Jill: The Gorillapod goes in my daypack when I am visiting places where bringing a tripod is either not allowed or very awkward. For instance, when we were on an Eastern Mediterranean Cruise last fall, I brought the Gorillapod during our day trip to Santorini and set it up on a table next to us at a cliff-side bar. Using the 10 second timer, I was able to shoot images of my husband and I enjoying an icy Mythos beer above the giant caldera. In fact, it is such a surprising looking gadget that many people don't even recognize it as a tripod, so the "no tripod" rule in public venues might be overlooked. I have used it at home to set the camera on a table or kitchen counter to do food photography or time-lapse photography. I have used it while out hiking. It's relatively small size and weight make it easy to stuff in a backpack, and if you're already carrying 10+ lbs of other camera gear, you won't even notice the additional weight. Sometimes it is challenging to bend the legs into the proper position, and with a heavy camera/lens combo, you want to be sure it is very stable before you walk away from it; however it has great utility and deserves a place in your travelling camera kit.