The Guerilla Tripod is a tripod similar to any you've used for photography. It has three telescoping legs, a rotating head manipulated by a handle that tightens for setting your angle, a bubble level built in, and interchangeable quick release attachment for your pochade, easel or watercolor board. In addition, there is a stone bag, a sort of hammock below suspended from the legs, where you can chuck a few weighty objects (stones, bricks) to keep the tripod stable in breezy outdoor conditions. The tripod comes in a sturdy bag with strap for carrying along as you hike to your painting site.
I don't particularly like painting outdoors, as Delaware usually enjoys a brisk breeze off the bay and if it's cold or humid, my paint doesn't dry well (I use watercolor.) Not to mention, I have to spend valuable painting time traveling to some location. What I usually do is photograph my subject and come back to my little studio. I use the tripod system in my studio to paint standing up--my preferred way to paint, and I love the way I can orient the tripod to suit what I am doing. I can move it around the studio to capture the best light. Someday, if I decide to take a workshop in some beautiful locale, or go on a vacation, I'm going to drag this along to make sure I can paint comfortably.
The Guerilla system has a lot of accessories for your particular medium; oil painters can choose a wooden pochade (cigar box) that holds paints, a telescoping easel, a box that has paint storage as well as wet canvas storage (necessary for plein air). There are watercolor boards--frames that stretches either a full, half or quarter sheet of watercolor paper and attach to the tripod, palette holders, palettes for watercolor, umbrella and brush box. You can pick the components you need whether you are a watercolorist, pastel artist or oil painter.
I use the tripod plus the watercolor board (half sheet, thinking of adding the quarter sheet frame.) If I ever decide to go out on one of my rare days off, I'll strongly consider an umbrella and palette holder.
This is a great system in or out of the studio and would be a must for the plein-air oil painter for sure. The tripod is extremely well made and well worth it when you set up the accessories that you need.
This easel is pretty decent given the price. To get much better, you'd have to pay massively more money. Speaking of paying massively more, I saw one in Office Depot that wasn't quite as good, and they were charging 5 x what this one cost. So, I think it is a pretty good deal.
