Robus SBM-001 Stabilizing Base for Monopods

Excellent product. I wish there was some mechanism to lock the screw to monopod. Sometime in the field when I try to twist the tripod , it loosens up the base form monopod.

I bought this to use with my Benro Supadupa Monopod. It fits perfectly at the bottom and looks quite sturdy. I bought this with a plan of keeping my foot on one of the legs while shotting and it seems sturdy enough to handle it at home. Have not tested in the field yet.

These days many monopod manufacturers offer tripod-like stabilizing bases. I doubted the value of them, and in my opinion, the companies that offered them had not offered the highest quality monopods before adding them to their products. When I discovered this base from Robus, I ordered it to test my assumptions about their value. After doing so, I concluded there was no reason why the makers of high quality monopods should add them. My Gitzos with their ball joint feet offer adequate flexibility and stability without the weight and bulk. As for the base itself, it fits Gitzo, Robus, Really Right Stuff, and any other brand of monopods which has interchangeable 3/8 inch foot capacity. It's nice to have one available, even though mine sits on a shelf, rather than attached to any of my monopods, since in general I don't consider the weight and bulk to be worth carrying around with me when I'm using a monopod.

This is sturdy and just what I needed for stabilizing my monopod. At 1.1 lb, it does sort of make the monopod into a heavy thing altogether but I think it will be a useful tool for stabilizing my rig or using as a desktop mini-tripod.

I purchased this base to use with the five section Robus monopod. Fit, finish and function are all excellent. The one thing I didn't care for was learning that the knurled locking ring is some type of plastic. Hopefully it will hold up over time. But the main reason for this review is to discuss what others have mentioned about how stiff the ball movement was. It's very stiff as received and that was a concern. Until I read the included instructions and realized that the rubber foot under the three legs is a tensioning device for the ball swivel. A slight adjustment with that and voila, perfectly adjustable ball tension! Bottom line, this appears to be a well built and thought out design. I can't wait to spend time with it in the field.

I purchased another monopod with built-in stabilizing base and ended up sending it back because it wasn't stable enough. This one by Robus is a much better design, better quality and definitely more stable. It's not a tripod but it does add some stability. As an added benefit, I can leave it off the Robus monopod when I'm doing a long hike in the backcountry and need to minimize weight.

I bought this to pair with the Robus Monopod, so I could mount the Ronin S, and be able to have it stay up right, or be able to use it as a tripod on certain productions where I only want to bring the Ronin. It works well for exactly that. I am able to use the R5 on the Ronin S, and go from mobile ronin moves, to a tripod like setup. I was worried that it wouldn't sit still if I had it just standing there, but it does sit still. The build quality is nice, a really slick and sturdy design. The locking screen is smooth, and quick to spin, and the feet lock when pushed into the down position, and then you push a button and pull up to stow them away. Glad I bought this one, well worth the price vs others I've used (2).

No, this isn't meant to turn your monopod into a tripod. But when you're traveling extremely weight-restricted (Africa, for example) and are carrying a monopod regardless, this little guy can possibly allow you to leave your tripod at home. I did just that last time I went on a safari, and it worked out great. With the monopod at the shortest extension, my body blocking the wind, a remote shutter, and a prayer, I shot some perfectly-sharp pictures of the night sky. Of course not every shot was tack-sharp. Of course you have less placement options. Of course it takes a bit more effort than a normal tripod. But was it good enough that I didn't regret leaving the tripod at home? You betcha. As far as the more typical usage, I was very pleased with that as well. It's easy to deploy, makes your life easier when shooting off a monopod, and folds up nice and neat. It has a bit of heft to it, which I found to be a nice counterbalance to the camera on the other hand. It made the entire rig a bit easier to move around and reposition. I found the ball-tightening to be a bit finicky, but once it was set I just kept it that way and never thought about it again. Overall, I find this to be a fantastic addition to any monopod setup.