#GEAR || My Monopods

I don't own a traditional tripod.  I found that for the type of videos and content I make they weren't entirely necessary. Plus, when traveling, I like to keep things light and a lot of times traditional tripods get in the way.  

For me, monopods seemed like an appropriate alternative. I own two monopods now that I interchange when shooting.  

My Manfrotto monopod is a nice sturdy monopod that I have owned for going on 2 or 3 years now.  It's incredibly reliable, gives me great range of motion to create dynamic shots and relatively affordable.  I use the Manfrotto mostly for my YouTube videos and when shooting vlogs at home.  

I also own a VEO Vanguard monopod with the Benro S2 video head.  This monopod is GREAT for traveling.  It's really light (weighs around 4lbs), compacts even more than my Manfrotto (great for my camera bag), and can hold a comparable weight.  

Both monopods have their pros and cons and I made sure to detail them in the videos.  As I state in both videos, it's not about having the most expensive gear and products.  It's about having equipment that enhances your abilities and enables you to try new things.  Before purchasing monopods, I hated bringing my tripod anywhere to create content, and as a result my video quality suffered. It was too big and bulky and frankly slowed me down.  Purchasing the monopods, was a well placed and strategic investment for me as a producer, enabling me to up the production value of my YouTube content. 

Do you use monopods? What do you think?