Best Hi-hat Stand Reviews — From Veteran’s Perspective

Hi! I’ve been drumming my heart out for almost 21 years now, and I guess you can agree with me on one thing: hi-hats are the backbone of the beat. Good hi-hatting is like glue to the rhythm. It makes the kick & snare duo cohesive and tight. Dictating the mood of the rhythmic picture and adding motion.

So, choosing a good stand is radical. Whether you’re searching for a hi-hat stand 2 leg model or something suitable for studio sessions, I’m here to help. In this review, I will try to cover all nuances of selecting a solid stand.

We’ll go through some well-known brands, check the studio and portable types, pay attention to price range, construction, and more. This selection includes the top-trending models of the moment. So, you can select a stand that won’t hurt your wallet much. But still, you will get a stable foundation for the hi-hat cluster. Let’s rock!

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1. Gibraltar 5707 Medium Weight Double braced Hi-Hat Stand: Hit Me All You Want

Let’s start with a budget model. Gibraltar 5707 is a humble but sturdy workhorse. The combo of affordable price and reliable architecture makes it a wanted guest for the rehearsal sessions, touring, and practice rooms.

We get a nice set of features. Nylon collar insert, adjustable height and spring rotation, chain drive system, and a standard hi-hat clutch. It’s a lightweight stand, but you don’t need to worry about its stability at all. Feet of 5707 are equipped with rubber pads. That means you can go wild with hammering your hats Drowning Pool style. The stand won’t collapse.

It’s an affordable and portable boyo that lets you arrange the hi-hat setup worry-free. Plus you can add extra pedals later. Considering that it’s crafted by Gibraltar whose gear is favored by a wide range of artists — from Megadeth’s own Chris Adler to Van Romaine who drums for Enrique Iglesias — it’s a good deal.

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2. Kuyal Foldable Portable Hi-Hat Stand: Touring Companion

The Kuyal Foldable is another lightweight hi-hat stand in our survey. To be honest, I don’t know much about the brand. The Kuyal doesn’t seem to be mainstream, although it makes a wealth of music gear: from guitar racks to copper 18-inch cymbals.

So, let’s see what this bad boy is good for. First, it is very compact. You can fold it anytime and carry it anywhere — the model’s weight is just 6.28 lbs. But again, don’t let the small weight fool you: thanks to the wide spacing of the legs, the Kuyal stand feels quite stable.

Another fat plus I found is its satisfying responsiveness. Keeping up the tempo, opening hats, or playing all sorts of grace notes isn’t a challenge with this buddy. So with such a stability/response combo, you can add this stand to a more professional expensive kit.

What Kuyal Foldable lacks, though, is the swiveable legs. Too bad, but expanding your arsenal of pedals is a no-no in this case. Plus, its clutch doesn’t seem to be as tight as the clutches that other models offer.

But for its more than a humble price, you still get a sweet deal. Smooth zinc surface trustworthy legs, effortless response, and instant portability. If you’re assembling the first kit in your life — you hi-hit the lottery with the stand.

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3. Premium 2 Leg Hi-Hat Stand by Griffin: When the Band Is on the Run

This hi-hat stand 2 leg contraption is a bit more professional beast. It looks like the authors of the Griffin Premium 2 Leg had two things in mind: a) Taking care of touring drummers b) Providing them with a portable stand that has a maximum capacity.

So, what do we have here? The first thing that grabbed my attention is a no-leg pedal regime. It’s a clever tactic to have such a transformer in our arsenal, especially if a touring bus is like your second home. Besides, with the no-leg mode, you can dramatically expand your artistic palette.

Another enjoyable feature here is the memory lock implementation. Every drum artist knows what a pain in the neck it can be — having to set up/readjust the cymbals all over again. But with this know-how, a ton of time can be saved.

The package also includes such impressive features as fully rotatable legs, chrome hardware, and a knob to adjust the tension. The latter, as you know, serves well to make your hi-hat style unique and recognizable.

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4. Tama Speed Cobra 310 Hi-hat Stand: A Well-balanced Serpent

Tama Speed Cobra 310 is a new take on the 910 series. And it seems that this little snakey has evolved. It’s a hi-hat stand 2 leg construction with a pair of steady rubber feet. As a result, sustaining a violent tempo with Speed Cobra 310 is an enjoyable process. Rather than a physical chore.

We also have here a direct PAS (pull action system). As a result, your muscles get less fatigue while you’re laying a beat, performing a drum break, and doing whatever antics a good drummer usually enjoys.

Compactness is one of the biggest advantages of TSC 310. It’s easy to assemble and disassemble. It’s not that heavy to be transported — the stand weighs just about 9 lbs. If you ask me, I find it a great solution for a small studio/rehearsing room since 310 doesn’t require much space.

Swiveling is also an option. You can upgrade your hi-hat cluster by adding extra pedals later. So, be it a session instrument or a sizable kit for massive gigs — it seems Tama Speed Cobra 310 can pull any job off.

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5. Tama Iron Cobra 205 Series Hi-Hat Stand: Little Friction, a Lot of Accuracies

Another serpent on our list, Tama Iron Cobra 205 is a joy to work with. First of all, it has amazing responsiveness. Sometimes, you may feel that you struggle with your hardware. But Tama is rarely that case.

Cymbals attached to this stand accurately reflect your touch and dynamic. Besides, it has a rubber insulator at the end of the rod. What does it mean?

Well, first, you won’t have unwanted clashing sound from metal-to-metal contact. This noise may oversaturate (and even ruin) a studio record with excessive-high frequencies. Second, this little guy won’t let the rod loosen up. Which means you won’t have to readjust anything manually.

What I also would like to compliment is the rotatable foot. Again: if your practice space is limited, this is a wonderful solution. If you tour constantly and sometimes struggle with setting up the hats — try this stand.

Overall, Tama never disappoints. It’s reliable, well-built, and flexible. There are 5 tension mods. And the insulator will save you some time and nerve. So, no loosey-goosey when this Cobra’s around! Just try this hi-hat stand with cymbals and you’ll see.

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6. Pacific Drums by DW 800 Series 2: A Decent Hard-worker

Pacific Drums is a well-known brand. They have been crafting their drums and percs for more than 20 years now. And their gear can be heard on records by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bruno Mars, and Collective Soul.

So, let’s see what they have baked for us. DW 800 Series 2 seems to be a tight piece. It handles the ’punishment’ pretty well. But I wouldn’t recommend dramatic forte and crescendo. Its stableness is enough, of course. But it serves more for soft music genres. (Definitely not death metal).

Another pro I’d like to highlight is the cymbal fixation. DW 800 has a pretty firm grip. So you don’t have to worry about your stand collapsing amidst a performance. Clutch is reliable. Pedal responds in time — I didn’t notice any major lag.

Despite being lightweight, DW 800 isn’t the best choice for touring. I’d rather characterize it as a session/rehearsal tool. It can be used for occasional live performances. But only if the venue is small and doesn’t require bombastic drumming. Maybe not the best hi-hat stand, it’s still a worthy one in its price category.

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7. Pacific Drums by DW 700 Series: Universal and Easy-to-use

If you look at DW 800 and DW 700 series, you’ll barely see any difference. Basically, it’s the same hi-hat stand with cymbals. There are just a few minor differences that are mostly cosmetic. DW 700 delivers quite a stable performance. The clutch is almost as tight as the rottweiler’s jaws. So loosening isn’t an issue.

Steadiness is also satisfying. If you avoid enormous hard-hitting, you won’t have to worry about the stand moving away from you during the gig. But again, it seems more of a practice tool for a cheaper set. Seemingly, DW 700 wasn’t designed for live concerts.

Swiveling isn’t an option either. As compensation, DW 700 doesn’t need much space. If it’s a bedroom, garage, or a small apartment you’re limited to — this stand would be a reasonable option.

All in all, DW offers impressive sturdiness. It’s easy to manipulate, so selecting the right tension is a no-brainer. Aspiring drummers, music students, and musicians who play gigs in small venues will definitely benefit from using it. As well as beginners. The small price is just so enticing…

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8. DW DWCP5520-2 Hi-Hat Stand: An Intriguing Specimen

DWCP5520 is a strange beast. The gimmick behind this contraption is that its slave pedal can be two things:

a) A bass pedal

b) Aside pedal for percussion instruments: cowbell, tambourine, etc.

In other words, you get two functions in one item!

The approach isn’t revolutionary, of course. But it’s certainly clever. Such an architecture greatly saves time that you regularly spend on setting up the kit. Especially if you’re using two bass pedals.

As for the hi-hat element of the stand — it’s a reliable tool. What I really like about DWCP5520-2 is that it doesn’t waste your space. Again: a great decision if you can’t afford a roomy rehearsing place. The construction seems sturdy to me with a satisfying level of responsiveness.

However, you must know one thing: this stand has its slave pedal on the left. Unfortunately, there’s no way to change it. So, if you’re a right-pedaled drummer, you’ll need some time and patience to teach yourself slave-pedaling a new.

The stand has a pretty tight grip. There’s some internal friction, though. The problem seems to be about the linkage system. And it causes one side issue: you can’t play cowbell when using the bass pedal. But if you have two bass pedals — you’re golden.

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9. DW Drum Workshop CP5500TD 5000 Series: Higher Price, Even Higher Performance

CP5500TD is a hi-hat stand 2 leg tool. It’s definitely a budget model. So, I’d highly recommend it as a practice stand, especially if you’re a neophyte. For its price, it will deliver an impressive feature repertoire for years to come.

First, I really admire the memory locks. You already know what it is: no more pain of readjusting cymbals whenever kit reassembling is needed. Second, the sturdiness of this rascal is really amazing. It’s a legit heavy-duty stand that handles hits like it’s a piece of almond biscuit.

Third, its chain mechanism delivers a fine response. Plus, its tension is easily tweakable. If you prefer an abrupt sound — no sweat. Loosey and unchained sizzling are more of your style? This stand will nail it. Try this hi-hat stand with cymbals and you get a solid trainer to perfect your HH mastery for at least 2-3 years.

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10. DW DWCP9502LB8 Hi-Hat Stand: HIgh-quality Stuff

DWCP9502LB8 is the best hi-hat stand you will get for its money. After all, its average price is almost half a grand! But the quality you get in return is astounding.

The first thing to draw my attention was its remote control cable. Imagine how much creative and performing freedom you get with this 8-foot long goodness. At the same time, responsiveness is on a stellar level. Handling open/closed phases is smoother than butter itself. So, keeping the perfect timing or swinging feels like a breeze.

The designers of the stand did a rock-solid job. The price is somewhat harsh. But this money is more of a pragmatic investment. Plus, you get a neat nylon bag for storing the stand.

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11. DW DWCP3500T Hi-Hat 2-Leg Cymbal Stand: A Bless on Two Legs

A less pricey contender, DWCP3500T is a two-legged hi-hat stand. And if you think its number of legs isn’t just enough, think twice. This DW stand is practically immovable. (Thanks to the steel base).

Sturdiness and stability allow you to practice fast-paced drumming. Heavily hit it to bring an aggressive vibe or perfect intricate patterns — this stand won’t care a bit. This bad guy has reduced friction and enhanced sensitivity. Such a splendid balance is possible due to improved link connector technology.

Memory locks are present as well, so you won’t waste your time fixating the cymbals again and again. In fact, they are so well-anchored that you have to apply brutal force to make them wobble. Guess this stand isn’t afraid of rough transportation then?

And guess what: legs are revolvable. Nothing sensational, yeah. But you can position bass drum and other kit elements in any way you prefer. Some room for strategic thinking.

All in all, I’m quite pleased with what DWCP3500T does for its money. It’s a multipurpose tool. You can take it to a live gig. Load it into the tour bus. Or just spend 5-6 hours a day practicing. It’s like a Swiss Army knife in a world of drums.

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12. Cannon UP1220SCS Hi-Hat Cymbal Stand: Cheap & Neat

Cannon UP1220SCS is presented as a no-leg hi-hat stand. However, it’s just a cymbal stand. There is simply no pedal system to manipulate hats and whatnot. However, I was surprised by how such a cheap thing can be so stout and tight.

This cannon model is capable of handling even super hard hits. I’m not sure which alloy was used to engineer its frame. But its resistance is superb. Especially if you readjust the bottom struts. Then you can literally go bananas with the cymbal ’abuse’.

It’s pretty light and compact. So, if you’re on the move a lot, I’d strongly recommend this specimen. Besides, it’s compatible with more than just a cymbal. Wind chimes, snare drum, maybe some small exotic membranophone from the Middle East — the stand can tame them all.

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Hi-hats for Groovy Cats

Hopefully, these hi-hat stand reviews were of help. Always remember that a good stand should have:

• Swivel legs;
• Sturdy metal body;
• Rubber pads on its feet;
• Preferably a memory lock.

Our list of top models does name some great hi-hat stands that will nicely complement your home, studio, or concert kit. But if you get a chance, always try to test a stand and any other element of the drum set personally. That’s how you will know if it suits your style, artistic vision, and current skill level.

If you’re just beginning your drum journey, I’d recommend starting with the cheapest models from the list: Gibraltar 5707 or Kuyal will do nicely. If you’re an avid live performer, then something like Tama Speed Cobra 310 is a must-have. For it, you may be a natural virtuoso. But even such a trifle as a dodgy hi-hat stand can sabotage your performance.

I regularly update my reviews, searching for new stuff to test and share my first-hand experience with you guys. Don’t forget to regularly check my blog for more handy tips, insights, and recommendations.

Got a question? Want to tell us about your experience with the drumming gear? Leave a comment, and I’ll try to help asap!