I've made some out of bamboo and also have seen them made from dowel rods. With that said I prefer the store bought variety because they are more versatile in general. If I'm traveling light and expect to be able to sit down to shoot then a set of stony point steady stix fit the bill and they are small and light enough that they are always with me. I also have a bog pod tripod that will allow me to sit shooting or standing. I have some camo netting attached to the bog pod and in a pinch it provides a little breakup cover to sit behind.