Jullian Hybrid® Travel Easel

This is a nice travelling easel, lightweight and manageable. There are some quirks. There should be a smooth slide down the centre of the canvas support board to adjust the heights of the lower holding plate and the grip above it, but with the one I have, there's a snag as if the router didn't make a clean cut, which you have to force your way past - tedious although it will probably wear in (hopefully).

Also it's not possible to secure a canvas smaller than 14" or so in height, since the grip cannot come down the board any further than to hold one of that size. Clearly the French don't imagine you'll be painting outdoors with a canvas smaller than that.

The bag in the photograph looks more substantial than it is. It's made of thin cloth which flops rather than stands up and would do virtually nothing to protect the easel when carrying it, should you knock it. It isn't waterproof. But it would keep the dust off it in storage. And keep it from mud and splatter and such in the field.

The interior metal lining has removable sections to allow you to customise how you use the storage box. These are of shiny aluminum and they come across as pretty cheap - thin, sharp, hard to manipulate into place. But at least there are some, which give this model the edge over the 'Spirit' version.

The four legs are sturdy and the finish is generally good, as you'd expect from this brand's reputation.

All these are first impressions. I have yet to actually take this into the field. Hopefully there'll be another review along soon from someone who has...