What I especially like, is, that the boompole elements are not able to rotate, when extended. No chance, that a semi-heavy shotgun microphone pointed in one direction suddenly flips 90 or 180 degrees or … whatever. The way you rotate the boompole is the way things stay. Ahem… that is, if you do not forget tightening the connections in the top (scary ;-)
The boompole actually is capable of containing a cable. I have a few 3.5 mm very high quality shielded TRS cables, that are usable as “extenders”, connecting to XLR adapters in each end - even allowing the handling of Phantom 48V balanced connections.
Now, if the boompole was delivered with a short 5/8” female to 5/8” (or better 3/8”) male extender with a “rubber/PVC (?)protected and elongated side hole” allowing you to slide through a cable, you’d only need the existing hole in the bottom of the pole to be slightly wider, to ease the tip of the 3.5mm jack - and cable - through and out one of the existing side holes in the bottom grip. I can see the tip inside, but haven’t found a way to - easily - persuade the jack to enter the bottom hole. A flexible, high quality cable a meter or more long is not ideal for that, but there are other ways… ahem… and inside scratches are never seen, are they?
Some form of add-on option for a shielded 48V Phantom balanced signal capable of handling standard microphone signals would be really nice. Only needs two 3.5mm jacks to XLR adapters soldered correctly and a shielded audio cable with two twisted strands of a fitting length. Then cabling is far easier, than with the issued “cable managers”, that really are less usable, than even the cheapest “klettbands” from Amazon in 50 or 100 quantities for a few Euros.
Apart from that, the boompole is cheap, light, reliable and easy to use. Not ideal for mounting heavy gear, but it works. Maybe a similarly constructed version with more elements having (nearly) the same reach but only a packing size of 45-50 cm would be a better alternative for travel use.
