Buying this type a gear is often treading the fine line wanting getting the cheapest price possible while still getting a decent product that will hold up over time. The Impact line of lighting stands and miscellaneous grip equipment has been around for a long time and I’ve had some of their lightweight regular light stands in the past. I always felt their value was a good bang for the buck and for the duration of the time I’ve had the gear, I definitely got my money’s worth.
There are a handful of options with C+ stands available from the usual grip names: Matthews, Avenger, Impact… even Sachter has one available. There are some smaller companies offering C stands, as well but haven’t worked with any of their gear yet (interfit, kupo, bowen, digial juice).
The Impact C+ stands clocked in a little under $130 + shipping and the Matthews C+ clocked in at $170 with free shipping. Even with shipping, I could save around $20 per stand and I needed to buy a minimum of eight stands all at once – so as long as the product was good, I could definitely go for saving $160 (basically one free C+ stand).
C Stands vs C+ Stands. The difference between a standard C stand and a C+ is that a C+ has a removable base (sometimes referred to as a turtle base or simply as a detachable base). For me this is an important feature for packing ergonomics in my production van. Things fit much nicer for me when packing stands and I can remove the base part of stand. If you want to save a few bucks, the standard C stand models will always be available at a slightly lower price than C+.
The base. The impact stand
has a nice locking/release design for the base of their C+ stand that is an easy open and clicks in for sturdy lock when in the locked position. This design definitely will reduce if not completely eliminate any off-chance accidental closures.
The main section of the stand is pretty standard. Solid construction in a beefy way that reinforces the justified confidence in the stand’s quality. O rings separate each section rise – just like you’ll get with a Matthews and the section knobs correspond with the rugged build quality.
The arm has an added texture to it that further assist gripping from the provided grip head – This is an interesting feature because while it is an added benefit it’s also a slight hindrance if you’re not expecting it. The same texture that adds to the ability to grip also reduces the ease in which the arm will slide when making adjustments. In my experience this is easily countered by giving an extra turn of the grip head adjustment knob to be slightly looser and an ever so gentle jiggle of the arm before making the adjustment and I can now adjust the arms on the Impact C+ just as quickly and easily as a Matthews or any other C stand I’ve worked with.
To save a few bucks but still get a great quality stand that will last you years, the Impact C+ is a solid purchase.
(4.5 out of 5 stars)