasonable manner, as a walking stick or pole it is as good as most others in a similar price range. When at the shorter distance of a walking stick it performs quite well and if the part that holds the camera is flipped forward by 90 degrees it is more comfortable for people with larger hands. If extended as a walking pole then a well positioned soft grip is fitted just below the handle and an adjustable wrist strap make it quite usable as a pole. I have seen many comments regarding the sections being difficult to adjust, I did not find that a problem, but there again I use many things that have a similar method of adjustment. If you hold the none extending part of the stick or the upper section of the one you are extending and then twist the lower part in an anticlockwise direction it will slacken off. Carefully extend the section and do not go beyond the maximum mark on the stick and then turn clockwise to tighten the section again. When closing up a section it is better to do as above, but it may take more turns to release the lock before it starts to slide back in again, a slight inward push whilst turning will help release the lock.The camera holder on the top of the stick is OK for what it is intended to do which is to act as a stabiliser when taking pictures instead of carrying around a dedicated camera monopod. Let me say that there is no way I would attach my expensive DSLR or Bridge camera to this stick as they would be too heavy for the plastic construction to hold safely. I would however be happy to fit a pocket camera or a lighter weight Bridge camera if I needed to steady my shot when out and about. One major drawback is that the threaded part does not rotate in its own right, so you have to rotate the whole stick in order to screw it into the camera base, not a big deal, but it does mean that if you rotate the camera bracket by 90 degrees it may be pointing up or down dependent upon where the thread actually gets tight. This does not happen in the upright position as you can just rotate the stick to aim it in the direction you want. There is a knurled locking nut below the camera thread so that it can be locked at either 0 or 90 degrees, there is no in between.Bare in mind that it is mainly aluminium sections and the rest is plastic, so they will not be as strong and eventually they will fail if abused or over tightened, but for the price it is a good enough buy and should last a while if treated with respect, I am pleased with what I have for the money I have paid. Delivery was prompt and it has no more stickers than you usually get with this sort of thing and only a very small 7 days shop logo. Remember it is stick that you can attach a camera to and not a piece of photographic equipment, oh and yes the compass is rubbish, but to be fair they do point that out.

Not really what I wanted, but was a good quality product.

OK, this isn't suitable for mooring liners to like the more expensive trekkingpole/monopods, in other words it's good enough for rambling but not for mountain climbing. Having said that it is really light, has spring cushioning, and an assortment of feet to deal with most conditions.The compass, although it does work, is a bit of a joke when it comes to functionality, but it's great for protecting the camera mounting screw, and protecting people from the metal screw. Its hand grip is decent, with a foam sleeve below it that can act as another handhold.One point, and I can't stress this hard enough:BeVeryCarefulWhenExtendingThisPole!To keep the weight down there are no stops to prevent the sections pulling apart... and they can be really difficult to put back together. The sections also slide very easily and it's too easy to pull it apart,I would also prefer it if it were a little longer when extended to maximum, but then I'm a tall guy.

One of these is always at my side (this is my third). I weigh at least 50% over the maximum permitted user weight and the only damage to the first stick happened when it fell over and cracked the handle. Just realised that the little compass broke on 2/3 pods and was only really of value as a means of covering the camera attachment thread when not in use. The handle is rather small and would be uncomfortable for an arthritic, the twisting action to lock and unlock the shock absorber spring is counter-productive on a monopod, and the overall length is too short for me (that guy illustrated with his SLR at eye level must be about 5ft 2" tall ! It benefits from the addition of a strong, but lightwieght ball and socket joint with a quick-release. So, given all these niggles, why 5* rating ? I confess was scared off by the low price, but thought "what the heck - take a punt". Despite the niggles, I find mine indispensable and the bang for my buck unbelievable. Cannot recommend highly enough !

Works really well as a walking pole and to steady my small Sony Cybershot, which I leave attached as I go tramping around. It means my camera is always quickly to hand for that fleeting nature shot and the wrist strap keeps it secure. Its very light and easily adjustable, it comes in 3 sections, you simply twist either of the bottom 2 poles to the left to unlock, move to the right length then twist to the right to lock into position. You do have to be careful not to pull the poles out beyond the 'STOP' position as they can come out and have to be jiggled back in. I'm about 6ft and even with the pole is fully extended I still have to crouch to be level with the camera. It's not as steady and certain as a proper tripod but its much much easier to carry and quick to adjust. I really like it and use it a lot. Great value.

Good product that feels well made. The difficulty with camera monopods in general is that the cheaper ones with flip lock legs can rarely be trusted to fully support the user in trekking situations. This 7day shop offering has 'rotate leg locks' that can be tensioned to suit the load.The dual grip handle is versatile - as is the swivelling 1/4" camera screw mount - concealed when not in use beneath a 'cosmetic' screw on compass. The sprung shock absorber feature will appeal to many - but I would rather not have it - preferring the security of knowing when you load up the pole on a decent it isn't going to move lower. The shock absorber feature also adds weight to the pole - something a trekker may want to do without.Also be aware - that from a photography point of view - a monopod is no match for even a cheap tripod. But where portability, lightweight and strength are a top priority this dual purpose product is excellent and highly recommended.