recommend camera support for my aging parents

[vjack]

My parents recently bought a Canon PowerShot A710 IS. They've been enjoying it and e-mailing me lots of photos, most of which are unacceptably blurry to my eye even though they are happy with them. They are not particularly inclined to read manuals and probably have no idea how to effectively use IS.

With Christmas coming up, I'm thinking about getting them some sort of camera support. I know they won't use anything bulky or time consuming to set up. Most of their shots are your typical tourist or nature snap shots, so I need something fast, light, and versatile. They have a table-top tripod of some sort which they never use because they don't often find themselves in situations with a flat table-top surface from which to shoot.

The two possibilities that have occurred to me are a flexible gorilla pod or an inexpensive monopod. The gorilla pod would be light, portable, and far more versatile than a non-flexible pod because it could be wrapped around railings, tree branches, etc. Assuming I could convince them to actually bring a monopod along, it could be used almost anywhere and might offer some added walking stability on hikes, etc.

Any ideas?

[Jon]

I'd say the most important consideration you should give to a support is that it have a quick release mechanism. But I don't hold a lot of hope that you'll convince them to use any support regardless of what you get them. Maybe a chain-pod (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=25765) (you can probably, for the A710, replace the chain with some kind of light cord). The tension on the cord will help keep the camera syeadier.

[BearLeeAlive]

I like the idea of a Gorillapod for them. It could be easily carried in a hand bag and is quite flexible in how it can be used. The weight of their camera would not be an issue either.

[pturton]

How about a beanbag and a Hummer 3 to carry it?