Sabrent 65 Inch Aluminum Tripod

On first take, the Sabrent 65 inch aluminum tripod with 360 degree full motion camera mount is impressive. It's solid, not too heavy at 5 pounds, and has multiple levels and adjustments for full control of camera position. The ball mount and pivot are nicely-machined aluminum, and can pivot 90 degrees, in addition to the full 360 degree rotation. But on closer look, and after just a few uses, I get the impression that this tripod is more "show" than durable. The finishes are mostly *painted* with many layers - you can see the paint already start to scratch away at the top of the leg pivots. This doesn't bode well for long-term durability. And then there are the *supposed* features that don't actually exist. One photo in the product listing shows the ability to reverse the mount under the tripod for low-angle shots. I'm an engineer and I can't for the life of me figure out how that would be possible without taking this apart piece by piece. Another supposed feature is a "monopod" leg, which indeed one of the legs has a foam surround. But there is no way to remove the other 2 legs - outside of unscrewing legs with one of the included Allen wrenches, but again this is not what I would consider a "monopod" quick release. The meager instructions (once you find them hidden in the case inner pocket) are no help. Then, start to compare this tripod with others in its price range, and you find you can buy a magnesium tripod with a better finish that is 1.5 pounds lighter. I can't think of why I would even consider the Sabrent.