Monopod?

[cameron_lewis]

i'm looking at picking up a cheap Bogen/Manfrotto monopod to keep in my bag, for

when i go hiking with my camera.. but i'm wondering if the monopod i'm looking

at would possibly be up the the rigors of a walking staff, or strictly used as a

monopod.. it's the 676B 4 section lightweight monopod, from Ritz Camera, as seen

here, <a

href="http://www.ritzcamera.com/product/293410262.htm?bct=t13024003%3Bcifilm-cameras-and-accessories%3Bcitripods-supports%3Bcimonopods">Ritz

Camera website</a>

<br>

<br>

should i just look into getting a walking staff that has a 1/4-20 adapter on the

end, and pay the extra cash for it, or would this work as a walking staff?

[lauren_macintosh]

Cameron: May I suggest tho search on this web site and do a search on [Monopod] It will give you a wealth of information on them :

also there are better place's to shop try adaorama.com -or B&H photo.com: But just my two cents!||Lauren

[William Kahn]

You need to key your choice to the source of the greatest stress, and that's hiking. I use "Tracks" hiking staff with the 1/4-20 adapter. Plenty solid for both the trail and the camera. Here's REI's selection:

 

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Search?storeId=8000&vcat=REI_SEARCH&query=hiking+staff

[frank uhlig]

"i'm looking at picking up a cheap Bogen/Manfrotto monopod to keep in my bag ... "

 

Cameron, may i suggest to keep the monopod or tripod OUT OF the bag. Otherwise your bag will be huge and quite unwieldy. Just a thought.

 

Moreover, I think walking staffs are disposable, beat uppable, made of sticks from the forest. I pick mine from the ones left in the creeks by the beavers. If I would use my monopod as i use the staff I carry addditionally, then it would soon break since i use the staff to break down brambles, branches etc (I walk cross the landscape without paths most of the time). I would get the monopod joints all muddy and wet since i cross swamps quite often, where the staff tells me whether there is quicksand ahead or not by how deep it sinks.

 

I would not think of using any monopod on these expeditions, but if you just walk along well dusted paths, maybe it will work for you. To each user his own tools!

[xiangshu_xiangshu]

i don't know

[jeffpolaski]

If you are going to use something as a hiking staff, get a real hiking staff. Tracks was my choice when I needed a stylish-looking cane back when, and a small ballhead fits in the shoulderstrap bag.