I was amazed at how quick and simple it was to set this stand up and fold it back down. When it arrived I pulled it out of the box and had it set up in about one minute and ready to go without consulting any instructions. All of the locks and release points were exactly where you would expect them to be. The tension on the stand adjustments are perfect and ready to go. Although I can't attest to the long-term durability of the stand yet, it is surprisingly sturdy and strong for a portably stand. It looks like it will last a long time.Some the the best features of this stand are the legs that can adjust so that it can take up less space on a stage or go against a wall. You don't even have to loosen/tighten anything to do it, just move them into position and they stay and the stand is just as sturdy as any other that I have used. The "clutch" that allows the stand to move up and down works well with very little effort. If you are used to a traditional metal stand that you can hold down with a foot and adjust the height with one hand it will take a bit of getting used to since it requires two hands. However, like me, you will also likely be pleased that it is much more likely to stay in place once you position it instead of spinning freely or sinking under the weight of what you put on it.I don't have anything negative to say about the stand, but be aware that this is not a lightweight stand. It is light enough to carry, but it has more weight to it than I anticipated. Also, there are other models made by Hercules so be sure to check the height. This one adjusts high enough for what most people would likely need, but if you need something that comes up extra high you will want to look elsewhere. I did buy the Hercules bag to carry it and I'm glad that i did. The stand separates into two pieces when broken down and the bag has a baffle in it to prevent them from banging together during transport.