Top critical review
2.0 out of 5 starsHigh hopes, but did not deliver...
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2016
I read the reviews, I had high hopes and was excited to receive this product. I usually find most reviews pretty accurate and helpful when buying stuff. I also was hopeful because I was buying a name brand 'GoPro' product rather than some third-party product (which I don't mind purchasing either). I watched the video product videos on GoPro's website. They make it look like it functions much easier than it really did. Upon receiving the product I was very excited. Opened it up and then began to tinker/inspect. I'm not sure if I got a defective product or not but it did not function the way that it did in the videos. The video makes the folding action look very fluid and easy. I found it to be stiff and the joints/hinges did not seem to line up properly/flush (see photo). At the joints, the plastic was grinding away at each other (you could literally see plastic dust), I was tempted to maybe oil or lube it but decided not to go through the trouble because after spending some more time inspecting I decided to just return it. The grip handle on it is nice. The rubber quality feels good. But when it came to loosening the turn knobs on the hinges in order to fold/expand the extending arms, (since the hinges did not seem to line up properly) it just felt stiff and clumsy. I was worried because I did not want to force it, because it did feel like it could break. I understand that it is just plastic and it is very much a possibility, but I was expecting a higher quality product for the price. The monopod handle grip worked fine, very straightforward. I could not get the arms to extend all the way, there was a slight curvature even at full extension. The tripod idea I thought was great but it could have been executed better. I was testing it as a tripod indoors and even then it seemed slightly unstable/wobbly. I imagine that if I were to use it outside, a light wind might blow it over, or ruin a steady shot.
I like GoPro, I don't have a problem with their other products or accessories. I really liked the idea behind this product, a 3-way versatile tool. The convenience of having to carry 1 product and not 3 is a great idea. However, by trying to take on all of these tasks, they fell short on most (the grip was the only one I thought worked well). Great idea, but needs improvement. For the money you are paying, it might be a better idea to look into buying separately the different items that are great in the different categories, especially if you don't mind carrying the extra gear.
I have a Steadicam Curve which I use for my GoPro Hero 3+ (which I like but think could also be improved), and I just purchased a GoPro Pole/Selfie Stick from Thrillpro/The Alaska Life (which I haven't received yet but I am hopeful for, they have a great warranty). I am not writing this review in exchange for anything, just hoping that it is helpful to someone that might be considering this product.