Customer Reviews

Joby GP1-M1EN Gorillapod GoGo Flexible Tripod with Suction Cup & 2 Adhesive Clips (Grey)

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Length:: 1:51 Mins

The Joby Gorillapod Go-Go! "Mobile Entertainment Kit" is a very versatile tripod that allows for attaching almost any hand held device in unique positions.

Pros:
Very Versatile Mounting System
Unique Positioning Capabilities
1 Year Warranty

Cons:
Do Not Exceed Weight Limits
Do Not Force Joints

Conclusion:
Does What It Claims To Do! Could be a little sturdier, so 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommended!

Joby's GP1-M1EN Gorillapod GoGo Flexible Tripod seems like a fantastic idea on paper. I had so much expectations for this little tripod. However, upon receiving the sample unit and taking it on a weekend road trip, I found the reality has fallen slightly short of my high hopes. For starter, as many reviewers have pointed out, this tripod does not have a very sturdy construction. It is extremely light-weight, which means the whole setup (with a camera attached) tends to fall down. My usual camera of choice for casual snapshots is a very compact Casio Exlim, and I found even with this ultra compact model, I have problems of keeping the setup standing up. However, using the unit on uneven surfaces works better than trying to use it on a flat/smooth surface. Another really irritating aspect of this tripod also attributes to its cheap construction: all the joints - which are really the heart and soul of this tripod - tend to be either too tight (at first) or too loose (after a few days of use). Perhaps an unintended usage by the manufacturer, I found myself unable to stop playing with the tripod with my hands! It's not unlike popping the bubbles on a bubble wrap, twisting and bending all the little joints is quite fun, zen-like, and addictive :) In retrospect, that's perhaps how all the joints on my tripod got so loose.

The only tripod I had until recently was collapsible yet amazingly heavy. As such, it spends more time in my drawer than in my bag. Recent outings with my Flip Mino have proven that no matter how steady I think my stance is, I shake more than a chihuahua in February. I had seen the original Gorillapod some time back but couldn't justify the purchase since I rarely took photos at the time.

Taking a cue from a friend who records his Mino Thoughts while navigating California traffic, I looked into Joby's latest release - the Gorillapod GoGo. Their "mobile entertainment kit" includes the original Gorillapod tripod, a standard screw mount for digital cameras, a suction mount and two adhesive mounts.

As you can see from the photo, the flexible legs will allow for mounting pretty much anywhere. Can't find a flat surface? Wrap it around a branch. Just a teensy bit too high? Ball joints allow you to adjust as teensy a bit as you need. The feet are rubberized, as well as the ring around each joint, making for a secure and non-slip grip. I like the inclusion of the suction mount - perfect for iPhone/iPod viewing. I can't imagine myself using the adhesive clips on any of my toys but they are pretty sleek and low-profile. It's probably more of a problem to me since I lean towards white for my gadgetry and the clips are black.

One undocumented use that I've discovered is "desk toy". I'm forever picking it up and flexing the legs around. But I'm not playing...no. I'm...stress testing! Yeah, that's it. Stress testing.

For around thirty bucks, it's certainly not a purchase that needs justification. If you have gear - cell phones, cameras, PDAs, MP3 players, GPS units - you have a reason to look into the Gorillapod GoGo.

I have used the Joby camera tripod in the past, and was looking forward to attaching it to my iPhone. However, the suction cup that comes with the stand will not hold the iPhone at all. So the tripod is basically useless for what I wanted it for...

Just got this as a gift from my Girlfriend for my birthday, what a cool gadget!!! I keep coming up with uses for it (like to mount my iPhone in the car so I Can see the screen while driving). Just a well made product as well, solid construction!

Ok, no bones about it: the Joby Gorillapod GoGo does the job as advertised. It handles the tasks I've thrown at it pretty well.

I've attached a Canon HV10 camcorder to it and a Fujifilm Z2 digital camera to it and the Gorillapod handled both. Obviously, the little Fujifilm camera was no problem for the flexible tripod. I was able to twist and pose the tripod in varied configurations with very little trouble. For this task, it's perfectly suited; letting me get into my own shots.

But the camcorder was a bit much for the Gorillapod. I was able to get it into one sturdy position, but that's it. Any further tinkering caused the tripod to collapse or tip over.

At first blush, the three legs were very stiff and took effort to twist and pose. But after some various fidgeting over the course of trying it out, one of the legs loosened up at the mount position, making that leg able to hold only one position with any certainty.

Now, I likely exceeded the limits of the little guy by strapping a camcorder to it, and that I'll take fault for. So, for smaller digital cameras, this little guy is the ticket. Just don't try to use it with a camcorder that weighs 14 ounces or more.

Obviously this is not a professional photogrpaher's tool, but it could easily be used by a pro. I found this device to be a very convenient tool when taking photos in odd places. It can grip onto practically anything that you can bend its arms around. The attachements are a nice-to-have feature as well. In general this product is useful when a stadard size tripod is just too large (or positions the camera too high).

I mean that cute piece of software that was such a viral success for a short period more than 10 years back.Whilst the Gorillapod initally felt like it had all the charm of the pet rock and much of the sale-ability of an earlier decade, the pod actually can be functual.
The Gorillapod is essentially a tripod seat ( or suction base, depending on your building point of view) based on 3 very articulated legs.The "top" of the legs can lock or unlock easily, depending on a turn right or left. And the screw that attaches to the base of a camera or anything that will accept the screw, can be detached with a press of
the small JOBY button, and pull on the screw.Once you take the screw out you can use the suction cup: this is best done by first putting the suction cup in the place you want it to go ( best a nice clean surface), but don't count on it carrying too much weight.After that, attach the legs, since they will just slot in to the wedge shape of the suction cup. The two permanent attachments work the same way, but make sure that where-ever you place them, that you really DO want them there... they are hard to remove.
The Tripod unit is the big point for me, since comparable units that come with cameras have no where near the same flexibility and attachability. With a little creative thought one can do a lot, and two can have a party.

The quality of the tripod is what I expected but the accessories that make up this so-called Go-Go Pack are really a waste of money (considering it's ~$8 extra compared to a ~$22 standalone tripod at the time). The suction cup requires a very smooth surface to work (as anticipated) but leaves a mark on non-metallic surfaces that seems tough to clean after a while. The two adhesive clips are for permanent hold, which I couldn't find any candidate devices or situations for such use. The low rating here is for the go-go pack; for the tripod itself it would be a four stars.

Just received my Gorillapod Go-Go a few days ago, and it has already won a spot in my camera bag. Its uses as a tripod or stand for smaller electronic devices is near unlimited. So far, I've tested the Gorillapod on my Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200, Sony PSP, and Blackberry Curve.

I have yet to try it out on my Nikon D80. However, I feel confident that the Gorillapod could support the DSLR with the smaller lenses. Larger lenses would probably be too front-heavy. Then again, you could always angle one of the pod legs to support the weight of the lens. Or to be safe, just go ahead and buy Joby's SLR versions of the Gorillapod.

The legs are made of small, rubberized ball socket joint tubing. The legs can be extended by taking pieces from the other legs - they just snap together. It would be great if Joby began selling additional leg joints. The joints fit very snug, and with the rubberized edges, you can trust that they will grip nicely to almost any surface material or shape. The legs can be molded to wrap around objects, straightened to be a tripod, or shaped to be a stand of sorts.

As the GoGo unit is for smaller electronics, the mounts suffice for most anything in that group. It contains the standard camera screw mount, an adhesive mount, and a suction cup mount. I'm not a big fan of using adhesive to mount things to my electronics, but the screw and suction cup worked great.

Overall, I am definitely impressed with the quality and functionality of the unit and will be recommending it to any one looking for a small tripod or stand for their gadgets.