Customer Reviews

Davis & Sanford Vista Trailblazer Monopod

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I confess that I was a tad wary of a $20 monopod, but I've been pleasantly pleased with this item.

It's nice and simple visually: matte black, with a nice looking black foam handle.

It extends very well (I'm 6'4" and in it's full extension it's above my eye level). There are three knobs to unlock/lock. The fit and finish is not at all "high end" - it feels a little cheap - but it does not feel as if it's going to break any minute. I'm sure that if one is rough with this item, it may bend or become damaged. But if you're mellow/normal and treat it with care, it feels as if it will be fine.

The foot spike is handy - there's a threaded ring which enables one to retract the pointed spike for interior use. Nice and simple - it does the job.

Attaching a camera (I'm using digital SLRs) is quick and easy, and the relatively heavy cameras with long lenses (Nikon D50 & Nikon D80) feel well locked and secure.

This monopod is very light weight, which is a plus for portability, although a heavier monopod will reduce shake and vibration more effectively, and add durability as well.

For $20, this monopod is a no-brainer; you can't go wrong - you get more than what you pay for. Yes, the craftsmanhip is just "descent" and nothing special, but it's certainly not junk either.

It comes with a very handy black zippered bag - which I did not expect and is a very helpful. Thumbs up.

Light enough for hiking and tall enough for my 6'5" friend that loves to borrow my equipment. Built solid, and for the price, a must have for any serious outdoor photographer. Great footing for indoor and outdoor photos. Bought this together with the Davis & Sanford Voyager3H tripod. What a great match! Perfect for my Canon 50D DSLR.

Lightweight and easy to use. Foot has a point for outside but the point can be retracted to save the inside floors.

When I opened the bubble shell (yes, hard clear plastic bubble shell, not a box) I immediately recognized it is a great bargain. The first impression I got about this monopod is:

- lightweight (first I thought it was made of plastic),
- very good build quality for the money,
- the snap locks are made of hard, good quality plastic and the mechanism is very tight, I think they should last a few years without a problem,
- it is long and very sturdy when fully extended,
- the retractable metal spike is absolutely a great bonus for added stability when using outdoors.

It is rated to support 7 pounds but I think it can handle more. Each section is very strong and I can hardly bend it (even the last section, which is the thinest) with my bare hands. So far I have tested it with a Sony pocket camera, a dSLR (with a regular mid range zoom, not a bazooka type), and a miniDV camcorder. it is very stable and feels secure. For its functionality, quality and the price, I am very satisfied.

However...

- it is about 21" long when folded - a little too long to fit in any bag (but the shorter ones cost about 3x more of this one),
- there is no "mounting head" -- basically you just screw your equipment on a built-in screw on top. You have to twist your camera/equipment or the monopod to tighten it. There is no turning wheel or anything to make the task easier.
- again, since the equipment mounts on a screw you can not tilt or swing to an angled position (i.e. for vertical shots). Although a ball head mount can be added it will extend its length and cost extra $,
- the foam handle is probably the weakest spot and probably won't last very long,
- the included carrying bag has a very strong plastic odor, I have to leave it outside for days to get rid of the smell,
- this is just another nit-picking point: it is packed in a clear, hard, plastic bubble clamshell. It is so hard the plastic almost cut my finger when I open it, and it is not "green".

In general, it is a very good bargain for its quality and functionality. If you just look for a basic, sturdy monopod and don't want to spend too much money, this is the one you should get. You will be surprised how good it is for less than $20.

I never write product reviews but after getting this, I was too stunned not too. Now in all honesty, the thing isn't anything magical. It's a stick that you put your camera on. But I was not expecting what I got for my money. I was expecting for $17, it would be hardly better than buying some PVC at Home Depot, only the PVC would be sturdier because it's one solid piece. I was grossly mistaken! This thing is great. I took a couple of pictures in low light (with slow shutter speed), both hand-held and with the monopod and it was awesome. It is super sturdy and collapsed it doubles as a handy baton in case you find yourself in a bad situation (yes, it's that sturdy). Expanded it is slightly less sturdy, but can easily support cameras and/or people using it as a walking stick (especially without the last section (thinnest) extended. It is pretty light for it's sturdiness. The case it comes with is fairly good too.

The bad review on here must be referring to another item. They could not be talking about this monopod. Trust me, it's sturdy and you'll love it.

And to anyone who says, "It's ok, but it doesn't have a ball head"... I say, "It's $17!!!!"

The mono pod that I picked up for my digital camera works great. It comes in hand for those slow speed shoots and the telephoto shots that need to be steadied. It is not a replacement for a tripod but works well in the range it was designed for.

There is a 1 star review which I think may be for a wrong product. This one is durable, not wobbly at all. The screw for the camera/corder is quite sturdy. The retractable metal tip is great. The clasp for each section is also very tight (they won't retract back in when you push it or have a heavy camera on it).
The included case also fits snuggly. I got it here at Amazon in the Today's Deals for a good price.
I know for sure in the stores something compatible, aluminum, would cost about $30.
With Amazon Prime, and no sales tax, it's a great bargain.

I only wish it had somekind of base-mount for camera so I can adjust the angles for camcorders. I have a small Sanyo Xacti camcorder. It fits so nicely on this monopod. Even in a crowd, I can raise this high and shoot over people's heads.
It doesn't have extra features, but for what it's made to do, it is great.

Thumbs up buy!

Too bad one reviewer got such a bad product. Mine arrived in good conditon. It was more sturdy than I expected for the price. The hand grip around the top is made of foam which is nice, and the bottom has a plastic piece you can screw down to protect hardwood floors from the pointed tip. It also gives a little more stability on other surfaces. You can carry it using the hand strap or the carrying case. Highly recommended if you want a good product without paying too much.

I bought this for two reasons.
1. as a walking stick
2. as a monopod
Sometimes you need a walking stick while hiking on uneven paths. The handle on this unit does not have a covered top that some multi-use monopods have. We saw some at REI but they were very expensive. Have not seen multi-use monopods at camera stores so this fits the bill.

Sometimes you need a monopod long enough to lift a video recorder over the heads of people in front of you. This fits the bill.

I'm an amateur photographer and take a good many outdoor and wilderness pictures. I have essential tremor in my hands (slight trembling) that makes holding a camera still almost impossible. This Davis and Sanford Trailblazr monopod is exactly what I needed. I love it. I can easily and quickly adjust the length so I can take pictures standing up (I'm 6'2"), sitting in a canoe or kayak, or anywhere in between. I'll never be without this monopod.