TrulyObscure - article - gadgeteer - trulyrandom - Gorillapod: A Post-modern Tripod

Flexibility. That’s what this day and age requires! And we’re not just talking about people, about companies, about relationships- we’re also talking about the very gadgets that hold us together.

Joby’s Gorillapod is leading the way, offering to bend and twist every which way if it will make us happy, and improve our pictures. This mini tripod puts others to shame and winds up being one of the most useful additions to a photographer’s arsenal since digital cameras. Quite a claim: but consider that tripods have largely gone unchanged for quite some time: new materials perhaps, but fundamentally the same idea.

The Gorillapod is a major redesign, basically a pocket sized bendable tripod with legs made of small balls that work as joints. The tension in the joints is perfect- you can wrap the legs around branches and shape them into specific forms and they will stay firmly in place until you move them. We tested the pod with a fairly heavy digital camera, and it can handle anything up to a DSLR without much trouble. Small handycam videocameras also work pretty well. And the feet of the tripod are, of course, made of non-slip material for better grip.

Could we ask for more? Sure- a larger version (that we hear is on the way). Other colors (black and grey are fine, but others would be nice). And maybe a cheaper price (though $22 is perfectly reasonable for a minipod, and the materials are pretty high-quality). The Gorillapod makes some new shots possible and many shots easier- which is enough to recommend it to anyone who is a prosumer digital photographer.