I have a Feisol CM-1401 that I like a lot. It's 4 sections and just over 20" long without a head. It might not be the absolute best, but it didn't cost anywhere near what I could have paid for a Gitzo model.


The carbon fiber construction is very rigid and surprisingly light (like when you pick up a milk carton that's mostly empty). I've used a ballhead on it, but after a while I didn't see the benefit so I switched to a Manfrotto 3229 tilt head with quick release. Even with the head, it's still compact and balanced if not quite as "impossibly" light weight. I've used it with lenses up to 300 f/2.8 with no problem at all, and I'm convinced that it could handle twice the weight easily (not sure I'd trust the tilt head with a really heavy lens, though).


The twist-locks (which I prefer) work well but aren't G-lock, which basically means you have to twist them tighter to get them fully locked. I got used to that pretty quickly, though. I would have preferred legs that didn't twist when unlocked, but as long as I extend them in the right order, it's fine.


For me, the point of a monopod is to support the camera and lens and add stability, not to hold it rock-steady like a tripod. So I didn't see the need to buy the absolute top-of-the-line, and for once I'm convinced that saving a few bucks on equipment was the right decision. When I upgrade my hand-me-down tripod, I'll put the money I saved on the monopod toward the best tripod I can afford.


Good luck and please post to let us know what you choose!


Jeff