I use an old Atlas(sorry....not sure of the model)...with an iron triangle base that has a very small footprint for a ten foot tall mic stand. Heavy as a mutha but built like a battleship! It's/they're holding up my Ntk's!(Also Anchors)

I add weights to the bottom of the stand. Pro gaffers have sand bags for this that attach with velcro. I haven't been able to find these. I use a set fo ankle exercise weights that are 2 1/2 pounds each.

That's not a bad idea "taxman" , but the base of my Atlas stand is more like 25-40 lbs! When I said heavy, I really meant that! The metal tubes themselves prolly' weigh 10 lbs. Those old Atlas' are simply the best. Awesome clutches on their booms too! Pay the extra for the good stuff here folks. Nothing can bring a happening session down like 19 yr old Johnny knocking an expensive mic to the floor!!! Been there, done that!

I believe that the Atlas stand that Rob alludes to is the MS20 (or the MS25). I have a couple of 20's and a 25. The 25 has the addition of an air cylinder in the tube portion that acts as a "shock absorber" so that the stand won't collapse in a crash with a heavy mic onboard. Either one is great, they definitely will support some serious weight.

Galaxy Audio used to market a weighted "donut" that would sit on a stands base to keep it stable if a Hotspot was on it. It was made from a heavy material (like canvas or cordura) and you filled this "sock" with lead weights (fishing weights). You could probably come up something that you could fabricate like that, as GA no loner seems to offer these.

I use the same Atlas stands rob referred to. They have a triangular cast iron base. They're heavy with a capital H (about 40 lbs), and 2 long heavy duty telescoping sections puts it way up there - about 6 ft. before the boom. Very stable for overheads or large diaphragm vocal mic, with a shock mount, and pop filter hardware.

Or you can do what I do sometimes, and pull out the top section and replace it with another standard 2 section stand and go straight up 3 sections with a shorter boom.

http://www.atlasmicstands.com/details.cfm?PN=SB36W

I do not have the casters on mine.

For regular tripods I use the heaviest K&M available. Light weight mic stands are practicallly useless.

taxman wrote: I add weights to the bottom of the stand. Pro gaffers have sand bags for this that attach with velcro. I haven't been able to find these. I use a set fo ankle exercise weights that are 2 1/2 pounds each.

yep...great minds......

http://www.markertek.com/Product.asp?cat=STANDMTS&subcat=&prodClass=SANDBAG&search=0&off=0&baseItem=HEAVY+10

Just got in an Atlas MS25E. 15" triangle base. Shipping weight 23 pounds. Feels heavier than that. Or maybe I'm just getting old. Anyway, very stable and study. The K2 seems very secure. I can't be as stable as the huge tripod on wheels of the A50, but I feel pretty safe and I have a lot more space.