nikonstills

This grew out of a discussion over on DVX user, thought I'd add it here if anyone is interested.
A poster asked "what is the best c-stand" and my reply was "usually, not a c-stand".
C stands are designed to get small lights and flags into a maze of light stand feet. They're not intended for overheads or big 2K fresnels. They tip easily, they're hard to pack, and the way the column meets the base at a single point makes them even more prone to tipping. For some reason, "c-stand" has become a sort of knee-jerk must-have for people starting to build a kit. I like having c-stands, but especially on a tight budget, I'd shop for stands that are more versatile, can hold more weight with greater stability, are easier to pack, and could reasonably be used for, say, an 8x8 overhead in calm conditions, and (hopefully) cost the same or less. Something that can take an XL softbox or a big octagon without 3 sandbags and prayer.

I'm comparing stands here to the Avenger Turtle-Base (unless you are 100% studio, you really don't want 1-piece C-stands - I feel they're a pain to pack). And turtles do give you the floor-stand option with a butt plug. Yet I'd take a Beefy Baby over a c-stand any day, in most cases. 
So - Stands in the $200 or less range you should consider. In the US, all the stands below can be found with free US shipping. There's probably a few more choices out there, but here's what's top of my radar:

BEST VALUE:

Matthews Steel Kit Stand
25 lb load, 37" footprint - 9.5 ft. tall
(Actually better height, load and footprint than the Beefy Baby)
$87, free shipping
Not as heavy steel as Beefy Babies (and thus lighter to pack)... and, DUDE, eighty seven bucks!! That's two c-stands!!


THE KING OF AFFORDABLE STANDS:

Kupo Master Combo HD $156
88 freaking pounds max. load!
55" footprint! ELEVEN FEET high.
baby pin AND junior receiver.
Leveling leg!
Cons: a very very wide footprint (very stable) that might be overkill on a tiny set.

OR SAVE A FEW BUCKS:

Kupo Master Combo Alu Senior Stand $144
26.5 lb load at a maximum height of 12' 4".
Footprint: 46" - still pretty big.
Aluminum construction, a triple function universal head and a leveling leg.

THE KNEE JERK C-STAND, (most agree) THE BEST VERSION AVAILABLE:

Avenger turtle base c-stand $169
9.8' feet height, 3' footprint, 22 lb max load, baby pin. Anyone who puts 22 lbs. on a fully extendedd c-stand may be asking for trouble though...
If you shoot strictly in the studio, you can save some money and get 1-piece (non turtle) c-stands. Which are a pain to pack.
If you use turtle base stands, you should invest in some butt plugs at $20 or so each. Makes a great floor-level stand.
Or buy the narrower turtle base and a butt plug.

BEST ALTERNATES TO THE C-STAND
In addition to that $87 Steel Kit Stand...
Matthews Beefy Beefy Double Riser $173
8.5' height, 22 lb max load 33" footprint. An industry standard. Essentially same price as the best c-stand.
(Was manufactured with a 12' aluminum column for some time, and those show up cheap on the used market - I wouldn't extend those fully or use in the wind, as the column is weaker than steel. I have two of the aluminum stands and I feel the column could buckle with enough stress. Great lightweight stand to get smaller flags up very high though, great for big softboxes at reasonable heights.)

Matthews Beefy Beefy Triple Riser $203
12 ft height, 20 lbs max load 33" footprint. A killer stand.

WANT WHEELS ON A KILLER STAND?

Kupo Junior Roller $199
17 lb max load - 45" footprint - 8.8' high
With super useful and good-sized braking wheels - bigger wheels than the Matthews roller in fact, which don't have brakes (well, mine don't).
(Avenger roller is same price, 1 foot shorter, only 28" footprint.) The giant footprint of the Kupo roller suggests it could be used for smaller overheads in calm conditions if big height isn't needed.
This type of stand is a dynamite thing to have - I use them for microphone booms, they're sturdy and reposition fast, rarely need sand bags.