Which easel do you think is the absolute best for plein air painting?

[LarrySeiler]

Originally Posted by acadianartist

Ben Haggett's pochade boxes!!! I have the full-size Yellowknife and love it. I've stopped using anything else (I now have a basement full of easels!).

I would like to have the money on hand...that isn't absorbed with framing, travels/airflights, workshops, paints...and everything else that I could put aside. I watched several YouTube videos this weekend...and Haggett's boxes are impressive...

that being said, for the dollar and value...I have a dozen 9"x 12" Guerrilla pochade boxes and a Boden tripod for each, that I purchased for hosting my own plein air workshops...in the event students want to avoid packing theirs. Good boxes...hearty...roomy...and in most folk's budgets...

My next "practical" easel...is likely to be an imitation of the Gloucester...the Beauport, or EasyL...and hopefully by this summer...

[Lifescapes]

Soltek owners: do you like your soltek in spite of it's leg problems?

[Lifescapes]

I am a official art supply goner- I now own:
One BEST manhattan easel, the Cheap Joes signature
Watercolor easel , the Soltek pro and am anxiously
awaiting my allaprimapochade yellowstone lite with 4 panel lid- due
next month- that means 3 yes 3 plein air easels!! I am
expecting painting perfection - the toys of the trade are the
Key, right? Lol

[Stella]

After reading ALL the posts in this tread i still have some questions. Is there real difference between box easels Julian, Mabef and their copies? What makes a genuine brand name box easel better than unnamed cheapo? I have to know to advise my students. For myself I use Yarka with aluminum legs that cannot be found today for the love or money, not even in Russia, they stopped producing them because of the higher price on aluminum. That was a winning design (boo-hoo!).
What am I to say to my students?

[Lifescapes]

STELLLLLLAAA!!!!!Okay, you will no doubt get some varying answers but this I know based on experience. You are referring to FRENCH easels and of those, Julian is best, better built, better wood better hardware. Maybef isn't far behind. Below that there are many cheapies. HOWEVER, they all wear down somewhat. They are wood with hardware that wears on the wood and most people I know have had more than one because of this. HOWEVER, that says something: people want them again even after their demise. ( I had 3 myself!) They are USEFUL so people put up with them because they love them anyway. Keep in mind that they are exceedingly heavy-fairly so even before you fill it with you goodies- and cumbersome. Folding them is a drag, albeit a few people get good at it. AND one more warning, the legs tend to warp and in some cases split. I must admit, there is something romantic about them, and I sometimes miss mine, but mostly am glad I am no longer last out of the workshop after struggling with a balky leg or the t bar.

[jboire]

I am a novice Plein Air painter and have an affinity for my Safari 2 french easel. It is very accommodating for large or small canvas boards or frames and is somewhat inexpensive. I need to carry three things into the field so it is not entirely a good set up for hiking to location. I carry the easel, a palette box, and an art box with necessities. I primarily practice Plein Air on 5x7 and 6x9 canvas boards but have painted 16x20s with ease. This easel accommodates much larger canvas to 28x39. Construction seems of a quality consistent with field work and the device aesthetics are nice with walnut finish and brass hardware.

[manfrommerriam]

Say, this string is over 3 years old. Isn't it time to drive a stake into its heart?
Dave

[boomerbeach]

I agree with "manfrommerriam", is there a way to sideline this to "reviews" or whatever? During the course of these 3+ years, I've owned most of these referenced easels, with a number of personal comments on same... Basically, nearly always pleased with what I had just acquired!
I'm HAPPY to say that I've unloaded and resold most all of these (SolTek, GP Cigar, Sienna and two EasyL pochades) along with other plein air stuff, having garnered over $650 on these re-sales in recent months. Why do I include this comment? .. 'Cuz I broke even, or better, having always bought stuff right. Also, there seems to be a decent Plein Air equipment re-sale market via CraigsList and other. It's taken me 5yrs of Plein Air, 100x yearly, to define and finalize what I really need, a new extremely light-weight OBM rig in an $18 Costco backpack .. Wow am I happy! This time, I really have the feeling that my never ending search has stopped... My back affirms this on nearly every outing!

[SSB]

Originally Posted by boomerbeach

I agree with "manfrommerriam", is there a way to sideline this to "reviews" or whatever? During the course of these 3+ years, I've owned most of these referenced easels, with a number of personal comments on same... Basically, nearly always pleased with what I had just acquired!
I'm HAPPY to say that I've unloaded and resold most all of these (SolTek, GP Cigar, Sienna and two EasyL pochades) along with other plein air stuff, having garnered over $650 on these re-sales in recent months. Why do I include this comment? .. 'Cuz I broke even, or better, having always bought stuff right. Also, there seems to be a decent Plein Air equipment re-sale market via CraigsList and other. It's taken me 5yrs of Plein Air, 100x yearly, to define and finalize what I really need, a new extremely light-weight OBM rig in an $18 Costco backpack .. Wow am I happy! This time, I really have the feeling that my never ending search has stopped... My back affirms this on nearly every outing!

You condemn the thread, then contribute to it. Luckily no one has "driven a stake through the heart" of this thread, or we would never have known your optimal setup, and that is good, because people still have questions about plein aire easels.

[Flanagan]

I think it also depends on how often you take your easel through an airport. I've traveled with my Jullian, an easel that should last a long time. But sending it about six times through checked luggage has taken its toll quickly. A smaller pochade is going to be my next purchase, and sturdiness will be the first consideration.

[Trikist]

Like a lot of folks, I now own two. A Guerilla Thumb Box and an Open Box M. The Thumb Box is good for its designed use: 6X8 hardboards. I got the 10X12 Open Box M for larger formats and it works well for me. Neither of them made me a better painter. I think that practice will still be required for that. I like to see set-ups. Here is mine:

[Montana Mountain Man]

I have several plein air easels that I made up from boxes I bought for $19.95 at Hobby Lobby when I started painting several years ago.I just finished my first workshop with Dan Young"a great workshop.Dan's workshop had a number of easels to look at.From a distance I looked at the Sienna so ordered one when i got home.The Sienna is a China made easel out of cheap soft wood and soft screws.$79 bucks is just what you get,I thought they were US made. I looked at others more expensive and sorry now that i didn't go ahead with the Alla Prima or Open M.You only waste $ on something that is a cheap deal.I suppose thats why most experienced plein air folks end up with a number of easels .Buy US made and you'll be happier and help a craftsman.

[ljmarkham]

Soltek Easel from Jim Wilcox is great.

[surfer]

I use my Soltek primarily except when the legs are broken. I have sent mine back six times!!! don't travel with it. If it breaks you are without an easel. Friends and I have had a hard time getting through on telephone to them when needed. They just won't call ya back.

I travel with an open box m, just the palette and tripod and a panel box.

Just sayin

[MattOKC]

By FAR, the best plein air easel I've found is this one:
http://www.cheapjoes.com/craftech-si...zon-easel.html

It's gorgeous, well-made (in America), and stable. I use it as my studio easel now, it's so good.