insTand CR3 Portable Laptop Stand for Standing or Sitting

How I use it: I own two of these -- the first given to me back in 2010 for work, and I bought a spare in 2014 "just in case" my original failed. I use it all the time in my travelling IT job, assembling and breaking it down multiple times a day. I do not treat it gently. The Good: -It fits perfectly in a GoRuck GR1 backpack along with the rest of my tools. -It's super light and portable. -The one from 2010 is still usable after nine years (and counting) of daily use. The Bad: -It's a little short for my preference, I wish it was 3-6" higher. Still totally usable. -It's not super stable, compared to slightly bulkier (and cheaper) options. Still stable enough for a 15" macbook pro (barely), though I wouldn't want to put a vintage W-series Thinkpad on it. -It's somewhat pricey. Though for my portability use case, nothing else comes close. The Ugly: -There is WAY too much plastic in critical locations. I've had two parts fail. -Part #1 (photo 1): The leg height locking tab is plastic, and the tube is metal. One time the legs fell out of my bag, hit the floor, and flattened the plastic locking tab bit against the metal tube (plastic against metal = flattened plastic)....making it impossible to lock the legs with it. -Part #2 (photo 2): The thumbscrew for height locking is plastic -- and stripped out within a few months of use. I fixed BOTH of those issues by drilling out the offending part and using a $2 hardware store pull pin for locking, letting gravity hold it in place. It's mildly annoying, but I'm sure the device wasn't designed for a 9+ year lifespan. And aside from those 2 issues, it still works just fine.

_I don't normally write product reviews but this one deserves it, honestly one of the best products I have ever owned. _Have owned for over 5 years. _Very well built, I use it daily in a field environment opening and closing often. (BAS Technician, read another review from someone that was the same, thanks for the tip) _Folds up nicely and fits into laptop bag. _Sturdy when laptop is on top. _Height is good (I am tall so wish it was a little higher but still very good height, next model up maybe a bit much in weight department). _Weight is not bad. _Did not want to spend the money but so glad I did, well worth it. _A lot of people get a kick out of it, say I look like a conductor, they are impressed when I put my laptop on it. _Great for your health, so much better on my back, can adjust down for times that you like to sit. _Excellent Product, Buy it.

Suits the purpose for which I use it. Could be a little more substantial in its' construct.

I have worked as an estimator for insurance and restoration companies and have used this stand. It is a good, lightweight stand but does not impress me as super durable. Take care of it and it will be fine. I would give it 4 stars if it weren't for the price. I thought it was overpriced when we purchased one directly from their website a year ago at $80. Now that the price has gone up to $120 I will find something else. I'm not even the one who would be paying for it, my employer is, but the cost to me is just not justified at this price.

I like the materials that the stand is made of. It's very light yet durable. It's great that you can adjust it for sitting or standing. Because I'm 6' tall, I pretty much have to put the stand to it's maximum height. So, I don't think it would work for anyone taller than me. It's definitely comfortable to use and to stand at. I like how I can use it anywhere, even in areas with very little space. I live in a small apartment so I can set it up just about anywhere. There are only a few complaints I have about the product. First, the higher that you crank the stand, the less stable it is. It's stable enough to hold my laptop, but when I have it on the highest position, I have to hold the stand when opening my laptop so it won't fall over. That doesn't happen when I'm in the sitting position. The other small complaint I have is that screwing in the top platform that holds the laptop is not always the easiest. So, it's better if you don't have to take it apart all the time. But, because I live in a small space, I have to disassemble it every day. It's not so bad, just a minor annoyance. Overall, it's a really great product and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for an inexpensive solution for sitting and standing with a laptop. Those sit/stand desks can be really expensive.

This is the best computer stand EVER, bar none. It adjusts to whatever height is most comfortable for you and, because of the tripod arrangement, can be pulled quite close to you as well. The platform upon which the computer sits is made of sticky rubber, which means the stand can be tipped but your computer will not slide off. The stand is lightweight but very sturdy, sets up in literally seconds (just screw the platform to the base), and comes with a carry case. It's made a big difference in how comfortable I am at the computer. I have an artist friend who bought the stand to use for setting up still-lifes. He says it's ideal because he can easily place the still-life at eye-level whether he's standing or sitting at his easel.

I am a professional writer, which means I spend way, way too much time at a keyboard. I will use my old, 5-year-old macbook, my ipad with bluetooth keyboard, or sometimes my Hermes typewriter to do different writing projects. That much time sitting at a computer desk is, even with ergonomic chairs, awful for your body. So I made an effort to do my work standing, and the benefits have been overwhelming. It's so much harder to justify wasting time when you're standing, my productivity has skyrocketed. I had bought a heavy metal locking music stand, which, while wobbly, was a portable standing work desk. It was heavy, cumbersome, and couldn't fit anywhere on my bike, but it let me stand and write on my laptop while at work, so I lugged it around and grumbled all the way. Then I finally decided to shell out the dough for insTand's laptop stand and I couldn't be happier that I did so. It's everything I wanted: I can carry it in my backpack, assemble it in moments, strap it to my bike, take it with me anywhere I take my laptop; it's extremely sturdy, and can stand up to use either with my laptop or my typewriter, and with my ipad setup, there's room for coffee, or a portable speaker I use, or a notepad so I can jot down scribbles. I'm 5'10", and the height fits me pretty much fine, though there are moments I wish I had a little more height. That's not a problem, though, because of the tilt mechanism in the stand. The pictures show you leaning the stand toward yourself, but I've found it much much easier to lean it AWAY from you. It creates an ideal angle for your wrists so as to reduce carpal tunnel symptoms. If you're serious about standing up while you work (which you should be; your body and mind will thank you), and can afford the price tag, you'll find it an utterly worthwhile investment. I hardly review anything, especially in depth. So for what it's worth, this stand is the most impressive purchase I've made in the past few years. I love it, and you will too.

(Edited to reflect an observation of Mr. Bunin) This product is an intelligent compromise between light weight and high durability. I am mostly pleased with this gadget. The top of the product is a flat piece of sheet metal, completely covered by a thin layer of material that is similar to foam rubber. This rubber-like material is very grippy. It helps prevent accidents. This product is no bargain. Really, it is little more than a headless camera tripod. Just think what a nice headless tripod you could get for the same money.