Avenger A2033LKIT Steel 40-Inch Sliding Leg C-Stand with Grip Kit (Chrome)

This is a very sturdy C-Stand and heavy too. Compared to my aluminum Manfrotto tripod this thing is heavy and bulky but it is designed more for studio or locations where you bring a van full of equipment - not for out roaming the countryside...It has 2 risers for height adjustment each about 3 feet in length held in place by large grip heads with large bolts. The boom is held in place with a circular compression grip which also has a nice soft rubber cover. At the end of the boom is another grip for clamping to your umbrella or other accessories. The boom can be rotate 360 degree and swiveled in all directions - lots of flexibility in positioning this thing.Mine didn't come with any instructions and their website is very limited. While it looks easy to setup there is a very important issue: you must be careful how you set the boom as it can loosen the grip if you place the weight in the wrong direction since the weight of the boom assists in holding the grip tight.Also, when raising the risers start with the top one or you won't be able the reach it for adjustment if you extend the bottom one first...Sand bags are recommended as well. If this thing falls over it could knock you out or worse ruin your equipment...This is on hunk of metal with some heavy duty grips. While it does fold up it still only goes down to about 4 feet by 2 so it's not compact by any means. And you will probably need to get some clamps and other accessories to hold everything like flashes, umbrellas, etc.Overall this is a great C-stand and a very reasonable price for how well it is built.

I bought the stand after a saw a similar one in a studio. I was surprised to see that the grip can be used as a boom arm that can hold an alien bee and softlighter. ( I saw this from Zack Arias) The only thing I think is scary is that one of the legs can be kicked out too easily and it must be sandbagged or disaster might happen. I plan on getting more soon.

Great stand. Nice boom arm. Very strong, very durable. Very well designed and thought out. However it is not terribly portable. The legs do not fold up obviously, so it is a pain to move in a car/truck like an ordinary light stand. However it is not meant to be a light weight ordinary light stand, so I guess this isn't an issue for most people. I have stands that are easy to move and easy to set up, but they are also easier to knock down and don't hold things as securely or have as much weight bearing capacity. This will hold every light mod I have without a problem. I even put 2 46" octabanks on it and it seemed fine. I had to counterweight it a bit, but once I had the weight centered it was sturdy and stable. For in studio use this is a great tool. I am very happy with the purchase. I only wish I could find something this awesome for mobile use.

This is one solid, strong, heavy duty light stand!I've used other "heavy duty" lightstands that had big footprints - but "special HD plastic" connector/hinges and thats the part that usually breaks when outdoors on a breezy day with a big modifier on the top. Not this one - EVERYPART is steel!Since using and breaking those others - I've upgraded to this system for all my outdoor work.Its heavy (both good and bad), strong and very solid. The boom is perfect for getting my beautydish at the correct angle (without a boom, the dish can't be tilted downward because the vertical member hits the dish after just a few degrees of tilt)It doesn't pack down very small - but thats not as important as its strength and stability.VERY IMPORTANT: you will need to get a little stud/spigot piece to get your lights/umbrella adaptor on the stand - this is not included, but only adds a few $$. The best matchup I found (there may be other good options) was the "Avenger E650 6-Inch Baby Pin With Collar" ofcourse, its on amazon too.

This is the best light stand I have used. This is so solid and works perfectly. Do not buy cheap light stands that you have to keep adjusting. I have some cheap ones and they don't stay locked in place for very long before I have to tighten the fasteners. This stand is rock solid. The extension arm is so nice. You can extend it out all of the way while using a heavy light and light modifiers and it stays in place. I highly recommend this stand to any photographer. I own two of them and they are my main stands. I have cheap small stands that I only use for speedlights.

Since purchasing this C Stand, I have purchased another from Amazon. A 30 inch as oppose to this 40 inch. I use this stand for the relatively new Westcott 7 foot umbrella and it does an outstanding job of keeping this huge umbrella upright in the studio even without sandbags. This stand is expensive, but rugged and built to last a lifetime."update": I've been using my 3 C-Stands from Avenger for well over a year now, and they have gotten me out of some tight spots at location shoots. Mainly, when using a Flash Head with a weak umbrella holder! Remember, you'll need to purchase the "Baby Pin" so you can attach and swivel your light modifiers or speedlights/monolights.If everything were built like an Avenger C-Stand then there wouldn't be any need for customer reviews!

I wish I had known about these early on. I would have saved money by not having to replace half the stands I already own. Super easy to use and position lights. They are also VERY stable when setup.One accessory that was a must have for me was the Avenger E650 6 inch pin. This duplicates the 5/8 pin on the main shaft of the stand. However, this one clamps into the grip head allowing me to easily mount and adjust lights or light modifiers (even on the end of the adjustable arm).

The best C-Stand I've ever used, and I've used stands that cost much much more than this. This is a great deal for a great stand, and with the free shipping I went ahead and ordered a bunch. All avenger equipment I own is top notch and priced appropriately. Amazon has become my favorite place to save on grip equipment.