I have owned a Duopod Pro since they first appeared in the UK seven or eight years ago. It is very heavy and rigid - a 2-section tube with the bottom section diameter almost 2 inches.

The standard Duopod was simply an extending arm with a footplate on the end which could be clamped onto any monopod of suitably large diameter.

I have looked at the pro4 site, and the duopods they display ar not those which the original Uniloc made. They are clearly much lighter in construction.

Uniloc was formed by a group of former Benbo employees at one of that companies going into receivership. Their tripods are essentially copies of the Benbo (Bent bolt) tripods. How they avoid trouble with patents I do not know. I can only assume that Benbo allowed the patents to lapse.

I also have an ancient Benbo Mk1 tripod, which is equally massive and rigid. Because of its design, which allows great flexibility in positioning, it is too much hassle to use for video.

Voice of experience?

Yes, even before (well before) 9/11. Tripods can hold machines guns I was told. Not so much a pro v amateur thing like in NYC were the City requires daily shooting permits to shoot commercially but more a security thing.

The park rangers that approached me went out of there way to make a big scene out of me and my tripod’ed camera (weird I hate tripods but wanted some long exposures- i use bean bags now). Always check with the city's L&P or call some local pros.

btw- I lost my light. And nothing can bring that back. LOL