I'm a big fan of monopods. I currently own 3.3 of the best monopods ever made. This is one of them. Beaten only by the same carbon fiber that I have. I teach photography at university and I advise all my students to get this or the carbon fiber version. You need fliplocks, not twistlocks. Believe me. The less it weighs, the better. The shorter it can be when compressed, it's a feature, albeit not a very important one, on my list. The higher the better. Do you really want a monopod taller than you? The most common monopods are too short and you have to bend down. Take this day and tell me how you feel. Can be used as a walking stick in most situations. Use it to ruffle up the bushes in front of you. I use it for macro photography, portraits, wildlife and even landscapes. Tripods are no fun. gene