Spent loads of time window-shopping easels and felt drawn to the h-shaped wooden easel's classic look. But these presented the same problem I was already dealing with: having to rig a system that would allow me to move a painting up and down and tilt it from side to side in order to orient the surface area to the optimum position to paint without twisting my hand or forearm or both at an odd angle. I could tell that the Felix easel would do the job, but I worried about the tripod base being stable enough. And there was the cost, more than I really wanted to spend. But then, like using better quality paints and handmade brushes, it was an investment in my art and so I bought it. Upon opening the shipping box, its overall quality was immediately evident. It's robust. The tripod base is rock solid. Plus the number of ways it can be set up for different sizes is amazing. I could not be happier with my purchase. If you appreciate the idea of being able to position a painting surface at all sorts of angles to facilitate your painting, this truly is the only easel to get.