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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
12-14-2014, 12:09 PM
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I bought something called a TrekPod II some years ago and have used it as a "walking stick", monopod and tripod. I'm 6'4", so I understand having trouble finding things that are for people of slightly-above-average height. I thought I wouldn't need to worry about traveling with it, but had a situation come up in August where I regretted it. I flew from the midwest to LA to bring my son and his car back home. The plan was to hit several scenic places on the way home. I couldn't break down the TrekPod small enough to fit in my luggage for the plane trip out to LA, and the TSA would have considered it a potential weapon, so I couldn't just carry it on (yes I talked to both the airline AND the TSA to make sure).
The TrekPod extends to about 5 feet, when used as a monopod or walking stick, but about 5" less when set up as a tripod. It has a very strong magnet on the top to which you can attach a camera. They even give you a couple of the round "couplers" that you screw onto the bottom of the camera and attach to the magnet. (Note, the TrekPod has a clip to anchor the camera to the top of it, so you don't need to trust the magnet to hold the camera all by itself ). I put one adaptor on my still camera and the other on the video camera. I took the TrekPod and my video camera along on a (car) tour of the Dakotas, Montana, Yellowstone, the Tetons and Idaho a couple of years ago and was VERY glad I had it. It allowed me to raise the camera over heads, dip it (carefully) over the edge of waterfalls, and take some "selfies", since I made the trip by myself.
The major reason I got it was for it's flexibility to be used as 3 different things. The biggest benefit was how it stabilized the camera for video. It hung down far enough below the camera to act like a pendulum of sorts, and giving you a quasi pistol grip feel. That extra weight and natural resistance to moving around so much made my videos much less jumpy and easier to watch, (though I did kick it a fair amount due to it hanging down below the camera). It weighs a little less than 2 pounds, but extra heft isn't a bad thing if you plan to use it as a monopod. I just checked their website and see that they have two newer models since I bought mine. The expensive one is made of carbon fiber and costs well over 3x as much as the one I have, which is aluminum. They also have a "GoPro" version that shrinks down 4" shorter than mine, which WOULD make it small enough to fit in most luggage. It costs about double what mine did. You can save some by buying it from Amazon. Here are the specs for each type from their website:
Specifications:
Weight (including MagMount):
TrekPod Go! PRO= 30 ounces / .794 kg
TrekPod XL= 17 ounces / .48 kg
TrekPod II= 27 ounces / .765 kg
Height range in tripod mode:
TrekPod Go! PRO= 39" to 57.5" / 99 to 146 cm
TrekPod XL= 39" to 57.5" / 99 to 146 cm
TrekPod II= 43" to 57.5" / 109 cm to 146 cm
Height range in Hiking staff/monopod mode:
TrekPod Go! PRO= 42.5" to 62.5" / 106.7 cm to 158.8 cm
TrekPod XL= 42.5" to 62.5" / 106.7 cm to 158.8 cm
TrekPod II= 47" to 62.5" / 119 cm to 158.8cm
Packable size:
Go! PRO in travel case: 23" x 4" x 2.5" / 58.4 x 10.2 x 6.3 cm (longest Go! tube length ~22" / 55.9 cm)
XL in included travel case: 23" x 4" x 2.5" / 58.4 x 10.2 x 6.3 cm (longest XL tube length ~22" / 55.9 cm)
TrekPod II (disassembled): Two components, approximately 35.5" / 90 cm or less, each.
Open Leg Diameter (tripod): 22" / 56 cm
I hope that helps.
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