IFOOTAGE Cobra 2 Strike A150S Monopod, 59" Telescopic Camera Monopod with Feet Dual Direction Quick Adjustable, Compatible with DSLR Cameras and Camcorders

This is a very unique monopod with a tripod foot that can convert to a very small tabletop tripod that is extremely sturdy.The fit and finish of the materials is excellent and all of the action is smooth. The quick release top and bottoms are adjustable and this really gives you the flexibility to transition from a straight up monopod, to a self standing monopod, to a table top tripod. Even the twist to extend uses very little motion to release and lock up. Everything about this unit is designed for fast action and quick transitions. There are two extension poles but they are both connected to a single locking mechanism so when you twist, both poles come out from the top and the bottom to extend to a full-size monopod. Very unique design.Even the ball head on the foot ( which becomes the table top tripod ball head) walks very securely even though the knob is somewhat small.It comes in a nice case with an internal pocket for a little extra bits and tools. I really appreciate the clever design of all aspects of this package. It’s most compact state is a little bit on the long side at 30” for those looking for an extremely compact unit. But it extends to a full height monopod and does so quickly.If I had one criticism it would be that the ball head could use a positive center lock mechanism. Sometimes it can be a little difficult to have it stand straight up.

Missing parts and box is broken

When I was looking for a new monopod to add to my arsenal, iFootage was the first brand that came to mind.For all the things I love about this monopod there is one thing that makes it unusable for my needs.The Cobra 2 Strike has a phenomenal extension mechanism, above-average build quality, and a quick lock feature that needs to be industry standard.The one thing this monopod does not have however is stable feet.The ball head at the base of the monopod does not have any sort of positive center lock or marking indicating the monopod is straight. It also doesn't tighten enough to actually lock there is always a fair amount of play.I really wanted to love this monopod as the build quality is excellent however the actual use I found to be frustrating as the monopod could never really find a positive center lock for simple static shots. I ended up having to take longer to set up a shot because the ball head at the ball was always slightly off.Ultimately anything that makes working harder I don't find worth adding to your workflow.

It was really easy to assemble. It's very strong and secure which gives it a lot of stability. It's lightweight but made of high quality material.

REVIEW EDIT: originally, I thought that the 3/8 tripod screw should be unthreaded to use the 1/4 screw stud, and I tried to use pliers to remove it with no success. INSTEAD, just PUSH IT DOWN! A nice simple and elegant solution... and much better than my (dumb) approach. Nothing to lose and easy once you know it's there ; )- - -I do visual design work and needed a good solid tripod to use with a Insta360° camera; these allow you to create a full 360° image or video; I use it for real estate photography of properties, and on my car when I go autocross for a POV camera view.I had never heard of IFootage before, but their tripod clicked a lot of criteria I’m looking for, so here goes!Here’s a full introduction:There’s a lot to like about this monopod... and it comes with a fold-down base instead of traditional tripod legs. If you are needing a very stable tripod for long-exposure photography or have a massively heavy camera lens that you don’t plan to move around, then this is -not- the setup you need. But if you need to be mobile for sports, wildlife or action photography, then do consider this monopod system. It essentially is a monopod--a single leg that provides additional camera support along with your body, with a smaller legged base for MONITORED support. The reason why I say “monitored” is that you should never walk away from a setup like this... the base is not wide enough to trust a heavy weight (like your camera) on top without you being present to catch it if it’s jostled, on soft soil or in a strong wind. But as long as you are actively present next to the monopod, any risk of falling is greatly minimized.The first thing you’ll come across is the monopod bag... a very nice inclusion to protect your investment. There’s a nice velcro tab near the base to keep the monopod stable during transport, but once I took it out of the bag, I realized that there is no tripod head--no worries, I can supply my own. But wait... there’s no room for it to fit in the bag! That puzzled me a bit until I read a sign with a tripod head near the top of the bag that said “Push Out”. What? There’s a velcro strap near the sign, so I released it and then pushed out the top of the bag. Awesome! There’s now about 4.5 inches of extra room at the top of the bag which should hold a good ball head for still cameras, or a medium weight pan head for a video camera. There’s also a long pouch inside the bag to put the handle for a video head. This is a well designed bag!Now let’s talk about the monopod itself. Swing down the legs of the tripod base and they will click into locking positions; a very good sign. I’ve worked with tripod legs like this that did -not- have locks, and you immediately have risk of an uneven base. To extend the monopod, there’s a brilliant one-handed solution when you twist the handgrip; BOTH the top and bottom ends extend! This makes changing heights smooth and above all FAST. For action photography, this is especially welcome.More on the tripod legs... there are three positions that you can use (four if you include folded away): 20°, 50° and 78°. I renamed these as Iffy, Meh and Best, for the simple reason of weight and balance. In a monopod system like this the base is a pleasant addition, it is NOT designed to lower the center of gravity of a heavy setup like a true tripod. The more weight you have on top (Camera, Lens, Lights etc), the more you need a wider base of support. If you are outside, the risks grow from uneven or soft ground, wind, animals or people bumping into it. Never leave a setup like this unwatched!If you need to swap tripod heads from a 3/8 screw to a lighter 1/4 head, all you need to do is PUSH DOWN on the 3/8 threads on the Tripod Head to reveal the 1/4 thread stud. It's a simple and elegant solution that also keeps you from losing the 3/8 threads also. A very nice design!One other thing to note is that this monopod system is aluminum at almost 3 pounds. My Insta360 camera is about 4 ounces, so with indoor shots, I’m very comfortable with the weight and balance support. If I need to run-and-gun on a sports shot, having a monopod that provides portable bracing gives additional control over just hand-holding a shot. If you do more outdoor photography, there’s a carbon fiber monopod by IFootage that will cut down on weight; once I (finally) swap out the 3/8 insert, this monopod will be useful with my 360° camera and for video clips on location.All in all, this is a very well-designed and useful monopod system. I've used many tripods and monopods, and this stands out as a great package; that is, it has more features right at hand that may not leap out at you until you need them. I will look forward to seeing what else IFootage has to offer!