Wanting to add something a little “fun” to my photography arsenal, I found an advertisement for a “Joby” tripod in a magazine.  I thought that I could surely get some use out of a small tripod like that, namely due to the ability to wrap the legs around fencing, chairs, and the like.  Strolling into a local Best Buy, I walked out with a competitor’s brand, Sunpak FlecPod Pro and $36.00 less in my wallet.Sunpak PlatinumPlus FlecPod Pro Tripod

Advertised product features:

• Compatible with most digital cameras and camcorders
• Segmented legs wrap securely around most objects
• Quick-release plate for fast and easy setup
• Also functions as a tabletop tripod 

The packaging was pretty convincing, and it even had a DSLR displayed.  What I found was that while the tripod could technically support the weight of the camera body, it had a lot of trouble supporting the weight of the body AND a lens (Sigma 18-200mm lens).  I loaded the camera on the tripod and found that the lens would pull the front down.  It just would not stay steady.  In my opinion, the packaging was a little deceptive, but then again, I should have known that this little tripod would not hold my camera setup.  So on point number one, I would not rate this product very high.  There should be some additional disclaimers with the product.

The flexible legs are a great idea, and if you have a smaller weighted camera then perhaps this would be a good purchase for you.  I actually kept the tripod and used it with our digital video camera since it is handheld and very small in size.  I tried wrapping it around objects such as chairs and it worked fine.  It was a little uncoordinated at first, but once you get used to the leg motion it is easier to manipulate.

The quick-release plate was a little confusing for me.  Perhaps it was because I never had a chance to use my camera with the 18-200mm lens attached while the tripod was attached to a fence, but the plate seemed useless for me.  If you are using it as a table-top tripod, then I see the quick-release plate as a featureless feature in a sense.  If the tripod is placed and wrapped in a fixed position, I could then see the need to remove the camera and use it elsewhere.  As I said, the tripod would only hold my camera and 50mm lens so I did not do any further testing like I had wanted.

If I had it to do all over again, I would have put the money toward another tripod with additional functionality built in to it. While this is a lower price item in the big scheme of things, it would have been better spent elsewhere.