If you don't want to spend a lot of dough, this Slik monopod has some nice features. I used it in Europe a couple of years ago and it was easy to carry and very fast to open and set up. The spring loaded adjustments come in very handy for getting the exact height you need. It loads and carries easily on a backpack and if you use a neck strap or shoulder strap for your camera, you can leave the collapsed monopod attached for a short period while walking around. I grabbed several decent night shots in and around Salzburg using just this monopod.