Phottix F-180 Light Stand (71")

The collapsed length is what sold me—it packs down to 18 inches, so it slides right into my camera bag without a fight. Five sections extend smoothly to nearly six feet, and it's held my strobe steady outdoors even with a bit of wind.

Packed this for a location shoot and was amazed it fits in my small carry-on bag. The collapsible design to 18 inches is a real space-saver, and it holds my speedlight steady at full height.

I've been using this for tabletop product shots and it's great how compact it gets at only 18 inches collapsed, really easy to stash in my camera bag. The five-section design extends smoothly to a good working height for my softbox.