Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Simple Trekking Pole Monopod

Here's a simple solution for mounting your camera on your hiking pole to use it as a monopod while you're out on the trail. A video is more appropriate than a step by step photo session for this one.

Apologies for looking rough in the video. I just had spinal surgery to fuze my C6 & C7 vertebrae. You all know I love custom titanium but this surgery was probably a little over the top just to get a plate and four screws in my spine.

Anyway, enjoy and please leave comments if you have alternate ideas or potential improvements to this one!

I updated the video to be directly embedded from YouTube for (smart) people that don't install Flash. Please let me know if it still doesn't work.


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24 comments:

  1. BrianJanuary 10, 2012 at 10:31 AM

    What does the rubber band weigh? I feel a flood of rubber band related backpacking hacks coming on...

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  2. SuzanneJanuary 10, 2012 at 10:36 AM

    I hope you feel better soon

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  3. Don MeredithJanuary 10, 2012 at 10:36 AM

    Unfortunately, its a full weight rubber band. I'm working on some hacks to reduce weight:

    1. Punching holes in it
    2. Two words: stretch dyneema. ;)

    DM

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  4. Jenny MeredithJanuary 10, 2012 at 10:53 AM

    I'll take one! :)

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  5. Jenny MeredithJanuary 10, 2012 at 10:54 AM

    I'll take one! :)

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  6. Don MeredithJanuary 10, 2012 at 1:56 PM

    I'm still working on pricing but (being my wife) you'll probably get a pretty good deal. ;)

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  7. Dan DurstonJanuary 10, 2012 at 3:35 PM

    Clever. I'm going to try this.

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  8. Eugene SmithJanuary 10, 2012 at 9:13 PM

    Ha, this is awesome, so simple. I see a bright future with this project on Kickstarter. ;-)

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  9. RyanJanuary 11, 2012 at 5:01 AM

    Well duh. So simple, I wish I thought of it. Great idea!

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  10. JERMMJanuary 11, 2012 at 6:18 AM

    EXCELLENT!!! We bought a bag of 500 rubber bands not long ago and I carry an extra RB as part of my repair kit.

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  11. JERMMJanuary 11, 2012 at 6:23 AM

    Don- here's wishing you a speedy recovery. Internal Ti body parts, you need to get together with my husband, he has 14 Ti screws and a 7-inch Ti plate in his forearm, all put there one year ago this week.

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  12. Don MeredithJanuary 11, 2012 at 6:24 AM

    Sometimes more ti isn't better. Its rare but it can be the case. Thanks!

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  13. baby giraffeJanuary 11, 2012 at 3:57 PM

    Love this! Can't believe we hadn't thought of it..

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  14. treeswingJanuary 11, 2012 at 9:43 PM

    Some of us don't have Adobe Flash. Can you please add a direct link to the (presumedly) Youtube page? We'd really appreciate it :)

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  15. Don MeredithJanuary 11, 2012 at 10:00 PM

    Treeswing - thanks for letting me know that the video didn't work without Flash. I updated it to embed directly from YouTube. Let me know if that doesn't work for some reason! -DM

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  16. AnonymousJanuary 24, 2012 at 9:39 AM

    dude! the rubber band camera trick is BRILLIANT. that's awesome.
    Sometimes low tech is a lot better. thanks for the tip.

    - some guy from BPL.

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  17. UnknownFebruary 2, 2012 at 6:08 AM

    Thanks for this great idea!

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  18. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2012 at 8:31 AM

    It's called a "stick pic" and it mounts at the end of your trekking pole and you can take photo's with you in them! It costs around $14 and come in sizes to fit most trekking poles.

    GrandPa Walking

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  19. CatharineFebruary 2, 2012 at 10:11 AM

    I love this idea. As a former news photographer who used mostly available light, I am addicted to my monopod.

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  20. Evan RavitzFebruary 2, 2012 at 10:35 AM

    Great idea. I use an Ultrapod, which weighs less than 2 oz. and has a velcro band which wraps around a pole -or a branch. But it also works as a small "table-top" tripod. Very versatile. Mine is over 30 years old!

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  21. Jolly Green GiantFebruary 2, 2012 at 10:54 AM

    I'm going to go hit myself in the face with a hammer now because I didn't think of that solution and instead decided to regularly fight with a little Gorilla tri-pod.

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  22. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2012 at 9:56 PM

    Pure freaking genius.
    Thanks, Don!

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  23. UnknownDecember 13, 2013 at 5:25 PM

    It's cool to see a video of you speaking, Don. Read all your blog posts, lots of FB stuff, admired your gear from afar, and never had any idea what you sounded like/talked like. You seem like a really competent guy. Peace.

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  24. travel tripodsOctober 20, 2018 at 12:13 AM

    hiking Monopod can be a great blessing when it comes to professional photography. So, the review of this profession monopod is very good. your idea about the monopod pole is very cool

    ReplyDelete

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