I really like the backpackable model pictured above from Elderly and I'm looking for a good excuse to buy one. Mine's not backpack sized, but the next best thing. I have a pair of black tubular steel folding music stands from Yorkville. Great things, stable and strong, and they fold flat enough to put behind a pickup truck seat, strap to a guitar case, and otherwise pack easily. It boggles my mind how many musicians, amateur and otherwise, who haven't got a good stand. Mine get used every single day, personally and in my lesson room by others.

I used to use a homemade plywood model which was fabulous except that it didn't fold so it didn't travel well, hence the store bought model.

A djembe is okay if I'm sitting and don't need the music too close to my failing eyes, but there's no substitute for a good stand.

I will sometimes attach a little shelf under the lip of the stand to hold extra stuff like an E-Bow, capos, tuner, and so on, just for convenience.

Peace, Mooh.