A monopod is an ideal way to take the weight off a heavy camera / lens combo or simply steady your hand. Still photographers are able to shoot at lower shutter speeds with the camera supported and videographers can avoid eye-straining jitter, especially evident during long zooming. Best yet monopods pack easily and go anywhere, and often do double-duty as a walking stick on long hikes.

This Manfrotto MMC3-01 Compact Monopod has 5 sections with easy-to-use flip levers which telescope to 4.7' and fold down to only 15.3". Made of aluminum, it weighs a little over 1/2 pound and yet supports loads up to 3.3 lb. The MMC3-01 Compact Monopod comes with a wrist strap to safely secure your valuable equipment. A wide selection of optional ball or pan heads is available.