Recommendation for combined walking stick and monopod

Going to Iceland in August. I am 72 and about 225 pounds. I would like to by a monopod that I can also use as a walking stick. Must be sturdy and easy to use.

I've been debating that same question for the past year! I recently went with a SIRUI SVM Rapid System One-Step Height Adjustment Modular Monopod × 1. I came across an advertisement a few months ago and bought it wanting to use it for hiking in Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Love it! Sturdy with some heft. Definitely not on the lighter side and maybe more expensive that others. I did like it hiking and its ability to quickly extend and collapse. And it can be broken down with only some items hiked, if you want.

Siruli actually recommended that model to me. It is a little more than I wanted to spend but I don't want something that will quickly break. Can you add tripod feet to it?

The system I bought came with maybe 6" extension legs at the bottom to provide some stability. A tripod is much more stable as I found out with winds blowing one evening. I had to keep my hand or leg to steady the monopod.

In my future travels, I'll use that monopod for hiking and bring a light weight tripod for locations requiring more stability.

I have a couple of monopods, gathered overtime. Don't use them often. I don't have one with the "panning" I've seen at the upper end of the top section I've seen on some Siruis. That may be handy depending on the panning features of any head, etc. I have one with two different tri-foot sections, one has a paddle release but only locks in vertical. The ball head" type is more adjustable but requires hand adjustments. Perhaps if looking to less weight and walking stick use, the footed base can be done without?

It's also a three section which might be less fussy in deploying/retracting but while long enough to get to "eye" height, it might be too long for carry-on, or easy carry in a pack/bag.

I've never tried flying with them but ski poles and walking sticks may have carry-on restrictions? Might want a rubber foot and not a spike unless it's going in checked?

While walking sticks often have a 1/4' threaded stud, many may not be short enough when collapsed nor tall enough when extended so a monopod my be a better approach.

I have hunted for such a monopod, but never found one. I've been walking with a cane for 25 years now, and hoped I could find one that would allow me to leave my cane in the car. I did buy a cheap one at a local Sportsman's Warehouse, but like any such combined function device, it wasn't the monopod I needed (not tall enough or strong enough), and not the cane I need (inadequate handle).

When I get into "wilderness" terrain, I carry two cameras - one with a long lens for wildlife and the other with a kit lens for landscape. (I usually also have a backpack on my back.) The long lens camera is mounted on a monopod and carried over my left shoulder, and the landscape camera hangs on a Cotton Carrier holster on my belt on my left side. My cane is in my right hand.

I find it easy to quickly hang my cane over my left arm to shoot with the monopod+long lens camera. Switching to the landscape camera takes some seconds longer to be ready to shoot, but I can usually keep up with the landscape pretty easily - it moves slower than I do.

I've grown to really dislike hanging a camera on my neck, which made to belt holster very attractive, and it has worked very well.

Full disclosure: I'm 77 with an artificial left hip, artificial right knee, and no feeling on the bottom of my right foot. Hiking is nothing like it used to be decades ago, but my adaptation has worked, even though I can't do long distances any more.

Check out the Moutainsmith FX Lite trekking pole. A true trekking pole that will help stabilize your movement over rough terrain – especially if you are wearing a pack. At the top of the handle a universal ¼"-20 SAE male bolt for camera attachment. You can attach your camera directly to it or attach a mini ball head (I use a Giottos MH 1004) to provide a little adjustment.

It's a bit more trouble, but I made my own from a piece of 1 1/4" poplar and a little bit or hardware. It doesn't collapse for transport, but it also doesn't collapse when under stress on the trail. It has a standard 3/8x16 thread at the top. I used a bicycle tube for grip, but there are lots of heat-shrink grips on Amazon, too. A 1/2x20 shoulder bolt (head cut off and sharpened) with a locked-on fender washer makes a good dirt tip. I also made a rubber foot in case it's ever needed. I wanted to put a standard H-pattern manual shift knob on the top, but to match that 3/8 thread meant it would've been about $50 to start (too much for a $20 stick).



























--
Len Philpot
Retirement: 4th best thing to happen to me

Well you are not alone...I can't achieve the levels I used to do at 60 and even 65. I tried a monopod and didn't feel that it added enough. I tried adding a rope wrapped around my body and didn't like that. With imrovements in high iso and getting lenses that are sharp wide open, for landscape most of my no problem". I would take a light tripod over a monopod as it can double as a hiking stick if necessary.

See if you can find a carbon fiber TrekPod for sale used. They are not made any more but it is strong enough to support an adult body weight. I use mine as a stand for my flash when hiking and want a bit better light.

Edward Greenberg said:

Going to Iceland in August. I am 72 and about 225 pounds. I would like to by a monopod that I can also use as a walking stick. Must be sturdy and easy to use.

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Find a walking stick that you can use as a monopod. Compare the weight ratings of the monopod and compare these to trekking poles. This is a safety issue.

As someone who still tries to hike in the mountains, I can attest to the need to trekking poles. It's not the going up part of the hike but the going down part--particularly on uneven terrain. Your weight becomes hard to manage and support can help you avoid injury. Buy a set of decent trekking poles. See what works for you when you get to Iceland--some people prefer one pole, but I like two poles.

Regardless, if you have a camera with IBIS, the monopod is really an extra. Perhaps a very small table tripod to put in the bag.

FWIW