Others say...

"Great monopod for the price"
I recently purchased my first dSLR, a Canon Rebel XSi, and was finding most of my action shots to be quite blurry, regardless of which settings I chose. I figured hand-shake must be my problem, so I needed a monopod. I did a lot of research (especially here on Amazon) before purchasing this monopod and was not disappointed. It's so simple: basically a (easily!) retractable stick with a screw on top, but it does the job. It does have a rubber bottom for traction on smooth surfaces that you can twist to covert to a spike for unstable surfaces, like, say, dirt. Pretty nifty.

But the proof is in the pudding: I took some pictures of my daughter running and every picture was sharp as a tack!

Will this be the only monopod I'll ever need in my life? Maybe not, it doesn't look like it's built to last a lifetime, but I'm planning to be careful with it, and won't be using it on a daily basis anyway. Being an amateur-hobbyist photographer, I'm perfectly happy with this bargain monopod.

If you're considering a tripod, I don't personally think any monopod will REPLACE that, but this is a good supplement. Much lighter, much smaller, much easier to carry around and set up, much more mobile once it is set up -- in situations where you don't want or need absolute stillness (you need to be able to pan easily), and you don't want to be in the picture youself, this does the job.

"Fairweight Monopod at a great, low price"
In agreement with other reviewers, this monopod works well for fair-weights at a great low price.

"Good buy"
Great alternative to a full tripod......of course, YOU can't be in the shot.....but for longer lenses, it is a great aid to stop camera shake! Made well..........good buy.

"Monopod a delight!"
I received the Monopod in perfect condition and in a timely manner. I was so happy to have it when I went on a hiking trip with my daughter. I was delighted with the product and the seller's promptness.

"Terrific monopod"
I can't believe that everything the reviewers have said about this product is true. It is quite sturdy and functional. I have not noticed any slippage downward when I put pressure on it, and it serves well as a walking stick. I wish I had bought two of these and will probably order another. I added the Giottos monopod ballhead for added functionality. I did do some comparison shopping at local photography shops and Best Buy, etc. Unless you want to spend $80 or more on a monopod, this is your best bet.