Selfie sticks and tripods: what to look for

Selfie sticks have worked the same way for years, and yet most purchases fail on the same four details. None of them is printed large on the box.

The clamp width has to fit your case

The span is usually given in millimetres, typically 55 to 90. That figure refers to a bare phone. A Pro Max model in a rugged case quickly reaches 85 millimetres, which puts it at the upper limit. Measure your phone with the case on before ordering.

Equally important is what the clamp can hold. A large phone with a case weighs 250 grams. A weak spring lets it tip slowly forward once the stick is extended.

The remote is the most common failure

The little Bluetooth remote registers on the phone as a keyboard and essentially presses the volume button. Two things regularly go wrong: the coin cell is flat after months in a backpack, and the pairing has to be redone every time you change phone. Models with a built-in cell charged over USB-C are considerably more reliable here.

Tripod legs and thread

Most sticks fold out into a tripod. For group photos that is enough; for video at head height it is not, because the further the pole extends, the more the picture shakes in wind. A low setup is always steadier than a tall one.

Look for the quarter-inch thread at the head. It lets the stick sit on any photo tripod and, the other way round, accept ring lights or action cameras. Without a thread you are stuck with the supplied holder.

Where sticks are not allowed

Many museums, stadiums and concert halls ban extended poles. A compact table tripod rarely draws attention there and does almost the same job for group shots.

The selection is under mounts and selfie sticks. Driving follows a different logic, covered in car phone mounts.