Gorillapod Tripod
Miami Beach, United States

I returned back to Miami to find a pair of packages waiting for me. One was the Sony eBook reader, the other the Joby Gorillapod tripod that I'd order a month prior. This flexible tripod was pretty much the only item on my shopping list for my time in the United States, and obtaining it turned out to be quite an ordeal.

My P5000 on a Gorillapod

Gorillapods come in a few different colors and sizes, and ordering directly from Joby via their Web site allows you to purchase the product without packaging for a reduced price (and free shipping). My Nikon looked like it'd do fine on the smallest variety, and on the last day of March I placed an order.

I'd generally forgotten about the tripod, but by the time April 11 rolled around, I was starting to wonder what the deal was. Querying the FedEx tracking number, I discovered that the package tracking data was submitted, but never mailed (though my credit card had been charged). A Joby rep (Helga Veideman) finally got back to me on the 14th, replying that they'd put one in the mail via USPS.

On the 22nd a thin envelope arrived, and my jaw hit the ground when all it contained was the clip that screwed into the base of the camera—no tripod. Rather miffed, I called up a surprised Helga who promised a Gorillapod would be expressed out to me—though I'd be in L.A. by the time it arrived.

Delivery annoyances aside, the Joby Gorillapod is really quite neat, and appears to work as promised. I'm pleased to be adding it to my backpack's inventory.

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