Okay, I'm going to break down this review:PACKAGING-Comes in a nice fitted box with nice branding - win-Tripod comes in a zipper carry bag (YES with a shoulder strap attachment) - win-Tripod itself comes wrapped in a plastic bag to prevent damage - win-Tripod Head comes wrapped in a soft cloth pouch to prevent scratches - winBUILD and FUNCTION-All of the parts on this tripod are metal, minus the twist locks of course - win-Tripod is quite hefty (this is a daily workhorse tripod) - win-Ball head works great! Really hefty and the knobs work smoothly - win-Panning dial runs REALLY silky smooth - win-Release Plate has liquid leveller and there is room to access your camera's battery without having to take it off the tripod - win-Four Section extension with twist locks (twist locks also run very smooth)- win-MONOPOD feature is very user friendly. You simply unscrew the head, detach the specified leg, remove the middle column, and connect the two with a screw joint (included in the kit) - win-Has a hook for attaching extra weight - winVALUE-At a little over a hundred dollars, this is a no-brainer. The hefty built on this tripod, plus the monopod feature, plus it comes with a really nice ball head with a smooth panning competes with high end tripods priced around $300-$400 at least.RECOMMENDATION-This tripod is a WIN! It is packed with features and is built like a tank. It is a workhorse tripod. The nice packaging is also a nice bonus!