The Camera Bag: Brazos Walking Stick Doubles as Photography Monopod

Here's a great product for outdoor photographers: a walking stick that doubles as a monopod with a hidden tripod mount for attaching your camera.

Called the Twisted Hickory Photo Stick -- yes, that sounds a little diabolical -- this handsome, knurled walking stick is handmade by the Texas-based Brazos company and comes in four sizes. The secret to the wooden stick is that its top screws off to reveal a standard 1/4-20 tripod mount thread.

So let's say you're off in the woods somewhere and want to photograph a bird or animal but are afraid the dim conditions and your long zoom might produce camera shake. Just pop the top of the Photo Stick, attach your DSLR, and you're ready and steady.

Sure, you could always bring a monopod or tripod along with you but why carry something extra in your pack? Plus, the Brazos stick will not only help your photography, it'll make your long trek more comfortable.

The Brazos Twisted Hickory Photo Stick sells for $45 and is available here. There's even an optional, attachable compass if you get so focused on photographing animals you can't find your way home.

(Via Kent Weakley)