Review: Quik Pod Monopod for Cameras and Mobile Phones

Do you ever go on a trip and want to take a photo of yourself, but have nobody around to ask to take a picture? Even if you are with other people it’s always nice to have more than one person in a shot, otherwise you just end up with someone getting left out of all the photos. We have taken a lot of photos on vacation where it’s just me or just Eric and very few of the ones we have together are taken far enough away to make a difference, because you can’t see what’s behind us or where we are. That close-up can be Paris or Moscow or San Diego or our backyard. You just never know.

photo courtesy of Quikpod.com

When I discovered the Quik Pod, I was thrilled to pieces. Finally a way to take photos from farther than arm’s length without having to ask a stranger – or find one – who may or may not speak English. Sure, we’ve gotten some strange looks when using it, but most people are more intrigued when they see what the Quik Pod can do. You can imagine my surprise when I found out they now make an attachment for your mobile phone. I mean, more travelers are using their phones to document their trips than cameras, so it stands to reason that this is a genius move on their part.

phone not included :)

Quik Pod was nice enough to send me their mobile kit so I could test it out. The new Explorer II extends farther than my original one and is now waterproof and includes a small mirror, so you can see if you’re actually in the shot if you are using your phone's back camera, or your regular camera, and can’t see the screen. Nothing like taking a bunch of pictures and seeing you’ve cut off half your heads, right? The phone attachment can be a bit cumbersome, but if you’re used to using your mobile for everything, it will only take a few more seconds to pop it into the holder and start snapping away with your timer.

We didn’t have occasion to go anywhere fun in the past couple of weeks, so here are some photos I took of myself and of me and my dog with my phone's camera. You can’t even tell I’m holding anything to take the pictures, which is pretty much the point.

I promise my dog is not evil

I have owned a Quik Pod for several years and love its compact nature. It easily slips in any bag I’m carrying and is very sturdy. I love the weight of it, because you know it’s not going to fail and leave your camera in pieces on the ground (the same can be said for the mobile attachment, which has an easy dial to keep your phone snug) and it is also a nice security device. You can’t bring a taser with you on your trip, but this awesome photo helper can double as a weapon if you need one. Now, I’m not saying you should go around beating people with it, but if you had to, you could. It’s especially comforting if you travel alone or you get caught in a zombie outbreak.

You know what other cool stuff you can do with your Quik Pod? If you purchase the Explorer, you can attach the included compact tripod legs and take pictures farther away or of an even bigger group of travelers. That’s perfect for those family reunion cruises people take or class trips to France. Nobody gets left out and you don’t have to perch your camera precariously on a ledge and hit the timer and run back to the group and still try to look good. I have used a lot of things as a substitute for a tripod on my travels: my purse, a fence, a window sill and a ketchup bottle. Yes, I’m creative, but it would have been way easier with one of these.

Take awesome photos or video of your underwater activities with your underwater camera. Not only is the Quik Pod Explorer II waterproof, it has a fantastic wrist loop that is rubberized and adjustable, so even if you lose your grip, it’s unlikely to fall off your arm and be lost forever in the depths of the ocean. That would be a bummer. All your amazing video of you swimming with sharks and sea turtles...gone. You can bet those creepy bottom-of-the-sea fish aren’t re-watching that footage by their phosphorous antennae glow.

Want to take video of a concert or something else where the crowds are thick and you are short? Use the Quik Pod to extend your reach and see above everyone’s head without having to sit on someone’s shoulders and block the view of more people behind you.

As long as your camera or camcorder has a tripod dock, you can use the Quik Pod. You just screw it right on and you’re ready to take a ton of self-portraits! Want a new angle for your shot? Simply adjust it by turning the dial.

Here are some photos I’ve taken with my camera and my Quik Pod: