Calumet MF7045 Black Double-Riser Grip Stand, 40 in.

I ordered a pair of these, plus a pair of boom arms, mostly based on the price ($69.95 at the time). I didn't know what to expect, owing to the lack of reviews, so I looked up reviews on other products Calumet makes for the film industry. To my relief, they were mostly really good. So I decided to take a chance.A quick note: I'm a film student at UCLA, and frequently work on film sets using a variety of professional equipment, including Matthews brand C Stands.First, the base. The main shaft of the stand easily separates from the base just by releasing one knob and lifting it away. The legs themselves are heavy and sturdy. In fact, they were so sturdy that when I took them out of the box I wasn't sure if I needed to loosen the bottom bolt in order to position the legs. Fortunately, with a little push I realized that the legs are spring loaded, so they're a little stiff, and they lock into both their "in use" position, and their "storage and travel" position, which basically has the legs fold flat. The legs are a thick gauge heavy steel, and the feet are capped with plastic that should be safe on surfaces you don't want to scratch.The main shaft is thick and heavy, and extends up to 105". Even fully extended, it's very stable and has little wobble. With a couple of sandbags to counterbalance your load, this is completely stable, every bit as much as the much more expensive stands I've used.To my complete surprise, these are easily on par with the Matthews models and I can easily see them lasting for years. Moreover, there are certain things about them I actually feel are superior to the Matthews stands, including the detachable legs (better for transporting and makes them usable for putting lights down low, using a $12.99 adapter) and the fact that the legs fold and lock in place without needing to mess with knobs or manual positioning.As usual, you'll have to buy the bogo arms separately, but they're only $23 on Amazon right now. Mine will arrive tomorrow, and I'll be sure to review those as well.Update: I've added a review for the extension arms as well. Be sure to check it out!

All in all it's ok. The pin in oddly rounded and makes for an ill fit for a lot of lights. The tensioners are plastic.

I have bought Calumet products in the past and these measure up. Very solid and well-made C-stand! At first the clamps appeared plastic but I quickly realized they were solid metal covered over with a thick black coating of some type to match the color of the stand. VERY nicely done! I know the black coating would probably chip a little if I were throwing these in and out of a grip truck every day but I take better care of my gear than that and am very happy with them. The coating is very hard and appears to be quite thick. With just a little care it should last a lifetime. The legs are tight and snap into place firmly. The clamps lock very securely. Everything tightens down quite securely and if properly sandbagged, I would have no problem mounting any of my lights or other rigging on these stands. Highly recommend them.

Decent quality stand, but I suspect that the black color will get banged up over time. Not a problem, it's meant for work and it looks like it will do the job for years to come. Good value, good product.